The Mission:

We are seeking a "leader of leaders" who will lead a high-caliber unit of 10 to 20 Technical Project Managers based in Jena. The primary objective is to transform this international group into a world-class project management powerhouse capable of delivering excellence under the pressure of aggressive, customer-dictated timelines and evolving technical scopes. You will navigate the 'eye of the storm,' turning high levels of ambiguity into structured, successful project paths.

Top 5 Performance Objectives:

Within the first year, the successful candidate will achieve the following:

1. Professionalize Project Governance: Harmonize and elevate project management methodologies across the group. You will establish a robust system of KPIs, risk registers, and project health reviews to ensure predictability and excellence in every delivery, even when project requirements are not fully defined at the outset. You will implement adaptive governance models that allow for shifting scopes without losing control of quality or milestones.

2. Drive Technical Excellence: Act as the final line of defense for technical quality. You will review technical specifications, requirement analyses, and architecture designs of our optical systems to ensure sound engineering for our global semiconductor customers.

3. Build a High-Performance Coaching Culture: Transition the team from individual contributors to a cohesive, high-impact unit. You will design and launch a formal mentorship program, identifying skill gaps and arranging targeted training to develop the next generation of technical leaders.

4. Strengthen Cross-Functional Integration: Break down silos by aligning the group’s work with Product Management, Sales, Engineering, and Manufacturing. You will act as a strategic partner to our biggest customers, balancing their challenging demands with the realistic technical capabilities of the organization.

5. Optimize Resource & Budget Allocation: Take full functional leadership of the group, utilizing your budget and signing authority to allocate resources effectively across global projects.

The Ecosystem: Impact and Influence

Your Team: A Hub of Technical Excellence

• You will lead a high-caliber unit of 10 to 20 Technical Project Managers based in Jena. These are not just administrators; they are highly specialized professionals who own their projects from both a technical and organizational standpoint. Your mission is to transform this diverse, international group into a unified, world-class project management powerhouse.

The Global Network

• You are a key pillar of the Global System Development Directorate, which integrates expertise across Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. This role offers high visibility, as you will:
• Report Directly to the Director of Global System Development, ensuring your team’s successes and challenges are heard at the highest levels of the organization.
• Collaborate Globally with peers in the US and Switzerland to harmonize development standards and share best practices across the Atlantic.

Strategic Cross-Functional Integration

• Success in this role depends on your ability to steer your team through a complex, fast-moving ecosystem. You will ensure your Project Leaders effectively bridge the gap between several key stakeholders:
• Customer & Market: Partnering with Product Management and Sales to translate global semiconductor customer needs into reality. You will steer your team through intense customer interfaces where requirements evolve rapidly, ensuring project momentum remains steady despite technical uncertainty.
• Design & Realization: Working alongside Engineering to turn ambitious concepts into functional architectures.
• Execution & Delivery: Navigating the transition to Operations for rapid prototyping and seamless transfer to high-volume production.

Your Profile:

• Over 10 years of experience managing complex opto-mechatronic or optical systems in an industrial setting
• Prior experience leading teams of project managers, with a focus on change management and coaching
• A Master’s or PhD in Physics or Engineering or equivalent, with the "technical acumen" to challenge and support highly specialized professionals
• The ability to navigate an international environment with business-fluent English and good German skills, and a strong cultural flexibility to effectively interact with stakeholders of different nationalities
• A proven track record of managing major global accounts with non-negotiable deadlines and maturity to lead through technical uncertainty and are comfortable making decisive moves when the project scope is a moving target