Senior Sustainability Data & Operations Manager (all genders)

Zalando Group; Berlin; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday

Discounts on fashion

Family support

Company pension

Employee shares programme

Wellbeing options

Mental health support

Training platform

2 volunteering days

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Zalando is seeking a Senior Sustainability Data & Operations Manager to lead EPR compliance quality, manage PRO relationships across 25+ markets, and translate regulation into precise data specifications. You will work closely with a data analyst and engineering teams, acting as the HITL quality gate for automated reports and supporting audits and tendering efforts.

The role emphasizes technical data literacy, operational process building, and strategic impact on eco-modulation and cost

Job description

Our Sustainability and Compliance team leads strategic initiatives across Zalando's pan-European network to minimize environmental impact and drive circular economy practices. We navigate complex regulatory landscapes to ensure our business models remain compliant, efficient, and aligned with our commitment to sustainable fashion e-commerce.

As Senior Sustainability Data & Operations Manager (all genders), you will go beyond routine compliance execution. You are the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulatory authority in the loop. You will work alongside a dedicated data analyst and our engineering teams, acting as the crucial "Human-in-the-Loop" (HITL) quality gate for our automated reports, defending our data integrity in external audits, leading strategic Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) tendering, and establishing the complex operational processes required to claim eco-modulation bonuses.

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

• Own EPR compliance quality end-to-end. Hold accountability for the accuracy of our Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) submissions. Act as the expert end-user within our data platforms (e.g. Databricks) to catch edge cases, audit data quality, and provide precise feedback to our data analysts for continuous pipeline improvement.
• Manage PRO relationships and contracts. Own strategic relationships with PROs across 25+ markets; contract renewals, RFP processes, tendering cycles.
• Lead audit management. Prepare for and represent Zalando in sustainability reporting audits. Manage findings and ensure documentation is always defensible.
• Operationalize Eco-modulation Claims. Identify eco-modulation criteria across our markets and establish the operational processes and data requirements needed to claim these bonuses. Partner with data analysts to capture these attributes in our automated pipelines and execute claims to secure financial savings.
• Translate Regulation into Data Specs. Define the exact data specifications and acceptance criteria required for EPR reporting, ensuring our data analysts can execute against clear, unambiguous regulatory logic.
• Support Regulatory Positioning. Provide expert operational feedback on EU legislation in close coordination with internal stakeholders, supplying the technical foundation required for Zalando's public affairs and lobbying efforts.
• You have deep, hands-on EU sustainability regulatory experience. You've managed EPR compliance across multiple European markets. You understand how PRO fee structures work, how waste categories vary by jurisdiction, and what auditors look for.
• You possess strong technical data literacy. You've bridged complex compliance logic into specifications that engineers or analysts could execute; and you're comfortable working with data platforms (Databricks, BI tools) as an expert reviewer, not as a developer.
• You are a strategic process builder. You know how to translate theoretical regulatory requirements (like eco-modulation criteria) into rigorous operational processes and exact data specifications.
• You have a track record of identifying compliance cost-reduction opportunities. Eco-modulation, contract optimization, or process efficiency. You treat compliance not just as obligation management but as a financial lever.
• You manage PRO and regulatory relationships with confidence. Contract renewals, RFP processes, audit proceedings, public affairs. You're credible and effective in all of them.
• You're analytically rigorous and self-directed. You build structure in ambiguous environments, manage competing priorities across a complex stakeholder landscape, and thrive with domain ownership rather than a defined playbook.
• You communicate with precision: requirements documents, position papers, audit responses. You write clearly under technical and legal scrutiny.

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

If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. 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.

About Zalando

Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is the leading European technology platform for fashion and lifestyle. Connecting 62 million active customers with more than 7,000 brands across 29 markets, our operations are built on a unique AI-powered data and infrastructure platform. For our customers, our multi-app approach - comprising Zalando, ABOUT YOU, and Lounge by Zalando - delivers an inspiring, highly personalized shopping experience, serving different customers with different needs. For our partners, we are building the operating system for e-commerce. Through ZEOS, Tradebyte, and SCAYLE, we open our logistics, software, and service capabilities to brands and retailers, enabling them to seamlessly scale their businesses across borders.