Head of Data Strategy & Enablement (f/m/d)
At a glance
Director-level Data Leadership role at Zeiss Group. Oberkochen · full-time.
Pay not stated Data Leadership salary
dataroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Lead two data teams responsible for governance, data quality, master data management and enablement
- Set data policies, standards, roles and quality expectations across SMT through the Data Governance Board
- Turn the data strategy into roadmaps and prioritized initiatives tied to measurable business value
- Build automated, platform-based governance and quality practices, along with reusable data products
- Work with business, IT and Enterprise Architecture teams on secure self-service and scalable data solutions
What you bring
- A master's degree in computer science, information systems, data science or a comparable discipline
- Several years leading large data, analytics or IT teams, including senior leaders and experts
- Strong grounding in data architecture and governance, with experience steering priorities and architecture
- Fluent English and experience guiding cross-functional committees and transformation programs
Who this fits
This director-level role suits an experienced data leader who can set direction, develop senior teams and connect data work to business goals. The position is based in Oberkochen, Germany, and leads two teams totaling twenty-five employees. Fluent English is required; German is an advantage.
From the employer
ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology
Enabler for smaller, more powerful, and more energy-efficient microchips
Working for tomorrow today.
Around 80 percent of all microchips worldwide are produced using ZEISS technologies. As the centerpiece of every electronically controlled system, they have become an integral part of our everyday lives – whether in smartphones, smart homes or smart factories. ZEISS is a technology leader in the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. With high-precision lithography optics, photomask systems and process control solutions, ZEISS enables the production of ever smaller, increasingly powerful, and more energy-efficient microchips, and thus plays a pivotal role in the age of micro- and nanoelectronics.
Your role
Shape ZEISS SMT’s data-driven future: As Head of Data Strategy & Enablement (m/f/d), you are responsible for the strategic and operational evolution of our data management. In this central, key role you lead two Data teams, chair the SMT Data Governance Board, and position Data as a driving force for BI, analytics, and operational AI applications across the SMT segment.
- Leadership and development of two Data teams totaling 25 employees, responsible for Data Governance, data quality, Master Data Management (MDM), and Data Enablement
- Chairing the SMT Data Governance Board, and defining and SMT-wide steering of data policies, standards, role models, and quality requirements
- Translating the SMT data strategy into clear roadmaps, OKRs, and prioritized initiatives with a focus on measurable business value and expanding data-driven value creation
- Advancing toward automated, platform-supported governance, data quality (“Governance/Data as Code”), and reusable data products
- Representing SMT data interests as a central stakeholder and actively shaping strategic key projects within SMT and the ZEISS group
- Close collaboration with the business areas, IT organization, and Enterprise Architecture to enable secure self-service use and to ensure robust, scalable, and future-ready data solutions
Your profile
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a comparable field
- Several years of disciplinary leadership experience overseeing large teams in Data, Analytics, or IT environments, including management of senior leaders and senior experts, as well as budget, resource, and organizational responsibility
- Strong understanding of modern data architectures and Data Governance with a clear focus on strategic steering, prioritization, architecture governance, and empowering expert teams
- Entrepreneurial leadership style with strong business and management orientation, experience aligning organizational units to corporate goals and positioning them as strategic value drivers
- Experience steering complex cross-functional committees and transformation programs, with high communication, facilitation, and enforcement skills across hierarchical levels
- Pragmatic, results-driven, and empowering leadership style with strong shaping ability and a pronounced “Win Together” mindset
- Fluent in English; German language skills are advantageous
Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:
Adrian Kahl