Manager Partner Operations - Digital Sales

This role is a business-critical position within Digital Sales and the Partner Program, owning the end-to-end operations of one of the company's fastest-growing and most complex digital sales channels. The role is accountable for financial integrity, operational scalability, and partner trust across the Digital Sales ecosystem, including the Partner Program, Partnership Marketing, and Gift Cards. It acts as the single operational owner for partner performance, commission frameworks, and vendor financial operations, and the Partner Operations team serves as a central vendor management pillar for other functions within Digital Sales.

• Design operational processes with the Senior Manager Platform Operations and key stakeholders across functions, in line with the overall methodology.
• Monitor and improve daily operations against operational KPIs such as cancellation, delivery, return, and consumer service to meet partner targets, including the Zalando consumer experience model and Amazon Seller Central model.
• Support the Partner Acceleration team in refining operational processes for business development core operations in the Partner Program channel, and act as project manager for partner or carrier roll-outs when required.
• Support the Partner Trading team with tools and system integration for accurate partner management, and support the Gift Cards and Partnership Marketing channels with technology provider data transmission and accurate sales transaction tracking.
• Own day-to-day performance management, product roadmap, and relationships with technology and service partners, including middleware providers.
• Lead financial reconciliation for vendors, including commissions, fees, and invoice validation.
• Drive vendor performance management, business reviews, and roadmap alignment with a strong financial and operational lens.
• Act as the primary interface between vendors and internal stakeholders such as Finance, GBS, Legal, and Procurement, and establish trustful relationships with vendors.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve scalable operational processes supporting partner growth, and lead business improvement initiatives to reduce manual work, increase automation, and strengthen controls.
• Support partner roll-outs and new business models by ensuring operational and financial readiness, act as a trusted stakeholder to Finance, GBS, Credit & Collections, Legal, Procurement, Risk, and Global Process Owners to influence decisions and unblock execution
• Act as a business partner and system consultant to Partner Program and Digital Partnership colleagues, and serve as an entrepreneurial innovation ambassador integrating activities across key functional partners.

• BA/BS in Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
• 3+ years of professional experience in digital/eCommerce, business development, operations, finance, or marketplace.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Proven ability to operate independently in ambiguous, evolving environments.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders.
• Highly analytical mindset with strong Excel and data analysis capabilities.
• Structured thinker with strong process design and governance experience.
• Resilient, accountable, and comfortable owning critical topics end to end.
• Excellent communication skills, including senior-level presentations.
• Extremely strong organisational and planning skills, with flexibility to handle multiple tasks and business partners and the ability to work in a deadline-driven environment and under pressure.
• Proactive approach to work and a go-getter mindset.
• Dynamic and adaptable, able to quickly and effectively assimilate and drive change and quick to learn new systems and tools.
• Comfortable working in an international environment.

• Experience in vendor management and complex partner ecosystems is strongly preferred.
• Strong financial acumen with hands-on experience in reconciliation processes and commission models is a plus.
• Understanding of the technology landscape is a plus.
• At least one other European language would be beneficial.

The company believes that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into its culture and talent processes gives employees a sense of belonging and the brand a competitive advantage.