Principal Key Account Manager (all genders) - Logistics for Propositions

Zalando; Berlin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday a year

40% off fashion and beauty products

Family support

Company pension scheme

Employee shares programme

Health and wellbeing options

Training platform

2 paid volunteering days a year

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Zalando's Logistics KAM team seeks a Principal level leader who owns a major B2B proposition 'About You'. You will bridge commercial needs with operational logistics, translating partner requirements into strategic priorities and guiding cross-functional teams.

The role requires 7+ years in KAM/Strategic Development, sharp analytical skills, and proven senior stakeholder influence. You will mentor others, drive multi-year plans, and push for operational excellence across Zalando's logistics

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in Key Account Management or similar.
• Strong strategic thinker with ability to shape long-term visions.
• Analytical mindset and data-driven decision making.
• Proven senior stakeholder management and negotiation skills.
• Natural leader who mentors others and drives cross-departmental initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic direction for the About You logistics proposition and translate business goals into long-term plans.
• Solve large-scale, complex challenges by building frameworks and analyzing core business implications.
• Align with senior stakeholders across About You, Zalando Commercial, and Logistics Operations.
• Plan programs and resources, manage risks, and clear obstacles for project teams.
• Mentor peers, establish best practices, and raise standards for commercial development and ops excellence.

Job description

The Logistics Key Account Management (KAM) Team acts as the strategic interface between Logistics Operations and our internal and external customers. Our mission is to ensure that logistics services are reliable, high-quality, and tailored to the competitive realities of the market and our partners' business models. In this C8 Principal role, you will take ownership of one of our most strategic B2B propositions: About You. You will connect the commercial needs of this major proposition with our operational logistics functions to translate partner requirements into strategic logistics priorities. You will act as a strategic thought leader, a senior facilitator, and the horizontal customer-view provider across a functionally structured logistics organization at Zalando.

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

• Strategic Direction & Vision: Act as an active contributor and challenger in defining the logistics strategy for our About You proposition. You will identify new initiatives and opportunities, translating the unit's objectives into long-term strategic planning (2-5 years) aligned with Zalando's overarching goals.
• Complex Problem Solving & Framework Creation: Independently guide yourself, colleagues, and cross-functional stakeholders to solve large-scale, complex, and undefined challenges. You will create and apply logical frameworks to identify root causes and evaluate core business implications for both Zalando and About You.
• Senior Stakeholder Management & Alignment: Build strong alliances across the About You proposition teams, Zalando Commercial, and Logistics Operations. You will elaborate clear and structured concepts to secure buy-in from senior management, actively managing the 'Convenience Trade-off Triangle' (customer convenience, assortment availability, and fulfilment costs).
• Program & Resource Planning: Take over key strategic initiatives for the About You account and break them down into multiple work streams. You will organize necessary resources, anticipate risks, manage ongoing change, and clear obstacles for your project teams.
• Thought Leadership & Mentorship: Act as a guiding light for peers and project team members within the KAM ecosystem. You will establish best practices, mentor individual contributors, and elevate the standard for commercial development and operational excellence.

WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

• You have 7+ years of professional experience in Key Account Management, Strategic Development, Supply Chain Management, or B2B Operations, ideally managing large-scale enterprise clients or platforms.
• You are a proven strategic thinker who can seamlessly zoom out to shape long-term multi-year visions and zoom in to drive complex project execution.
• You possess an outstanding analytical mindset with the ability to deal with ambiguity, utilizing hard data to define direction, targets, and clear priorities for the broader organization.
• You have an exceptional track record in senior stakeholder management, capable of influencing executives, facilitating high-stakes negotiations.
• You are a natural leader (even without direct disciplinary responsibility) who actively contributes to team culture, coaches junior colleagues, and drives cross-departmental improvement initiatives.

OUR OFFER

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect.

• 27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees (+1 day for every calendar year up to 30 days)
• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
• Family support, including counselling and dedicated services for parents and carers
• Company pension scheme
• Employee shares programme
• Health and wellbeing options, including Wellhub Mental health support and coaching
• Development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review
• 2 paid volunteering days a year
• Relocation assistance (subject to prior agreement)

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading European technology platform for fashion and lifestyle – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds. We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential. We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you. Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion It’s the perfect time to join Zalando on our journey, from being a pioneer in the world of e-commerce, to the Starting Point for Fashion in Europe. We connect customers, brands, and partners across 25 markets. Help us drive digital and sustainable solutions for fashion, logistics, advertising and research, bringing head-to-toe fashion to 50 million active customers through a team of diverse skill-sets, cultural backgrounds, and interests. Our values do.More - our sustainability strategy Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/insidezalando