Principal Tech Portfolio Manager (all genders)

About the role

This role focuses on managing Zalando's technical portfolio, ensuring that engineering investments align with the company's strategic goals. The work involves establishing and maintaining a system for portfolio management, overseeing the connection between strategic planning and project execution, and facilitating critical prioritization and trade-off decisions. Success in this position means providing clear insights into the portfolio's status and performance, ultimately supporting Zalando's mission to be a leading fashion and lifestyle ecosystem.

A key aspect of this role is to drive transparency through robust metrics and executive reporting. The Principal Tech Portfolio Manager will be responsible for producing structured materials for senior leadership, including decision papers and executive updates, that integrate data, informed judgment, and recommendations. This requires partnering effectively across various departments such as Engineering, Product, Finance, and Business, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned and informed.

The ideal candidate will apply their acumen in AI to portfolio management and technology planning, indicating a forward-looking approach to technical investment. Operating with a high degree of autonomy and sound judgment is essential, as the role requires transforming ambiguous challenges into structured processes and clear outcomes with minimal supervision. This position is suited for someone who can confidently challenge senior stakeholders when necessary, based on data and logical reasoning.

The salary for this full-time role ranges from $60,000 to $97,500 USD annually.

Skills that matter here

• technical portfolio management: This role centers on running and optimizing the company's technical portfolio management system.
• technical program management: Experience in this area is relevant for connecting strategy to execution and managing complex technical initiatives.
• enterprise portfolio management: The position involves managing portfolios across multiple engineering teams and business units.
• product operations: This skill set is valuable for driving prioritization and making trade-off decisions within the tech portfolio.
• strategy & operations: The role requires aligning engineering efforts with group strategy and ensuring operational efficiency within the portfolio.
• AI acumen: The candidate will apply their understanding of AI to improve portfolio management and technology planning.

Who this role suits

• You have over eight years of experience in technical portfolio or program management within complex tech environments.
• You are adept at managing portfolios across diverse engineering teams and engaging directly with senior technology leaders.
• You excel at creating clear, data-driven materials for senior leadership, including reports and decision papers.
• You thrive operating autonomously, turning unclear problems into structured solutions and outcomes with limited guidance.

From the employer

What We’d Love You To Do (And Love Doing)

• Run the tech portfolio management system
• Connect strategy, planning, and execution
• Drive prioritization and trade-off decisions
• Own portfolio transparency, metrics, and executive reporting
• Partner across Engineering, Product, Finance, and Business
• Apply AI acumen to portfolio management and technology planning

We’d Love To Meet You If

• You bring 8+ years of experience in technical portfolio management, technical program management, enterprise portfolio management, product operations, strategy & operations, or a related role in a complex technology environment such as e-commerce, marketplaces, SaaS, cloud platforms, infrastructure, retail media, fintech, or large-scale digital products.
• You have managed portfolios across multiple engineering teams, product domains, or business units, and have operated directly with senior technology leaders.
• You have proven experience with portfolio intake, prioritization, sequencing, dependency tracking, capacity modelling, budget or investment tracking, and portfolio health reporting.
• You produce clear, structured senior-leadership materials, including decision papers, portfolio narratives, business cases, executive updates, and steering documents that combine data, judgment, and recommendations.
• You operate with high autonomy and strong judgment, turning ambiguous problems into clear structures, mechanisms, stakeholder alignment, and outcomes with limited guidance.
• You are comfortable challenging senior stakeholders respectfully when the data or logic requires it.