Senior Lead - Footwear Costing

Role Overview

This position is integral to executing footwear costing strategies in Zurich, focusing on consistent and fact-based cost and margin management throughout the product creation lifecycle. Serving as a strategic collaborator with cross-functional teams, the successful candidate will translate global costing directions into robust processes and insightful tools, driving profitable growth.

Your Mission

• Execute and continuously evolve the footwear costing strategy and operating model in Zurich, aligning with the strategic direction set by leadership.
• Embed end-to-end costing practices into all key product creation milestones, from initial concepts through to commercialization.
• Own and develop costing tools, templates, dashboards, and core assumptions, ensuring high data quality, effective version control, and a unified source of truth.
• Collaborate closely with Product Strategy, Design, Development, Materials, Sustainability, Sourcing, Finance, and Controlling to integrate costing effectively from the outset.
• Deliver accurate product cost and margin reporting, meeting required timelines, quality standards, and decision-making thresholds.
• Represent the costing function with clarity and credibility to enhance cost literacy and decision-making quality across functional teams.

Attributes of a Successful Candidate

• Ownership: Demonstrates accountability for cost and margin outcomes throughout the footwear creation process.
• Fact-based & Structured: Approaches cost discussions and decision-making with rigor, transparency, and clarity.
• Collaborative: Cultivates strong partnerships across cross-functional teams, which is crucial for success.
• Adaptable & Resilient: Excels in dynamic environments characterized by shifting priorities and complexity.

Your Story

• Possesses a university degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Engineering, or a related field, coupled with a strong passion for value engineering.
• Has 5+ years of experience in footwear costing, sourcing, supply chain finance, or product economics within a premium or performance footwear brand.
• Understanding of footwear construction, manufacturing processes, and key cost drivers is essential.
• Demonstrated experience in owning or driving costing processes and tools in a cross-functional environment.
• Exhibits advanced analytical capabilities with strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint, complemented by sound commercial judgment and high integrity.
• Adaptable, resilient, and an effective communicator in fast-paced, cross-cultural environments.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.

Your Team

The Footwear Costing Team plays a pivotal role in supporting the Brand by delivering fact-based cost transparency, maintaining margin discipline, and providing decision-ready insights throughout the footwear creation process.