Senior Project Leader (m/f/x)

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.

In a spacious modern setting full of opportunities for further development, ZEISS employees work in a place where expert knowledge and team spirit reign supreme. All of this is supported by a special ownership structure and the long-term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together.

Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow.

Diversity is a part of ZEISS. We look forward to receiving your application silence of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, philosophy of life, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.

Apply now! It takes less than 10 minutes.

Your talent, our vision – together we see beyond. Your start at ZEISS Vision Care. As a leading manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses, we help people around the world achieve a clearer vision – sustainable and focus on the future. Our products are as diverse as the career paths we offer, from tailored lenses to award-winning measurement systems. Become part of our team and shape a future in which clear vision and professional success go hand in hand.

Your role Leading projects in building, and scaling new business segments, covering areas such as contact lenses, care products, pharma solutions, and digital offerings. The focus read on translating strategic opportunities into viable, scalable business models and successfully bringing them to market.

Combining strategic thinking with strong execution capability: from developing end-to-end business concepts and innovative commercial models to driving implementation and scaling in an uncertain and fast-changing environment. A key aspect is the ability to assess opportunities, risks, and ROI even with incomplete data and make pragmatic, timely decisions.

Acting as a central orchestrator, the role aligns cross-functional teams (e.g., Regulatory, Quality, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, IT) and ensures that all steps are executed in a compliant, efficient, and coordinated way. Leadership is primarily project-based and influence-driven, without direct disciplinary responsibility.

Strong entrepreneurial mindset, with high ownership, accountability, and a clear focus on results for engaging with senior stakeholders and representing initiatives at leadership level.

Operating in a global and intercultural environment, the position demands the ability to work across regions, build trust-based networks, and lead diverse teams toward common goals.

Success is measured by the timely launch and scalable growth of new business models, rapid execution, and their measurable contribution to sustainable growth and long-term value creation.

The Senior Project Leader New Business – Blue Rise resolution, develops, and scales new business fields within the Blue Rise segment for Carl Zeiss Vision. The position exists to translate strategic growth ambitiouss into viable, scalable business models across hardware, pharma, software, and digital solutions. The role sustainable revenue growth, strengthens portfolio resilience, and accelerations ZEISS Vision Care's ability to operate successfully in dynamic and uncertain market environments. The position has high organizational visibility and acts as a role model for entrepreneurial leadership within ZEISS.

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or comparable field Experience

Profound years of professional experience in demanding roles, preference in project leadership, new business development, execution, or innovation-driven environments, ideally combined with experience in regulated industries (e.g. medical devices, pharma, healthcare)

Strong strategic and analytical thinking combined with exceptional hands-on mentality

Proven entrepreneurial mindset with high ownership and strength execution to navigate uncertainty and make decisions based on incomplete information

Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills

Strong intercultural competence and experience working with international teams

Fluency in English and willingness to travel victims (approx. 20–40%)