Senior Lead - Africa Athlete Manager

Senior Lead - Africa Athlete Manager

Location: Nairobi or Zurich, with travel required

Department: Global Athlete Strategy & Partnership
Reports to: Head of Athlete Management

 

In Summary:

This role plays a pivotal role in shaping On’s athlete strategy across Africa, one of the most important regions in global distance running. As Senior Lead - Africa Athlete Manager, you oversee On’s athlete partnerships in the region from the athlete’s perspective, ensuring that our athletes receive world-class support while building strong, long-term relationships with them and their representatives.

You own the management of our Kenya Training Camp, ensuring it operates as a world-class environment for athlete development while fostering strong relationships with athletes, coaches, and the broader local running ecosystem. You are responsible for identifying and recruiting emerging talent, leading athlete negotiations, and partnering with athletes throughout their journey with On.

You act as a key connection point between athletes and internal cross-functional teams including product development (Footwear, Apparel, Accessories), Marketing (Storytelling, Social, Events), Product Verticals, PR, and regional teams. Your goal is to help our athletes succeed at the highest level of competition while creating compelling athlete and product stories that strengthen On’s presence in global running.

 

Your Mission

• Athlete Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with On’s athletes across Africa as well as their coaches and athlete representatives. Act as the primary point of contact for athlete needs, ensuring they are supported across all aspects of their careers. Manage athlete communications, career development conversations, and partnership support while maintaining a strong network that enables identification of new talent for the brand.
• Collaboration with Global Athlete Strategy & Partnership Team: Oversee the management and strategic development of On’s Kenya Training Camp, ensuring it provides a world-class training environment for elite athletes. Maintain strong relationships with local coaches, training groups, and community stakeholders while ensuring smooth operations and a high-performance culture. Use the camp as a central hub for athlete support, collaboration, and talent development.
• Execution of Athlete-Driven Programs: Lead the management and development of On’s athlete partnerships across Africa, including key markets such as Kenya and Ethiopia, while exploring opportunities in emerging running markets. Build and manage a portfolio of elite athletes while ensuring alignment with On’s global athlete strategy.
• Talent Identification & Recruitment: Leverage a strong regional network to identify and recruit high-potential athletes across Africa. Lead negotiations and manage the process of onboarding athletes into On’s athlete roster. Develop long-term pipelines for emerging talent and future elite athletes.
• Risk Awareness & Athlete Integrity: Operate with strong judgment in a complex and evolving environment by proactively identifying and mitigating risks related to anti-doping, athlete safety, regulatory compliance, and reputation management. Ensure athlete partnerships align with On’s integrity standards and support athletes in maintaining the highest levels of professional conduct.
• Strategic Project Development: Contribute to the development of new projects and initiatives designed to strengthen On’s presence within elite distance running in Africa. Use athlete insights and performance data to generate innovative ideas that elevate both athlete success and brand impact.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with On’s marketing, product, sales, PR, and regional teams on site (e.g. Director of Africa, Head of Africa) to ensure athlete partnerships align with broader brand objectives. Foster internal alignment to ensure athlete needs are met and athlete-driven initiatives are executed successfully.
• Performance Tracking & Reporting: Monitor and report on athlete performances across major globa