Head of People & Culture (HR), NA

ZEISS is a global technology and innovation leader in optics and optoelectronics. Founded in Germany in 1846, ZEISS operates in 50+ countries and offers career opportunities across engineering, manufacturing, research, sales, and technology. As a foundation-owned company, ZEISS is committed to responsibility, quality, and continuous innovation. Employees help shape the future through cutting-edge technology and impactful work. With a strong North American presence since 1925 and 20+ locations, ZEISS partners with industries including semiconductor, automotive, biomedical research, and medical technology, and is a leading manufacturer of eyeglass lenses, camera and cinema lenses, and precision optical systems.

About the role

The Head of HR, North America is a senior executive HR leadership role with a dual mandate: serving as a strategic business partner to ZEISS Business Services North America, and representing the region within the Global HR function. This is not a steady-state role. The primary driver is transformation — building a more integrated, high-performing HR operating model across the region that connects people strategy to business outcomes.

This role oversees the North American HR Functional Groups – Talent Attraction, People Development, Learning & Belonging, Workday Operations, HR Digital Solutions, Benefits, HRBPs and Strategic Projects & Change. The role reports directly to the Head of ZEISS Business Services (“ZBS”) in the US, with a dotted line to the Global Head of Corporate HR (Germany-based), and is part of both the global corporate HR Leadership team and the ZBS Leadership team.

ZEISS Business Services (“ZBS”) North America supports operations with solutions spanning people and culture, finance, communications, data analytics, IT, legal and compliance, tax, operational and process excellence, procurement, EHS, and real estate and facilities. The Head of HR partners across functions to drive organizational effectiveness at scale.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior HR voice for North America, shaping and executing the regional people strategy in alignment with global priorities.
• Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the President of ZEISS Business Services NA and senior regional leadership.
• Represent North America on the Global HR Leadership team, ensuring regional perspectives are integrated into global HR strategy and that global initiatives are localized effectively.
• Participate in the Global HR Leadership team to translate best practices from the Americas to other regions globally.
• Build and drive a sense of community across the NA HR team to enhance knowledge transfer, talent visibility, mobility, and sharing of best practices.
• Lead and execute HR transformation initiatives across the NA region, including operating model redesign, service delivery evolution, and capability building.
• Partner with global HR Centers of Excellence (Talent Attraction, Compensation, Transformation, Operations & Insights, People Development & Organization) to deploy globally-led programs with regional fit.
• Align with global functional and process teams to ensure excellent employee experience and stakeholder satisfaction, analyzed through quantitative measures of SLAs and KPIs.
• Drive continuous improvement across HR processes, identifying opportunities to streamline, digitize, and leverage an AI-first approach.
• Collaborate with segment HR Business Partners to enable ZBS regionally by driving the harmonization of HR policies, standards, and processes.
• Provide strategic HR partnership to business leaders across ZEISS's NA segments and functions (ZBS, SMT, PNO, Canada).
• Lead workforce planning, organizational design, and talent pipeline efforts in support of growth and restructuring priorities.
• Oversee employee relations, ensuring a consistent, compliant, and human-centered approach across US and Canadian operations.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a team of HR Business Partners, HR Functional Managers, and specialist practitioners across the region.
• Build team capability in strategic partnership, data-driven HR, project, and change management.
• Foster a culture of accountability, curiosity, and continuous learning within the People & Culture function.
• Champion ZEISS's culture and values across the NA workforce, with a focus on belonging, inclusion, and psychological safety.
• Support the continued development and activity of ZEISS NA's employee resource groups and senior leaders.
• Drive the establishment of governance frameworks to empower a workforce that moves at speed through clear roles, responsibilities, and guiding principles.
• Promote a culture of knowledge management and sharing through process documentation and continuous improvement.
• Develop meaningful qualitative and quantitative metrics (KPIs) and SLAs to enhance value for internal stakeholders.
• Drive a culture obsessed with service excellence through role modeling, reward, and recognition.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with executive leadership, business unit heads, and key stakeholders to understand business priorities and anticipate HR needs.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and alignment on critical HR initiatives through regular touchpoints, governance forums, and executive briefings.
• Drive cross-functional and cross-segment collaboration with finance, IT, legal, and other business partners to ensure integrated solutions and break down silos.
• Scale successful initiatives across segments and celebrate wins to build transformation momentum and organizational capability.
• Fulfill responsibilities as an Officer of the Company (CZI and its subsidiaries).
• Participate as an active member of the Fiduciary Committee for the CZI pension & 401(k) plans.
• Serve as an ambassador for ZBS NA both regionally and globally as required.
• Lead the development, execution, and ongoing improvement of performance reporting, metrics, and SLA adherence.
• Drive the development and maintenance of service charters in collaboration with global functional leaders and local segment stakeholders.
• Communicate and operationalize the regional functional strategy, service charters, and standards of operation with the ZBS NA HR team.
• Support the identification and implementation of opportunities for cross-functional and cross-segment synergies at regional and global levels.
• Drive a culture of high performance by leading and developing a team of functional experts in line with Agenda 2030.
• Hold the team accountable for performance, create a culture of psychological safety, and foster high emotional intelligence.
• Provide executive support and coaching for members of the ZBS Leadership Team across expected ZEISS leadership behaviors and values.

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior regional or enterprise-level HR leadership role.
• Proven track record leading HR transformation — including operating model change, M&A integration, or large-scale organizational redesign.
• Experience operating in a matrixed, global organization, ideally within a manufacturing, technology, or industrial environment.
• Deep expertise across the full HR value chain: talent, total rewards, employee relations, HR operations, and workforce planning.
• Track record of accomplishments in driving Shared Services transformation, including streamlining HR processes across business units.

Skills

• Executive presence and the ability to influence at the C-suite level without direct authority.
• Strong commercial acumen — connecting people strategy to business performance.
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to translate workforce analytics into actionable insight.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and leading through change.
• Experience navigating dual reporting structures or shared services environments.
• Inclination to seek and analyze data from various sources to support decisions and align others with organizational strategy.
• Entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing innovative ideas that push organizational boundaries.
• Ability to balance the desire for broad change with an understanding of organizational capacity to handle change.
• Ability to set clear, challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations.
• Risk-taker who seeks data and input to foresee possible threats or unintended consequences from decisions.
• High integrity and forethought in decision-making; ability to act transparently and consistently.
• Ability to attract and recruit top talent, motivate teams, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity, and manage performance.
• Perseverance in the face of challenges and a relentless commitment to higher standards.
• Self-reflective leader who drives continuous improvement and is open to feedback.
• Strong relationship-building skills, emotional intelligence, and ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• Ability to inspire trust and followership through influence, charisma, and passion.
• Encourages others to share the spotlight and celebrates team success.
• Creates a sense of purpose and meaning for the team, generating followership beyond personal leadership.
• Firm belief that sustainability and profit are in the organization’s best long-term interest.
• Integrates economic, societal, and environmental factors into a purpose-driven strategy.