Senior Lead - Retail Deign Program Manager (9 month-Maternity Cover)

At a Glance

The On retail fleet is expanding, has big ambitions, and we’re looking for a confident, hands-on Senior Lead - Retail Design Program Manager (9-months Maternity Cover) to help us take our retail environments to the next level.

In this dual-impact role, you will be the absolute bridge between visionary design and operational reality. During this defined cover period, you will step up to oversee the holistic retail design program - including overall budget management, strategic planning, ways of working, and senior leadership guidance.

At the same time, this is a highly hands-on role. You will directly manage upcoming high-stakes projects, including temporary pop-ups in collaboration with retail marketing, B2B activations, and Shop-in-Shop (SIS) formats.

Structure & Matrix Reporting: To keep this role deeply focused on project execution, overall program strategy, and budget management, the direct HR/line management of our Lead Project Managers will be temporarily held by our Head of Retail Design. You will act as their functional program lead - coordinating timelines, overall budgets, and strategic ways of working - without the administrative overhead of direct people management.

Your Team

At On we stimulate creativity and innovation and foster On spirit within everything we do. You will be part of our dynamic Global Retail Design team responsible for multiple cross-functional projects - from market analysis and retail strategy to concepts, temporary brand experiences, and supporting regional execution. Our physical footprint ranges from temporary pop-ups and B2B partner activations to standard Shop-in-Shops (SIS) and large flagship DTC stores.

We work in close-knit collaboration with Retail Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Real Estate & Development, and regional execution teams to create a seamless, identical, and premium consumer experience across every physical touchpoint.

Your Mission

Program Management & Strategic Steering (Maternity Cover Scope)

• Overall Program Alignment: Oversee the strategic workflow, timelines, and decision-making framework for the retail design portfolio, ensuring operational stability across all active tracks.
• Budget Ownership: Manage and optimize the overall Global Retail Design program budget (while supporting the Lead PMs in managing their individual project budgets).
• Strategic Matrix Coordination: Act as the functional program lead for our Lead PMs, ensuring seamless timeline integration and shared ways of working, while direct HR reporting flows to the Head of Retail Design.
• Executive Support: Act as the key partner for senior leadership, providing absolute program clarity, strategic guidance, and executive-level status reporting.
• Operational Governance: Oversee decision-making regarding vendor contracts, commercial negotiations, and internal/external ways of working.

Hands-on Project Delivery (Immediate & Long-Term Scope)

• Special Projects & Pop-ups: Lead and deliver high-visibility special projects from inception to completion, including temporary pop-ups in close collaboration with Retail Marketing, Real Estate & Development, and external agencies.
• B2B & SIS Spaces: Drive operational excellence and physical execution of B2B activations and Shop-in-Shop (SIS) department store layouts, aligning with On’s premium brand standards.
• Cross-Functional Orchestration: Coordinate diverse internal teams (Retail Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Retail Ops, Legal, Procurement, Tech) and external suppliers to ensure seamless delivery and “last mile” operational readiness.
• Creative Chaos Navigator: Successfully bridge the gap between high-level creative briefs and physical building constraints, managing the administrative “nuts and bolts” (including PO creation, contract liaison, and vendor onboarding) with grit and precision.

Your Story

• 8+ years of experience in retail project management, retail design, or physical brand operations in a rapidly scaling environment.
• Balanced Skillset: A unique mix of high-level strategic thinking (governance, overall budget management, and leadership reporting) and a hands-on, “no task is too small” execution mindset.
• Pop-up & B2B Expertise: Proven track record of managing fast-paced, temporary retail activations, pop-ups, and department store shop-in-shops.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Outstanding communication skills with a demonstrated ability to al…