Lead Experience Strategist (m/f/x)

At Zeiss Digital Partners (ZDP), we have a clear goal: Enabling and accelerating the digital transformation of ZEISS @speed and @scale. We develop digital solutions jointly with the ZEISS business units and accelerate innovation that delivers a future value for our customers and our company. Digital Business Innovation within ZDP is a cross‑functional team that builds digital solutions, implements new business models, and drives strategic digital programs. We apply customer‑centric methodologies like Design Thinking and Voice of the Customer and combine those with our business and strategy acumen.

Your role

• Lead customer and user experience initiatives within ZEISS Digital Partners
• Own end‑to‑end delivery of UX projects from discovery to MVP and implementation
• Translate complex business, customer and user needs into scalable digital solutions
• Act as a strategic UX partner to ZEISS business units in complex domains (e.g. medical technology, microscopy, metrology)
• Manage multiple parallel projects and ensure alignment across stakeholders and teams
• Ensure high‑quality outcomes across delivery, collaboration and stakeholder management
• Further develop and scale UX, Design Thinking and agile ways of working across ZEISS
• Build and manage partnerships and external agencies
• Support recruiting, capability development and network growth within the Design & Insights team

Your profile

• Master’s degree in Design or user‑research‑related field, or equivalent professional experience
• 8+ years of experience in UI/UX design, user research and innovation (agency or in‑house)
• Proven ability to translate customer insights into strategy, MVPs and implementation
• Experience leading teams, projects or communities of practice
• Strong expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Solid understanding of product development, digital ecosystems and agile methodologies
• Knowledge of AI concepts, data‑driven products and emerging technologies
• Experience working in interdisciplinary teams across design, business and technology
• Proficiency in UX research and design methods (interviews, surveys, field studies, co‑creation)
• Hands‑on experience with Design Thinking and user‑centred design
• Strong storytelling and stakeholder management skills
• Experience with design systems, UI pattern libraries and tools such as Figma and Sketch
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and German
• Entrepreneurial mindset; start‑up experience is a plus

Way of working

In a 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 an ownership structure and the long‑term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together. We offer flexible and remote working, but you should be willing to come to our office in Munich at least twice a week. Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow.

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.