THE ROLE & THE TEAM

The Global PMO drives the intake and successful delivery of Zalando’s most impactful initiatives by steering the complexity and challenges around prioritization, ranking, and transparency.  Core Fashion, Zalando’s largest proposition, aims to build deep customer relationships by helping customers feel confident, safe, and happy with their fashion choices. 

The Principal Portfolio Manager will implement portfolio management standards, enable the execution of the Core Fashion Proposition strategy, and ensure alignment of all investments with overarching business goals. They will also implement target portfolio metrics and key ceremonies and standard processes for portfolio management.

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)

• You will spearhead the development and implementation of a strategic portfolio management framework, collaborating closely with company leadership to define priorities, establish clear criteria for project selection and evaluation, and ensure alignment with overarching business goals.

• You will oversee and optimize the project portfolio to maintain strategic alignment, meticulously evaluating and prioritizing projects based on their fit with company strategy, resource requirements, potential impact on business outcomes, and alignment with risk tolerance.

• You will proactively identify and assess potential risks that could affect the project portfolio, including internal and external factors, develop comprehensive mitigation strategies, and implement robust risk management processes to safeguard project success, minimize disruptions, and ensure business continuity.

• You will efficiently allocate resources across strategic initiatives, including financial, human, and technological resources, ensuring optimal utilization and recommending adjustments as needed to maximize portfolio performance, balance resource constraints, and deliver the greatest return on investment.

• You will assume responsibility for managing the organizational portfolio, providing regular, insightful reporting on key updates, progress against strategic objectives, and portfolio performance, and fostering a culture of transparency regarding strategic investments to facilitate informed decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and accountability.

WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF YOU

• You are a strategic thinker with a proven ability to drive business outcomes through effective portfolio management.

• Have years of experience in the tech, e-commerce and online industry and a strong experience as a leader. 

• You can can navigate in the tech as well as business related context and is experienced in acting as the link between strategy and execution for all hierarchy levels.

• Possess great interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills with all forms of stakeholders up to the C-suite that allow you to speak with precision, clarity, and empathy.

• Developed and/or managed a matrix organization portfolio. 

• Be comfortable with ambiguity and change while bringing solutions to help move decisions and the organization forward.

• Mastered project management methodology and frameworks, especially in an agile environment.

• Have empathy, awareness, and understanding related to working in a mission driven and highly diverse and inclusive environment like Zalando.

• Have a near native language English writing and speaking skills.