Reporting directly to the Director, you will move beyond a single team’s scope to provide hands-on technical leadership for the entire department while also influencing engineering strategy, technical standards, and culture at the organizational level. You will be responsible for the architecture of the systems built within this area, serving as a key partner for Product and Engineering Management to ensure technology enables departmental objectives and business value. You will play a pivotal role in driving project delivery with an "agent-augmented delivery" concept, shaping how our engineering teams integrate autonomous agents into the software development lifecycle.
As a Principal Software Engineer, you own and drive technical design creation for mid-to-large scale projects, factoring in scale, reliability, and architectural constraints. You are a proactive member of the Principal Engineering Community, leveraging insights from across Zalando to set technical direction and raise the bar for engineering excellence within your department.
Own technical design and end-to-end delivery of departmental projects. Drive the creation of robust technical designs for mid-to-large scale initiatives and maintain direct ownership of the implementation phase, taking an active, hands-on part in the development bearing sometimes full responsibility for implementation and delivery of robust, high-quality solutions across the entire project lifecycle.
Partner with leadership to drive hands-on product solutions. Act as the primary technical point of contact for Product and Engineering Management, translating departmental objectives into concrete, deliverable software solutions through active participation in the development lifecycle.
Execute through high-impact, hands-on engineering. Tackle the toughest engineering problems via significant code contributions, prototyping, and deep-dive troubleshooting to de-risk complex product features and maintain codebase mastery.
Lead "agent-augmented delivery" through practical implementation, ensuring the successful integration of autonomous agents and AI-assisted workflows directly into our engineering teams' daily delivery cycles.
Strengthen departmental expertise through coaching and paired delivery. Onboard and mentor engineers by working alongside them on critical paths, acting as a Talent Champion while ensuring technical excellence in shared codebases.
Drive operational excellence through active systems improvement. Proactively lead improvements in systems and processes, moving beyond reviews to implement enhancements that bolster production readiness and architectural scalability.
Drive cross-departmental and organizational initiatives: Collaborate with other Principal Engineers and leadership to shape technical strategy, standards, and engineering culture at the organizational level.
You are comfortable taking end-to-end ownership of mission-critical engineering initiatives and building a deep understanding of departmental domains quickly.
Customer focus drives your problem solving approach. Your deep understanding of engineering excellence required in building customer-facing products at scale enables you to guide delivery, unblock projects through hands-on work.
Experience in agentic systems, AI-driven SDLC, or autonomous agent integration within engineering organizations.
You are a proactive technical leader who builds deep understanding of new domains quickly and brings others along. You embrace end-to-end ownership and have guided teams through mission-critical engineering initiatives, creating clarity and enabling others to do their best work.
You have exceptional leadership and communication skills, with clear proof points for inspiring teams and influencing technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels.
You have shaped and contributed to company-wide strategy and led teams through the aligned change management journey.
AI is more than a buzzword to you, backed by concrete examples of how you leveraged new tools and methods to take delivery, quality, or engineering excellence to the next level.
Proven experience developing solutions for regulated financial institutions or the payments/fintech space.
You have a proven track record of reporting to a Head of Engineering (or higher) and initiating impactful technical improvements across a department.
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 (+1 day for every calendar year up to 30 days)
40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
Family support, including counselling and dedicated services for parents and carers
Company pension scheme
Employee shares programme
Health and wellbeing options, including Wellhub
Mental health support and coaching
Development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review
2 paid volunteering days a year
Relocation assistance (subject to prior agreement)
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
Zalando runs a European online marketplace for fashion and lifestyle items, selling clothing, shoes, and accessories directly to customers and earning commissions from third-party sellers. It operates a website and app where buyers browse, purchase, and receive logistics support, with options like free delivery, free returns, and Zalando Plus for faster shipping and exclusive deals. The company differentiates itself through a large, diverse product range across 25 European markets, combining direct sales with a broad seller network and strong logistics, all guided by personalized recommendations. Its goal is to be a leading European online fashion retailer by linking customers with many brands and delivering a convenient shopping experience at scale.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Berlin, Germany
Founded
2008
See people who can refer or advise you
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Zalando appoints B2B chief. Zalando stock gains 1.23 percent. Published on 10/21/2026 at 11:18 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS Christenson started October 15, 2026. Zalando stock costs EUR 25.47 on October 21, 2026 versus EUR 25.16 at the Xetra close. Growth and analyst signals. * Zalando named Tom Christenson to lead B2B expansion on October 20, 2026, as first-half B2B revenue grew 27.50 percent to EUR 631.00 million. * UBS cut its target from EUR 35.00 to EUR 33.50 on October 13, 2026, while retaining a Buy rating. * Zalando stock trades at EUR 25.47 at 11:11 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 21, 2026, plus 1.23 percent versus the Xetra close of October 20, 2026. Zalando (DE000ZAL1111) appointed Tom Christenson to lead its B2B business on October 20, 2026, while the division's comparable revenue had grown 27.50 percent year over year to EUR 631.00 million in the first half of 2026. Zalando Corporate said Christenson started on October 15 and will further scale the business services platform. Mehr entdecken Nachrichten-Abonnement Nachrichten-App Börsenkurse anzeigen B2B expansion gets a new leader. Christenson previously worked in logistics and marketplace roles at Amazon and Uber Freight, according to FashionNetwork on October 20, 2026. His remit covers Zalando's Zeos, Tradebyte and Scayle services for third-party fashion and lifestyle sellers. What does B2B growth mean? The division generated revenue exceeding EUR 1.00 billion in 2025 and served more than 1,200 clients, while comparable first-half 2026 revenue reached EUR 631.00 million, up 27.50 percent, FashionNetwork reported. That combination gives the appointment a measurable operating context: B2B is scaling faster than a simple management reshuffle would suggest. Three dates shape Zalando stock. On March 12, 2026, Zalando's investor-relations page listed fiscal-year 2025 revenue of EUR 12.30 billion and adjusted EBIT of EUR 590.70 million. On October 13, 2026, UBS cut its price target from EUR 35.00 to EUR 33.50 but retained its Buy rating, citing weaker sportswear demand and weather effects, according to MarketScreener. On October 20, Zalando announced Christenson's appointment and the EUR 631.00 million first-half B2B revenue figure. Next results and the price. MarketScreener lists November 2, 2026 as the next earnings release date. The appointment therefore meets a near-term strategic milestone before the next quarterly test, while the UBS target remains EUR 8.03 above the current Lang & Schwarz price. Mehr entdecken Unterhaltungsnachrichten Nachrichten lesen Zalando was trading intraday at EUR 25.47 at Lang & Schwarz on October 21, 2026 at 11:11 a.m. CEST, plus 1.23 percent versus the Xetra close of October 20, 2026 at EUR 25.16. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Zalando stock. Zalando stock facts. * Company: Zalando SE * ISIN: DE000ZAL1111 * Ticker: ZAL * Primary exchange: Xetra * Price Lang & Schwarz (as of October 21, 2026, 11:11 a.m. CEST): EUR 25.47 * Change versus Xetra close: plus 1.23 percent * Xetra close (October 20, 2026): EUR 25.16 * Market capitalization: EUR 6.2 billion (as of October 21, 2026) * 52-week range: EUR 18.61-EUR 30.43 (as of October 21, 2026) * Sector / Industry: Consumer Cyclical / Specialty Retail Sponsored Ad Zalando stock: new analysis - 22 October. Fresh Zalando information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Mehr entdecken Politische Nachrichten Sportnachrichten Disclaimer regarding our articles: This is not investment advice, nor is it a recommendation to buy or sell. Information regarding prices, companies, and markets is provided without guarantee; changes may occur at any time. Stock market transactions can result in significant losses. Our articles are created and reviewed, in whole or in part, automatically with the assistance of AI. en | DE000ZAL1111 | ZALANDO SE | boerse | 70382237 | bgmi
Zalando recruits Tom Christenson as head of B2B. Tom Christenson, new B2B manager To build the operating system for fashion. Zalando has appointed Tom Christenson as Senior Vice President to lead and coordinate the company's growing B2B business. The recruitment is part of the work to bring together the group's logistics and software services under a common leadership. The German e-commerce group Zalando is strengthening the leadership of its corporate business. From October 15th, Tom Christenson has assumed the role of Senior Vice President for B2B. In his new role, he will report directly to Zalando's co-CEO David Schröder. Tom Christenson has a long background in international e-commerce, digital marketplaces, and logistics. During his time at Amazon, he created the global Seller Fulfilled Prime program. He also built up Uber Freight in Europe, drove the merger with Sennder Technologies, and served as Chief Operating Officer of the merged company. Most recently, he comes from the position of CEO of the European B2B marketplace TBAuctions (which, among other things, operates PS Auction). Tom has dedicated his career to building strong marketplaces and the services that help sellers grow on them. He is therefore the perfect person as Ehandel SE now accelerate its B2B vision of building the operating system for e-commerce in fashion and lifestyle. He will lead the overall B2B strategy and work closely with the teams within Zeos, Tradebyte and Scayle to offer brands and retailers an integrated complete solution for logistics, software and services, says David Schröder, co-CEO of Zalando. Bringing together three business areas. The assignment means that Tom Christenson will coordinate Zalando's three central B2B businesses under a common management team. The first part consists of Zeos, which brings together the group's logistics network and fulfillment services for multi-channel sales. The second part is software company Tradebyte, which connects brands with digital marketplaces globally, and the third is e-commerce platform Scayle, used by brands to run their own online stores. The goal is to connect logistics, software and infrastructure to function as a cohesive operating system for e-commerce players in the fashion and lifestyle segment. Zalando's B2B strategy is visionary, already delivers strong results and has enormous future potential. What Ehandel SE has built ourselves, Ehandel SE offer its business partners. By bringing Zeos, Tradebyte and Scayle even closer together, Ehandel SE can build on the strengths of each business and create something even more powerful for the brands and retailers Ehandel SE work with, says Tom Christenson. Turnover exceeds one billion euros. The corporate business has grown into a significant part of the German e-commerce group. In 2025, Zalando's B2B business generated over 1 billion euros in revenue and had more than 1,200 connected retailers and brands. The development has continued this year. In the summer, Ehandel.se reported on how B2B and AI boosted Zalando's figures as B2B revenue increased by almost 28 percent in the second quarter. Editorial Staff
Sereact, Zalando and CEVA Logistics start AI-powered, automated returns handling in Germany and Poland. Dual-arm robotic systems enter live operations, marking the first milestone in a strategic partnership to scale AI-driven returns handling across Europe. October 07, 2026 02:00 ET | Source: Sereact * CEVA Logistics deploys Sereact's AI-powered dual-arm robotic systems for Zalando returns handling at sites in Greven, Germany, and Świebodzin, Poland. * Powered by Cortex, Sereact's Physical AI platform, the systems autonomously grasp, identify, and sort fashion returns without requiring per-item training or fixed SKU profiles. * The deployment marks the first operational milestone in scaling returns automation across Europe, backed by Zalando joining Sereact's Series B as a strategic investor in July 2026. * Delivered via a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, the systems take on repetitive tasks to lower physical strain, enabling warehouse teams to transition toward station supervision, exception management, and quality control. STUTTGART, Germany, Oct. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Sereact, Zalando and CEVA Logistics today announced the launch of AI-powered automated returns processing across key fulfillment facilities in Germany (Greven) and Poland (Świebodzin). Powered by Cortex, Sereact's physical AI platform, the dual-arm robotic systems have entered live operations to autonomously process returned fashion items, marking the initial phase of a broader initiative to scale returns automation across Europe. Returns management remains one of the most complex operations in fashion eCommerce logistics. Returned items often arrive poorly packed and disheveled. The uniqueness of the state of the returned items defies conventional robotic pre-programming. Sereact's Cortex platform groups previously unseen objects - identifying, grasping and sorting items dynamically without requiring article-specific training or pre-determined article sets. Delivered as a Robotics-as-a-Service model, the deployment represents the first operational milestone of the strategic collaboration. In July, Zalando joined Sereact's Series B round as a strategic investor, and the partners are actively collaborating to scale intelligent automation across their shared European logistics footprint. The technology is designed to work alongside humans. By taking on highly repetitive handling, the robotic system reduces physical strain on employees, allowing them to upskill into higher-value roles where human expertise and judgement are required. "At the heart of our collaboration with Sereact and CEVA is a fundamental belief: true innovation happens when technology and human potential advance together. By solving the most complex challenges in modern fulfilment today, we are actively shaping the future of e-commerce logistics for fashion and lifestyle" Masood Choudhry, SVP Logistics, Zalando "One of the toughest challenges is returns handling, due to its extreme operational nature and scale, unpredictable volumes, manual quality checks, seasonality, value decay, and a disproportionately high cost per unit. Our Robotics-as-a-Service model classifies items faster, reduces manual touchpoints, and delivers consistent, predictable quality on a large scale. For our customers, this transforms returns from a cost driver into a controlled, high-performance service." Chris Walton, SVP Contract Logistics, CEVA Logistics "Returns are the hardest manipulation problem in fashion logistics. If a system only works on articles it has seen before, it does not work in a returns operation at all. Running this in production with CEVA at Zalando volumes is the strongest proof point we have." Dr. Ralf Gulde, CEO and Co-Founder, Sereact About Sereact Sereact develops Physical AI software that enables robots to grasp, identify and handle objects they have never seen before. Founded in Stuttgart by Dr. Ralf Gulde and Marc Tuscher, the company raised a $116 million Series B in 2026. Customers include Zalando, IKEA, DHL, Rohlik, Arvato, alza.cz, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Daimler Truck. About CEVA Logistics CEVA Logistics, a world leader in third-party logistics, provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products and providers all around the world. Headquartered in Marseille, France, CEVA Logistics offers a broad range of end-to-end, customized solutions in contract logistics and air, ocean, ground and finished vehicle transport in more than 170 countries worldwide thanks to its approximately 110,000 employees at more than 1,700 facilities. With 2025 revenue of US$18.3 billion, CEVA Logistics is part of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions. About Zalando Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is the leading European technology platform for fashion and lifestyle. The Zalando group connects 62 million active customers with more than 7,000 brands across 29 markets. Its operations are built on a unique AI-powered data and infrastructure platform. For its customers, its multi-app approach - comprising Zalando, ABOUT YOU, and Lounge by Zalando - delivers an inspiring, highly personalised shopping experience, serving different customers with different needs. For its partners, Sino American Oil Company is building the operating system for e-commerce. Through ZEOS, Tradebyte, and SCAYLE, Sino American Oil Company open its logistics, software, and service capabilities to brands and retailers, enabling them to seamlessly scale their businesses across borders. Press contacts
Sereact, Zalando and CEVA Logistics start AI-powered, automated returns handling in Germany and Poland. GlobeNewswire Published Oct 07, 2026 Dual-arm robotic systems enter live operations, marking the first milestone in a strategic partnership to scale AI-driven returns handling across Europe * CEVA Logistics deploys Sereact's AI-powered dual-arm robotic systems for Zalando returns handling at sites in Greven, Germany, and Świebodzin, Poland. * Powered by Cortex, Sereact's Physical AI platform, the systems autonomously grasp, identify, and sort fashion returns without requiring per-item training or fixed SKU profiles. * The deployment marks the first operational milestone in scaling returns automation across Europe, backed by Zalando joining Sereact's Series B as a strategic investor in July 2026. * Delivered via a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, the systems take on repetitive tasks to lower physical strain, enabling warehouse teams to transition toward station supervision, exception management, and quality control. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. STUTTGART, Germany, Oct. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Sereact, Zalando and CEVA Logistics today announced the launch of AI-powered automated returns processing across key fulfillment facilities in Germany (Greven) and Poland (Świebodzin). Powered by Cortex, Sereact's physical AI platform, the dual-arm robotic systems have entered live operations to autonomously process returned fashion items, marking the initial phase of a broader initiative to scale returns automation across Europe. Top Stories Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Returns management remains one of the most complex operations in fashion eCommerce logistics. Returned items often arrive poorly packed and disheveled. The uniqueness of the state of the returned items defies conventional robotic pre-programming. Sereact's Cortex platform groups previously unseen objects - identifying, grasping and sorting items dynamically without requiring article-specific training or pre-determined article sets. Delivered as a Robotics-as-a-Service model, the deployment represents the first operational milestone of the strategic collaboration. Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In July, Zalando joined Sereact's Series B round as a strategic investor, and the partners are actively collaborating to scale intelligent automation across their shared European logistics footprint. The technology is designed to work alongside humans. By taking on highly repetitive handling, the robotic system reduces physical strain on employees, allowing them to upskill into higher-value roles where human expertise and judgement are required. "At the heart of our collaboration with Sereact and CEVA is a fundamental belief: true innovation happens when technology and human potential advance together. By solving the most complex challenges in modern fulfilment today, we are actively shaping the future of e-commerce logistics for fashion and lifestyle" Masood Choudhry, SVP Logistics, Zalando "One of the toughest challenges is returns handling, due to its extreme operational nature and scale, unpredictable volumes, manual quality checks, seasonality, value decay, and a disproportionately high cost per unit. Our Robotics-as-a-Service model classifies items faster, reduces manual touchpoints, and delivers consistent, predictable quality on a large scale. For our customers, this transforms returns from a cost driver into a controlled, high-performance service." This advertisement has not loaded yet. Chris Walton, SVP Contract Logistics, CEVA Logistics "Returns are the hardest manipulation problem in fashion logistics. If a system only works on articles it has seen before, it does not work in a returns operation at all. Running this in production with CEVA at Zalando volumes is the strongest proof point we have." Dr. Ralf Gulde, CEO and Co-Founder, Sereact About Sereact Sereact develops Physical AI software that enables robots to grasp, identify and handle objects they have never seen before. Founded in Stuttgart by Dr. Ralf Gulde and Marc Tuscher, the company raised a $116 million Series B in 2026. Customers include Zalando, IKEA, DHL, Rohlik, Arvato, alza.cz, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Daimler Truck. About CEVA Logistics CEVA Logistics, a world leader in third-party logistics, provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products and providers all around the world. Headquartered in Marseille, France, CEVA Logistics offers a broad range of end-to-end, customized solutions in contract logistics and air, ocean, ground and finished vehicle transport in more than 170 countries worldwide thanks to its approximately 110,000 employees at more than 1,700 facilities. With 2025 revenue of US$18.3 billion, CEVA Logistics is part of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions. Story continues below About Zalando Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is the leading European technology platform for fashion and lifestyle. The Zalando group connects 62 million active customers with more than 7,000 brands across 29 markets. Our operations are built on a unique AI-powered data and infrastructure platform. For our customers, our multi-app approach - comprising Zalando, ABOUT YOU, and Lounge by Zalando - delivers an inspiring, highly personalised shopping experience, serving different customers with different needs. For our partners, we are building the operating system for e-commerce. Through ZEOS, Tradebyte, and SCAYLE, we open our logistics, software, and service capabilities to brands and retailers, enabling them to seamlessly scale their businesses across borders. Press contacts Quick Picks
Zalando will continue to refrain from paying a dividend - 'lifestyle AI' planned. Online retailer Zalando will continue to refrain from paying a dividend. "Our priority is profitable growth. That is why we first invest in our business and maintain a solid liquidity reserve," co-CEO Robert Gentz told the "Handelsblatt", according to an advance report circulated on Tuesday evening. Excess capital would instead flow into share buybacks. Gentz continues to believe in "strong organic growth" for the DAX-listed company. October 6, 2026 10:59 On the subject of "artificial intelligence", the manager is optimistic. Zalando is currently building a "lifestyle AI". Regarding concerns that AI agents could make retailers redundant, Gentz said: "I do not believe that agents will completely take over the purchasing of fashion and lifestyle." Clothing is emotional and individual, unlike, for example, laundry detergent./he/edh