Search Team Lead

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

Lounge by Zalando is an online shopping club for fashion and lifestyle products, serving millions of members across 24 European markets. We offer our members daily, time-limited sale campaigns with discounts of up to 75% off the recommended retail price.

Customers sign up with their email addresses and can shop daily curated selections of limited-time promotional deals. Unlike Zalando, we don't operate through a permanent catalog. The campaign model is a crucial differentiator and invites customers to experience Zalando's fashion credibility with the additional elements of surprise and great value for money.

We are looking for a Search Team Lead to own our full search ecosystem - paid and organic - across SEA, Google Shopping, Display & Programmatic (incl. DV360), Apple Search Ads, SEO/GEO and ASO. Reporting directly to the Head of Marketing, you will lead a team of six and act as the connective tissue between search and Lounge's broader marketing, science, martech and product ecosystem. The flash-sale model creates a uniquely demanding performance environment - inventory windows are short, audience signals shift daily, and every euro of spend must be justified in real-time.

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN
At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce - one that is inclusive by design. We only assess candidates based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applications from people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, personal expressions, racial identities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, and disability statuses. We only want to know why you’re great for this role, so please avoid including your picture, age, and marital status in your CV as well.
We want to provide you with a great candidate experience. Please feel free to inform us of any accommodations you may need, so we can best support and assist you throughout the hiring process.
do.BETTER - our diversity & inclusion strategy: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion

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

• Own the Search P&L across all channels - connecting KPIs (ROAS, CPA, CPI, CVR, organic visibility) directly to business outcomes (Revenue, Contribution Margin, Customer Acquisition).

• Lead, mentor and grow a team of six; set the technical bar, prioritize work, and build a clear development path for every team member.

• Translate Business Unit growth targets into data-driven, channel-level investment frameworks weighting incrementality across 24 markets.

• Partner with Applied Science and Analytics to refine and embed search into our MMM/MTA and incrementality frameworks; push bidding toward long-term customer value.

• Represent marketing across cross-functional stakeholders - Applied Science, Analytics, Brand & Creative, Markets & Propositions, Buying, Martech, and Product - in investment planning and technology roadmap discussions.

• Drive AI adoption across search workflows - from campaign automation to data analysis - and keep the team ahead of platform shifts and emerging best practices.

WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

• Experience: 8+ years of hands-on performance marketing across paid search (SEA, Google Shopping, DV360, App Install, Apple Search Ads) and organic (SEO, GEO), with 3+ years of team leadership experience.

• Technical Depth: Practitioner-level knowledge of Google Ads, SA360, DV360, and SEO tooling (Semrush, Screaming Frog, Search Console); strong understanding of feed management, bidding mechanics, and how technical SEO drives revenue.

• Data Fluency: Advanced proficiency in data-driven decision making. Comfortable in Excel/Google Sheets, Tableau, Looker or equivalent; basic SQL and/or Python is required.

• Commercial Acumen: You connect channel performance to P&L impact and engage credibly in senior budget discussions. Proven track record managing multi-million euro acquisition budgets through intensive growth phases.

• AI Fluency: Demonstrated experience implementing AI tools and automation in marketing workflows, with a drive to experiment and scale.

• Customer-Centric Mindset: You put the customer at the center of channel decisions - understanding what drives membership sign-ups, repeat purchases, and long-term loyalty, not just immediate conversion.

• Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Strong track record leading diverse teams, communicating confidently with senior leadership, and managing external agency and platform partners (e.g. Google, Apple) to drive performance and accountability.

• Language: Fluent in English; additional European language a plus.

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 (+1 day for every calendar year up to 30 days)

• 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

ABOUT LOUNGE BY ZALANDO
Lounge by Zalando is an online outlet for fashion and lifestyle products in +20 European countries. We offer our members daily, time-limited sale campaigns with discounts of up to 75% off the recommended retail price. However, Lounge by Zalando is so much more than discounts. Our strength lies in our focus on fashion and lifestyle brands: from sought-after labels to niche brands, from famous international names to trendy luxury brands, we make sure to meet the fashion taste of all our customers, who are always on the hunt for the best products at the best prices. Working with our brand partners, we're pioneering innovative supply-chain and production processes and offer them an impactful and smart solution, creating a new way to shop for fashion - and a new way to sell it.
https://www.zalando-lounge.de