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(Senior) Project Manager Strategic Development - Decarbonization

SCHOTT • Germany • Added on Aug 27, 2026
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This senior role sits at the intersection of corporate strategy and environmental action, reporting directly to the department responsible for SCHOTT’s global direction. You will take ownership of complex, cross-functional projects that bridge the gap between high-level business goals and practical decarbonization initiatives. By managing the annual strategic planning process and leading interdisciplinary teams, you ensure that sustainability is not a side project but a core pillar of the group’s future growth.

The position is critical because glass manufacturing is an energy-intensive industry where decarbonization represents both a massive technical challenge and a competitive necessity. You will be instrumental in translating climate ambitions into concrete strategic options, helping a foundation-owned technology leader navigate the green transition while maintaining its global market position across healthcare, aerospace, and energy sectors.

This suits someone who possesses a rare blend of technical depth in sciences or engineering and the strategic mindset of a top-tier management consultant. You should be comfortable navigating boardroom-level discussions while maintaining a pragmatic focus on industrial implementation.

Preguntas frecuentes

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The core mission involves the strategic steering of decarbonization efforts at the group level. You will be responsible for further developing the SCHOTT corporate strategy, ensuring that sustainability goals are integrated into every business unit's roadmap. This includes analyzing strategic options and market trends to provide the board and executive management with actionable insights. Day-to-day responsibilities include leading interdisciplinary teams and external consultants on high-stakes projects. You will also play a key role in the annual strategic planning cycle, ensuring that financial targets and environmental objectives are harmonized across the company's global operations.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates will gain deep insights into the transformation of energy-intensive industries, a front-line experience in the European industrial transition. You will learn how a foundation-owned company balances long-term scientific and societal responsibilities with global commercial competitiveness. There is significant exposure to executive-level decision-making, offering a chance to refine corporate diplomacy and strategic advisory skills. Furthermore, the role provides a platform to master the complexities of decarbonizing heavy manufacturing, including hydrogen transitions, electrification, and supply chain management.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate brings an excellent academic background in engineering, material sciences, chemistry, or physics, coupled with a business qualification like an MBA. You should have several years of experience in management consulting or a dedicated corporate strategy role within an international industrial context. Beyond technical knowledge, we look for individuals with strong entrepreneurial thinking and the ability to drive change in a structured yet pragmatic way. Fluency in both German and English is essential given the global nature of the role and its headquarters location.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between technical feasibility and business viability. Your application should highlight specific instances where you successfully managed complex, multi-stakeholder projects that delivered measurable impact, preferably in the sustainability or decarbonization space. Prepare to discuss how you approach strategic trade-offs. SCHOTT values its identity as a foundation-owned company, so showing alignment with long-term stewardship and scientific innovation rather than just short-term profit will be highly beneficial during the interview process.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role focuses heavily on the decarbonization of glass production, one of the most significant environmental hurdles for the company. This involves looking at scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and finding strategic pathways to reach carbon neutrality. Additionally, you will likely focus on the circular economy and resource efficiency, ensuring that material innovations align with future environmental regulations. The strategic nature of the role means you are not just reporting data, but actively shaping the company's sustainable transformation roadmap.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

A primary challenge will be aligning diverse business units—ranging from aerospace to home appliances—under a unified decarbonization strategy while accounting for their unique operational constraints. Balancing aggressive climate targets with the economic realities of a high-tech manufacturing environment requires high resilience. You may also face the challenge of managing high-level stakeholders and external consultants simultaneously, requiring a sophisticated ability to translate complex technical data into clear strategic narratives for the board.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with a strategy workshop involving business unit leaders to discuss the progress of a decarbonization initiative. You might then spend the afternoon analyzing market data or energy price forecasts to model different strategic scenarios for the executive board. Interspersed with these tasks are regular check-ins with external consultants and interdisciplinary project teams. The work is highly collaborative and varies between deep analytical thinking at your desk and influential meetings in the boardroom or with plant managers.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

SCHOTT explicitly identifies this position as a stepping stone for future leadership roles within the group. The high visibility to the board and management provides a unique platform to prove your capabilities for higher management or executive functions. Because the role covers a wide range of business fields, it offers lateral mobility into operational leadership or specialized sustainability management roles across various global locations, fostering a long-term career path within the foundation’s ecosystem.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Your most frequent interactions will be with the Executive Board and senior management, providing them with the data and strategy needed to lead the company. You will act as a key liaison between the Strategic Development department and individual business units. External stakeholders include management consultancies and industry partners, while internally you will work closely with the Corporate Sustainability team, EHS managers, and R&D engineers to ensure strategic goals are technically and operationally sound.

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