Program Manager - Business & Ecosystems Lifesciences (f/m/x)

ZEISS Group; München; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ZEISS Group in Munich seeks a Program Manager to orchestrate AI-driven business solutions across ZEISS units. You will lead multi-disciplinary innovation programs, define value metrics, and scale pilots into market-ready offerings.

We value senior-level consultancy experience, strong stakeholder management, and fluency in English; German is a plus. You’ll collaborate with Design, Data Analytics and Cloud Engineering teams to turn ideas into measurable impact.

Qualifications

• University degree in business, engineering, natural sciences or informatics.
• 5+ years in top management consulting, corporate strategy or digital transformation with AI exposure.
• Proven track record leading cross-functional innovation with senior stakeholders.
• Solid understanding of AI and GenAI value mechanisms in Innovation and R&D.
• Strong communication and empathy across diverse backgrounds.
• APAC experience and fluency in English; German is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex innovation programs from opportunity identification to MVP and scaling using AI.
• Enable SBUs to experiment rapidly, bring ideas to market and scale solutions.
• Anticipate how AI reshapes roles and customer interactions, speeding workflows.
• Act as a thought leader on digital business innovation and AI-driven transformation.
• Define success beyond pilots with value metrics and governance for AI-powered solutions.
• Collaborate with ZEISS business units and our Design, Data Analytics and Cloud Engineering colleagues.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional leadership

AI & GenAI value mechanisms

Effective communication

Stakeholder management

Business orientation

Education

University degree in business, engineering, natural sciences or informatics

Job description

Your role

As a Program Manager with a strong focus on business in an AI-driven world, you operate as a strategic orchestrator and value owner. Your responsibility goes beyond strong concepts - your focus is delivering real, market-ready business solutions in collaboration with our strategic business units.

At ZEISS Digital Partners (ZDP), we’re shaping the future of ZEISS through digital and AI - fast, scalable, and close to the business. Together with ZEISS business units, we drive digital and AI transformation and create innovative solutions that deliver real value for customers and the company. Our Digital Business Innovation team brings together diverse expertise to build new digital products, develop business models, and lead innovation transformation initiatives. By combining customer-centric methods with strong business and strategy capabilities, we turn ideas into impact.

You Will

• Lead complex innovation programs from opportunity identification to MVP and scaling - leveraging AI to drive measurable business value, adoption, and impact
• Enable SBUs to experiment rapidly, bring ideas to market, and scale solutions
• Anticipate how AI reshapes roles, and customer interactions, while speeding up workflows and processes proactively integrating these shifts into solution design
• Act as a thought leader and trusted advisor on digital business innovation and digital transformation topics in an AI-driven world - separating hype from value and enabling informed decisions
• Define success beyond pilots, including value metrics, decision logic, operating models, and governance for AI-powered solutions
• Collaborate with the ZEISS business units as well as our Design, Data Analytics and Cloud Engineering colleagues at ZEISS Digital Partners

Your profile

You are a business expert for digital & AI innovation, comfortable navigating uncertainty, rapid technological change, and senior-level decision contexts

You Bring

• An excellent university degree, preferably in business, engineering, natural sciences, or informatics 5+ years of experience in top management consulting, corporate strategy, digital transformation, or innovation roles with exposure to AI-enabled solutions
• A strong track record of leading complex, cross-functional innovation initiatives with senior stakeholders - from problem framing to execution
• Solid understanding of AI and GenAI value mechanisms in Innovation and R&D, including where automation, augmentation, and decision intelligence create real business impact
• Strong communication skills and the empathy to easily communicate with people from diverse backgrounds
• Experience with working in or with the APAC region is a plus Fluency in English (fluency in German would be a plus)

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team

Sabrina Rieker