Senior IT Project Manager

ZEISS is technology and innovation. Founded in Germany in 1846, ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the optics and optoelectronics industries across 50 countries.

As a company wholly owned by a foundation, ZEISS is committed to responsibility in all its activities. As a pioneer in scientific optics, its employees across the globe continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. With a strong focus on quality and innovation, ZEISS creates value for its customers and helps shape new ways of seeing the world.

The profile we are looking for
A self-driven project leader who takes responsibility for delivering successful outcomes. Someone who works autonomously, brings energy and persistence, and enjoys shaping the environment rather than waiting for perfect conditions.

Your Role

As a Senior IT Project Manager within ZEISS MED IT PMO, you will lead complex IT projects and transformation initiatives across the MED environment. You will create structure where ambiguity exists, align stakeholders across business and IT, and take responsibility for moving initiatives from idea to successful implementation and operational handover.

For at least the next two years, a significant part of the portfolio will be connected to SAP. SAP experience can be helpful, but it is secondary to proven project leadership and the ability to work with complex, business-critical enterprise systems. Relevant experience may include ERP, CRM, SRM, MES, or comparable large-scale systems, together with the ability to transfer that experience into a new context.

What You Will Do

• Take end-to-end ownership of complex IT projects, from initial framing through implementation and operational handover.

• Act as the driving force behind delivery by creating momentum, maintaining focus and ensuring that agreed outcomes are achieved.

• Create clarity and structure in complex or ambiguous situations, including clear objectives, plans, responsibilities and decision paths.

• Lead cross-functional teams and coordinate stakeholders across business functions, IT teams, external partners and vendors.

• Identify risks, dependencies and obstacles early, and actively drive resolution rather than only reporting problems.

• Build alignment between business owners, technical teams and leadership, including situations with competing priorities.

• Select and adapt the most appropriate delivery approach for the context, whether traditional, agile or hybrid.

• Manage scope, timelines, budget, resources, quality and dependencies while maintaining focus on business value.

• Prepare clear status updates, decision proposals and escalations for management and governance forums.

• Ensure implementation readiness, adoption, knowledge transfer and a controlled operational handover.

• Contribute to improving project delivery practices and the working environment within ZEISS MED IT PMO.

What You Bring

• Proven experience leading complex systems implementation, integration or transformation projects.

• A track record of independently driving initiatives and delivering results in complex, international or matrix environments.

• Experience working with business-critical enterprise systems such as ERP, CRM, SRM, MES, or comparable large-scale systems.

• Strong stakeholder leadership, facilitation and communication skills across business, IT and management audiences.

• The ability to turn complexity and ambiguity into practical plans, decisions and action.

• Strong analytical, conceptual and problem-solving capabilities.

• A hands-on mindset combined with sound judgment and an understanding of the wider business context.

• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English.

How You Work

• You take ownership and feel personally responsible for delivering successful outcomes.

• You work autonomously and proactively seek the information, decisions and support needed to move forward.

• You bring visible energy, curiosity and persistence to difficult topics.

• You enjoy shaping your environment, improving how teams work and challenging approaches that do not add value.

• You build trust quickly and can bring people together around a shared outcome.

• You remain pragmatic and solution-oriented when plans change or obstacles arise.

Methods and Professional Foundation

You have a thorough understanding of project management principles, governance and delivery approaches. You can explain why a method, control or way of working is appropriate for a given situation. You apply frameworks pragmatically rather than following them mechanically, and you can determine the detailed execution approach as the project evolves.

Helpful, but Not Essential

• Experience with SAP or enterprise application rollouts.

• Experience in healthcare, medical technology, manufacturing or another regulated environment.

• Experience working with distributed international teams and external implementation partners.

Your Benefits

If you join ZEISS, you will have access to a range of benefits, including:

• Technology stack: Modern and cutting-edge technology stack with opportunities to experiment and innovate within a high-tech group

• Flexible work options: 40-60% hybrid work option to provide flexibility and work-life balance

• Additional benefits: Annual flexible benefits that include cafeteria options, private health plans, and annual reward

• Extra option: Company parking space in the underground garage of the office building can be reserved

• Contribution: Opportunity to directly contribute to the development of innovative products through software delivery

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:

About us

Step out of your comfort zone, excel and redefine the limits of what is possible. That’s just what our employees are doing every single day – in order to set the pace through our innovations and enable outstanding achievements. After all, behind every successful company are many great fascinating people.