THE ROLE & THE TEAM
As Principal Strategy and Projects Manager for D&I Product Supply, you will be part of the strategic development job family which focuses on building a solid understanding of our business environment, enabling us to make recommendations on company priorities and initiate their implementation to shape Zalando’s future.
This unique position plays a crucial role in achieving Zalando's vision of being inclusive by design, by driving an inclusive assortment for our customers. You will be part of an embedded team in the B2C organization and as such focus on driving our Brand Partner and Assortment related initiatives forward. One of your core responsibilities will be to drive our adaptive assortment ambition forward together with our Private Label and Proposition teams.
INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN
At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce - one that is inclusive by design. We only assess candidates based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applications from people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, personal expressions, racial identities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, and disability statuses. We only want to know why you’re great for this role, so please avoid including your picture, age, and marital status in your CV as well.
We want to provide you with a great candidate experience. Please feel free to inform us of any accommodations you may need, so we can best support and assist you throughout the hiring process.
do.BETTER - our diversity & inclusion strategy: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion
WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)
Strategic Growth & Assortment Scaling: You will be responsible for translating business objectives into strategic plans for scaling our assortment. You'll define the approach, key initiatives, and success metrics, ensuring alignment with overall D&I strategy.
Strategy Implementation & Impact: You will drive the implementation of strategic initiatives related to assortment growth, ensuring successful delivery and measurable business impact. This includes leading your direct and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to overcome obstacles, remove bottlenecks, and ensure the best solutions are developed and executed.
Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: You will be clear, concise, and structured in communication with a broad set of senior stakeholders, including VPs across business units. You will effectively inform, convince, and guide them through decision-making processes, presenting progress, risks, and required support. You will also be a point of reference for compelling documentation for senior rounds.
Partner Collaboration & Relationship Building: You will actively identify and align with key internal and external partners, fostering strong, long-lasting relationships based on mutual respect and trust. You will proactively seek their input and ensure collaborative environments that strive towards joint targets for assortment scaling.
Continuous Improvement & Leadership: You will champion continuous improvement in our strategic development and execution processes, actively identifying and enabling change to grow your team's impact. You will lead by example, mentoring more junior colleagues and providing guidance to the senior stakeholders focusing on process excellence, challenging them to deliver optimal solutions and develop mitigation plans.
WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF
Education & Experience: You have a strong academic background (Bachelor's/Master’s Degree) and 5+ years of experience independently managing high-impact projects.
Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: You have a sharp analytical mind with a hands-on mentality and a solution-oriented approach.
Collaboration & Communication: You possess excellent interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, enabling you to interact effectively with internal and external stakeholders with precision, clarity, and empathy.
Cross-Functional Expertise: You have proven success working with cross-functional, multi-stakeholder teams in dynamic environments. You can act as the link between strategy and execution at different levels of the organisation.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Ability to utilise data-driven insights and analytics to inform project decision-making, optimise project outcomes, and identify areas for improvement.
Ambiguity Tolerance: You are comfortable with ambiguity and change, providing solutions to help drive decisions and move the organisation forward.
Team spirit: You contribute to a direct, constructive feedback culture and bring positive energy, a constructive mindset, and a team-support orientation to the table.
Good to have: A background in and/or passion for Sustainability and/or D&I: Experience in translating Sustainability and D&I strategies into projects, considering market/competitor landscape and supporting industry collaboration.
OUR OFFER
Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.
Employee shares program
40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
2 paid volunteering days a year
Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration
Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year
27 days of vacation a year to start for full-time employees
Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)
Family services, including counseling and support
Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)
Mental health support and coaching available
Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review
