Senior Project Manager Finance; m​/f​/x

Welcome to ZEISS! A company that combines innovation and responsibility. Our diverse corporate divisions make a decisive contribution to the strategic orientation and sustainable success of the ZEISS Group. The Senior Project Manager Finance is a central leadership role within SAT-X and acts as the operational driver of global finance transformation initiatives. In close alignment with the Head of Business Development & Process Excellence, this role ensures the successful execution of complex, multi-regional programs such as ERP roll-ins (e.g. S/4

HANA), global governance frameworks, and operating model transformations. The position combines strategic execution, hands-on delivery, and portfolio steering responsibility. It is designed as a future leadership role with responsibility for building and developing a high-performing project team within SAT-X.

• Lead complex international transformation programs end-to-end within Services Accounting & Tax Act as the primary operational counterpart to the Head of SAT-X for selected strategic initiatives
• Drive cross-functional alignment across Global Process Owners, local Finance organizations, IT, and external partners
• Ensure delivery against scope, timeline, budget, and defined governance principles
• Establish KPI-based performance steering and transparent reporting for senior leadership
• Build and continuously improve project management standards, playbooks, and governance frameworks within SAT-X
• Proactively identify risks, structural dependencies, and escalation needs
• Gradually take responsibility for developing and leading a growing SAT-X project team

This role is critical to translating ZEISS’ global finance transformation agenda into disciplined execution. By driving ERP roll-ins, governance frameworks and operating model changes, the Senior Project Manager Finance ensures structural alignment across regions, systems and stakeholders. The position serves as a central coordination and escalation point within SAT-X and materially shapes the long-term performance and scalability of the global Accounting & Tax organization.

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or Business Informatics
• Minimum 6–8 years of experience in Finance Transformation, ERP programs, Shared Services, global project leadership, or relevant experience gained within a top-tier strategy or transformation consulting environment
• Proven track record of delivering complex international programs in matrix organizations
• Strong SAP expertise, ideally including S/4
  
  HANA implementations
• Project and Change Management certification (e.g. PMP, Prince2, Agile, Prosci)
• High analytical depth combined with strong execution discipline
• Strong stakeholder management capabilities at senior leadership level
• Fluent in German and English

Sandra Köhler Step out of your comfort zone, excel and redefine the limits of what is possible. That’s just what our employees are doing every single day – in order to set the pace through our innovations and enable outstanding achievements. After all, behind every successful company are many great fascinating people. In a spacious modern setting full of opportunities for further development, ZEISS employees work in a place where expert knowledge and team spirit reign supreme.

All of this is supported by a special ownership structure and the long‑term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together. Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow.

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.