Head of Engineering - Transport Systems - First, Middle & Last Mile (all genders) LS

We are now seeking a Head of Engineering to lead and inspire our engineering teams as we scale our business, refine our systems, and innovate towards building Zalando’s own Transport Systems First, Middle & Last Mile, which serves Zalando’s 50MM+ customers with 30+ carriers across 25 Zalando markets in Europe. In the future, this platform will reduce the manual intervention of resources and enhance the opportunity for automation for better capacity steering, optimising delivery lead times and efficiency towards calculating delivery on promise. We are providing optimal and scalable solutions to support Zalando's growth strategy.

• As Head of Engineering, you will drive the technological strategy and execution for Zalando’s Transport Systems platforms, products, and infrastructure. You will oversee diverse, high-performing engineering teams, collaborating closely with Product Management, Data Engineering, Design, and other business units to build scalable, reliable, and innovative systems.

• Leadership & Strategy: Define and implement the engineering vision, strategy, and roadmap aligned with Zalando’s business goals.

• Team Development: Mentor, inspire, and grow a team of engineering leaders and software engineers, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence.

• Technology Ownership: Drive the design, development, and maintenance of scalable, secure, and robust platform of Transport Systems (first, middle & last mile), including logistics systems

• Innovation & Impact: Stay ahead of industry trends, introducing emerging technologies and best practices to shape Zalando’s competitive edge.

• You are an empathetic and egoless but passionate leader who excels at developing, coaching, and mentoring engineering leaders and engineers.

• Proven Leadership: 10+ years in Software Engineering, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role managing large teams (30+ engineers).

• Technical Expertise: Strong background in modern Software Engineering practices, cloud architectures, and scalable systems. Experience in logistics, e-commerce, or fulfilment technologies is a strong plus.

• Strategic Vision: Ability to align engineering goals with business objectives and execute globally.

• People-First Approach: A collaborative and empathetic leadership style that nurtures talent and drives diversity and inclusion.

• Innovative Mindset: Proven track record of introducing cutting-edge technologies and methodologies into engineering teams.

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Strong analytical skills focusing on using metrics and KPIs to drive performance.

• You have a good understanding of technical landscapes, a solid technical background, and multiple years of hands-on coding in technologies such as JVM-based programming languages, JavaScript, or Python.

• You understand software delivery KPIs (release velocity, lead time, etc.) and how to influence them to create a high-performing technology organization with high predictability.

• Communication Skills: Fluent in English, able to inspire teams and stakeholders alike.

If 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!

WHY JOIN ZALANDO?

• Impact at Scale: Work at the intersection of fashion and technology, impacting millions of customers across Europe.

• Innovative Culture: Join a company committed to experimentation, continuous learning, and bold ideas.

• Growth Opportunities: Shape and lead engineering efforts for one of Europe’s largest e-commerce platforms.

• Competitive Benefits: A comprehensive compensation package, including equity, flexible working options, and discounts on Zalando products.

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

• Employee shares program

• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners

• 2 paid volunteering days a year

• Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration

• Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year

• 27 days of vacation a year to start for full-time employees

• Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

• Family services, including counseling and support

• Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub)

• Mental health support and coaching available

• Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce - one that is inclusive by design. We only assess candidates based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applications from people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, personal expressions, racial identities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, and disability statuses. We only want to know why you’re great for this role, so please avoid including your picture, age, and marital status in your CV as well.

We want to provide you with a great candidate experience. Please feel free to inform us of any accommodations you may need, so we can best support and assist you throughout the hiring process.

do.BETTER - our diversity & inclusion strategy: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion