ZEISS

Senior Manager Strategic Customer Projects (m/f/x)

Germany · Work style not stated · Full time

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About the role

Description from the employer’s posting. Check the employer’s page for the current version.

EmployerZEISS
LocationGermany
Work styleWork style not stated
Employment typeFull time
Employer posted2 Oct 2026

Your Role

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Manager Customer Projects to lead strategic, high-impact initiatives across the ZEISS Shared Production Unit. You will take end-to-end responsibility for complex customer-related programs – including product ramp-ups, new product launches, production transfers and productivity initiatives – and translate customer requirements into robust operational execution.

Working across functions and organizational boundaries, you will align senior stakeholders, drive decisions and deliver measurable business outcomes in a complex production environment.

Identify, scope, structure and lead strategic and operational projects with ZEISS Strategic Business Units, external customers and the Shared Production Unit team
Structure complex challenges into clear workstreams, decision points and actionable project plans
Take ownership for successful end-to-end project delivery and represent projects credibly towards internal and external customers
Manage projects to ensure on-time, on-budget and high-quality delivery with measurable business impact
Drive cross-functional alignment and implementation across functions, sites and hierarchical levels, including in situations without direct reporting authority
Bring a pragmatic, solution-oriented perspective to identify the best solutions in a complex multi-stakeholder environment and challenge established ways of working constructively
Communicate progress, risks, decisions and required escalations clearly to all stakeholders and senior managemen

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Your Profile

University degree in engineering, physics, optics, natural sciences, business, or a comparable field, with a strong academic record
Several years of relevant experience in management consulting, corporate strategy, transformation, program/project management, operations, or customer-facing roles
Proven track record of leading complex, high-impact cross-functional initiatives, ideally in product ramp-ups, industrialization, production transfers, launches, or operational improvement
Strong analytical and problem-structuring skills, with the ability to turn ambiguous challenges into clear recommendations, decisions, and executable plans
Demonstrated lateral leadership: able to create alignment across organizational boundaries, engage stakeholders from shopfloor to senior management, and drive implementation without direct authority
High ownership, resilience, and results orientation; experience in manufacturing, Operational Excellence or Lean is strongly preferred, while a technical background in physics, optics, or engineering is an advantage

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:

Norman Funk

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