Principal (all genders) Business Development - Content Solutions

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

As a Principal Business Development within the Business Strategy & Performance team, you will be a key architect of the future of Content Solutions. We are the power behind the imagery and editorial content that inspires millions of Zalando customers daily. Our mission is to combine creative excellence with operational scale, leveraging cutting-edge AI and tech-driven processes.

Reporting to the Head of Business Strategy & Performance, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the commercial strategy of our unit. This comprises exploring and evaluating strategic options for Content Solutions, identifying new business opportunities, optimising value creation, and building strategic bridges between Content Solutions, Zalando’s customer-facing applications, ZMS (Zalando Marketing Services), ZEOS, DeepAR, and other players. Your work will further strengthen our position as industry leader and future-proof our business in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

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 pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce – 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.
Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion

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

• Champion Our Evolution: Own the end-to-end development of complex business cases related to strategic options – from initial market analysis and financial modeling to pitch and implementation.

• Drive Strategic Growth: Identify and unlock new commercial opportunities for Content Solutions, turning our production capabilities, tech stack, and partner network into scalable services for external brand partners.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Act as a Principal level lateral leader and raise the bar for our strategy and decision-making processes, navigating a high-complexity environment. You will align stakeholders across Product, Commercial, and Operational teams.

• Content Performance: Partner with the Senior Leadership and the Data & Performance team to define and track the KPIs that matter. You’ll dive deep into our unit’s performance, identifying levers for improving incrementality and raising efficiency without compromising on creative quality.

• Scalable Innovation: Liaise with the Innovation & Format Development teams to integrate AI-driven content services into our solution portfolio, ensuring we stay ahead of the curve in cost-efficiency and customer impact.

WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

• Experience: You bring 5+ years of experience in Business Development, Strategy Consulting, or a high-growth Corporate Strategy role, within E-commerce, Tech, or Creative Agencies.

• Entrepreneurial Spirit: You thrive in ambiguity. You don’t wait for a brief; you spot the opportunity, gather the data, and build the coalition to make it happen.

• Analytical Rigor: You love "flying high and diving deep" and show a strong data-driven mindset. You can build a robust 3-year financial plan but are equally comfortable investigating the details of a single operational workflow.

• Principal Mindset: You are a master of "leadership without authority." You know how to influence senior stakeholders and drive large-scale projects from concept to reality.

• Communication: You are a storyteller. You can translate complex business strategies into clear, compelling narratives for executive-level audiences.

OUR OFFER

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.

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

• 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

• Employee shares program

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

• Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

• Family services, including counseling and support

• Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)

• Mental health support and coaching available

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