Senior Program & Strategy Manager, Consumer Eyecare

Job Title Senior Program & Strategy Manager, Consumer Eyecare

Location Birmingham, UK

Division Consumer Markets

Reports to Head of Global Business & Operations, Consumer Eyecare

Contract Permanent, Full-time (Hybrid - 3 days per week in office)

The Senior Program & Strategy Manager, Consumer Eyecare

• Owns end-to-end program governance
  e and the integrated timeline and critical path to deliver Consumer Eyecare launch readiness across regions (Global/US/China) and work streams, ensuring disciplined execution on the critical path
• Enables timely decision-making through stage-gate readiness, clear escalation, and reporting
• Aligns internal functions and external partners to deliver on time, within budget, and in full compliance with regulatory and quality requirements

• Own the integrated timeline
  :
  Build and maintain the timeline and critical path; ensure consistency/quality of workstream plans; manage dependencies and the critical path
• Run program governance end-to
  -end:
  Steer Cos, weekly/bi-weekly cadences, workstream reviews, risk reviews; standardized agendas, pre-reads, minutes, action tracking, and follow-ups
• Drive cross-functional and cross-regional alignment
  :
  Align functions and teams, proactively resolve blockers, accelerate decisions
• Institutionalize RAID management and mitigation tracking
  : ensure risks/issues are surfaced early, owned, and actively closed
• Drive stage-gate readiness
  :
  Orchestrate gate deliverables, coordinate cross-functional inputs, and ensure timely delivery & decisions
• Manage external partners and timelines (e.g., contract manufacturers):
  Together with Procurement, manage and track delivery, cost, and timing of external partners
• Support financial steering
  :
  Track cost center spends vs. plan, support forecasting, and quantify execution impacts (delay cost, scope changes)
• Lead quarterly OKR planning and review cycles across functions and regions
  :
  Ensure measurable outcomes, accountability, and transparent progress reporting
• Institutionalize ways of working
  :
  Templates, standards, routines, playbooks, and lessons learned to scale the Consumer Eyecare PMO

• Proven experience in program/project management experience in complex, cross-functional environments
  ;
  Consumer Healthcare/OTC/Pharma strongly preferred (Med Tech or related industries)
• Proven track record delivering multi-country product launches and/or large-scale programs with measurable outcomes (time, cost, quality)
• Strong governance and execution experience
  : integrated planning, RAID discipline, action management, escalation judgment, and executive-ready reporting
• Experience with stage-gate governance and driving gate readiness
  , decision materials, and go/no-go recommendations
• Ability to drive accountability; excellent stakeholder management across functions, regions, and seniority levels
• Strong dependency management and structured problem-solving
  ; comfortable translating ambiguity into executable plans
• External vendor/partner management experience (multi-party delivery, SOW governance, performance tracking)
  Advanced proficiency with project management and reporting tools (e.g., Smartsheet/MS Project), plus advanced skills in MS PowerPoint/ Excel
• High-quality written and verbal communication
  ; able to synthesize complex inputs into clear management narratives
• Comfortable operating across time zones and cultures;high reliability, ownership mindset, and resilience under pressure

Diversity is a part of ZEISS. We look forward to receiving your application regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, philosophy of life, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.