Senior Specialist - Footwear Costing Chemical & Compound

In short

The Senior Specialist, Footwear Compound & Bottom Unit Costing drives cost engineering excellence and pricing transparency for compound and bottom units within the Global Footwear Sourcing & Costing Team. 

In this capacity, by blending polymer science expertise with strong "should-cost" modeling and negotiation, this role ensures long-term cost efficiency, scalability and product commercialization with partnering cross-functionally from innovation to commercialization. 

Your mission

• Cost Engineering & Modeling: Develop, validate & maintain "should-cost" models for polymer-based compounds (outsoles, midsoles, and speedboards) utilized in footwear manufacturing. Connect technical polymer-science-driven solutions to commercially viable costing solutions.
• Strategic Negotiation: Lead formula & market-based pricing discussions with global chemical/ material suppliers to secure competitive landing costs and long term commercial agreements.
• Market Intelligence: Analyze global petrochemical markets and raw material indices to deliver risk-mitigating forecasts. Establish frameworks connecting raw material costs to compound pricing.
• Cost Governance & Analytics: Build and standardize databases, assumptions and tracking tools for chemical materials to support global strategic cost initiatives.
• Sustainable Material Costing: Establish financial and costing frameworks for sustainable polymers, aligned with On's sustainability goals.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Act as the strategic costing partner, aligning with Polymer Science & Engineering, Innovation, Footwear Sourcing, and external business partners to manage compound & bottom unit costing process within Product Creation & Commercialization timeline.

Your story

• 05+ years of experience in material costing, compound development, polymer/ chemical engineering or footwear manufacturing engineering.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/ Polymer Engineering, Polymer Science, Finance or Business.
• Technical & Commercial Business Acumen: Strong understanding of footwear bottom construction & foam technologies; proven ability to translate technical specs into commercial savings.
• Analytical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Google Sheets/ Excel, financial modeling, and index-based pricing mechanisms. Experience with PLM systems is preferred.
• Soft Skills: Entrepreneurial mindset; exceptional communication skills with the ability to challenge suppliers and align stakeholders in a dynamic, global matrix environment.
• Languages: Professional fluency in English, additional language skills are a plus.
• Preferred Qualifications: Expertise in high-performance materials designed to transform the underfoot experience. Comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing techniques, including IM, CMP, SCF, and high-pressure injection molding. Previous engagement with sustainable material solutions and initiatives aimed at carbon reduction.

Meet the Team

You will join the Global Footwear Costing team, a group focused on delivering precision and transparency in footwear & material costing. We prioritize data-driven decisions and collaborative problem-solving to support the brand's long-term growth and innovation goals.