THE ROLE AND TEAM

This is a unique leadership opportunity to step into the strategic core of our business unit, operating at the critical intersection of business strategy, technical enablement, and operational execution. As the Head of Development, you will not just manage teams; you will shape the very engine that translates our strategic goals into tangible reality.

• Lead a Truly Cross-Functional Department: You will guide a diverse, multi-disciplinary department of experts across Engineering, Business Intelligence, Product Management, and Project Management, fostering a culture of shared ownership and impact.
• Drive High-Stakes Strategic Initiatives: Take direct ownership of our Operational Plan and steer flagship projects, such as the final implementation and stabilization of a new POS solution across all our retail locations.
• Shape the Future of the Team: This is a role with a clear mandate for organizational design. You will actively evolve team structures and develop career paths, including conceptualizing senior and principal-level roles to meet future business needs.
• Act as a Strategic Bridge to Zalando Group: You will represent our business unit in key forums, deepen alignment with central Zalando teams (like SAP, Infrastructure, and Logistics), and expand your influence on cross-BU initiatives.
• Solve Complex, Ambiguous Problems: Step beyond day-to-day management to act as a key sparring partner and problem-solver for complex, cross-functional challenges, influencing outcomes through strategic framing and strong relationships in a matrixed environment.

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

• Lead across disciplines – Guide and grow a high-performing team covering Product, Engineering, BI, Project, and IT. Ensure clarity of scope, purpose, and ownership across domains.
• Translate strategy into action – Turn business objectives into actionable roadmaps and cross-functional initiatives – from enabling new integrations with Zalando-wide platforms to evolving internal systems and data capabilities.
• Deliver through structure and pace – Strengthen our project and delivery setup, ensuring initiatives run with transparency, accountability, and strong stakeholder alignment.
• Collaborate beyond your BU – Partner with teams across Zalando like Logistics, Partner Program, and Customer Platform teams to unlock shared capabilities and build future-proof solutions.
• Balance short- and long-term priorities – Support your teams in handling urgent operational needs while keeping focus on scalable, sustainable outcomes.
• Foster team growth and cohesion – Empower individuals with clear roles and development opportunities, while building a collaborative, impact-oriented team culture.