Head of Commercial Finance

About Us

How many companies can say they’ve been in business for over 179 years?! Here at ZEISS, we certainly can! As the pioneers of science, ZEISS handles the everchanging environments in a fast-paced world, meeting it with cutting edge of technologies and continuous advancements. ZEISS believes that innovation and technology are the key to a sustainable future and solutions for global change. We have a diverse range of portfolios throughout the ZEISS family in segments like, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, Consumer Markets and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. We are a global company with over 42,000 employees and have over 4,000 in the US and Canada alone! Make a difference, come join the team!

What’s the role?

Owns product and customer portfolio health across all channels, owns deal and new business viability approvals. The role is the practical expression of Finance as a commercial enabler: it sets the guardrails that let commercial teams move quickly, holds the line where the economics do not work, and closes the loop by making sure the business is paid for what it sells. This role has a material impact on ZEISS vision P&L performance on top and bottom line.

What you’ll do:

• Sit on the Commercial LT to define and drive implementation of our business strategy around our value proposition to customers
• Own product and customer portfolio profitability by product range, by channel and by customer, and bring the weak positions forward for decision.
• Ensure action plans are in place and track performance.
• Approve deal and new business viability against agreed margin thresholds.
• Be an active driver in developing design and deals ideas to influence how we do business.
• Maintain and periodically recalibrate the margin guardrail framework so that commercial teams can self-qualify the majority of deals without a finance approval step.
• Partner Sales and Retail leadership on pricing, mix and customer terms.
• Active in developing Commercial strategies.
• Review rebate and incentive structures for margin effect, including the VCS equipment and premium lens rebate mechanic.
• Ensure these levers are delivering the value expected.
• Lead the commercial input into pricing decisions and major account renewals and tenders.
• Take an active role at Commercial meetings with customers were appropriate.
• Run post-deal review on material agreements, comparing delivered economics against the approved case.
• Commercial finance leadership: applies financial insight to pricing, customer profitability, deal structure, rebates, trade spend, and portfolio decisions in a way that supports profitable growth.
• Strategic business partnering: works effectively with Sales, Retail, Business Development, Finance, and senior leadership to shape commercial strategies while maintaining financial discipline.
• Decision quality and commercial judgment: makes clear, timely, and well-reasoned recommendations on deal viability, margin thresholds, customer terms, credit exposure, and escalation matters.
• Analytical rigor: translates complex product, channel, customer, and post-deal performance data into actionable insights, risks, and improvement plans.
• Governance and control mindset: designs, maintains, and improves practical guardrails for pricing, deal approval, credit limits, payment terms, and rebate structures without unnecessarily slowing the business.
• Influence and constructive challenge: communicates difficult decisions clearly, including when to say no, and explains financial reasoning in practical commercial language.
• Customer and market orientation: understands customer economics, channel dynamics, and competitive pressures, and uses that understanding to support sustainable commercial decisions.
• Continuous improvement: identifies opportunities to simplify processes, improve self-qualification of deals, increase transparency, and strengthen decision-making across commercial finance activities.
• People leadership and talent development: leads, coaches, and develops channel analyst, setting a consistent standard for analysis, accountability, and business partnership.
• Lead and develop the three channel analysts, holding a consistent standard of analysis across ECP, Retail and CEC.

Do you qualify?

• Eight or more years in commercial finance, including direct partnering with a sales organisation.
• Track record of building pricing or deal governance that speeds decisions up rather than slowing them down.
• Strong grasp of channel and customer profitability mechanics, including rebates and trade spend.
• Willing to say no clearly, and to explain the reasoning in commercial language.
• Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in Finance, Accounting, Economics or related field.

Working Environment

Climate controlled environment is fast paced with rapidly changing priorities, Works in a temperature- controlled environment with limited exposure to noise. Prolonged sitting and use of a computer and phone. Working additional hours on short notice, including weekends, may be required. Working from home may be required on a regular or semi-regular basis.

The annual pay range for this position is $143,900 - $179,900. The pay offered for this role may be influenced by factors such as job location, scope of role, qualifications, education, experience, & complexity/specialization/scarcity of talent. This position is eligible for a Performance Bonus. We have amazing benefits to support you as an employee at ZEISS!

Medical Vision Dental 401k Matching Employee Assistance Programs Vacation and sick pay The list goes on!

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of requirements, duties, or responsibilities. The Company reserves the right to interpret, amend, or otherwise modify, in whole or in part, any job description at any time, at its sole discretion.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team: Lindsay Walker Goodman Zeiss provides Equal Employment Opportunity without unlawful regard to an Applicants race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, citizen status, sexual orientation, pregnancy (includes childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), genetic predisposition, carrier status, gender expression or identity, including transgender identity, or any other class or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law of the employee (or the people with whom the employee associates, including relatives and friends).

Step out of your comfort zone, excel and redefine the limits of what is possible. That’s just what our employees are doing every single day – in order to set the pace through our innovations and enable outstanding achievements. After all, behind every successful company are many great fascinating people. In a spacious modern setting full of opportunities for further development, ZEISS employees work in a place where expert knowledge and team spirit reign supreme. All of this is supported by a special ownership structure and the long-term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together. Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow. Diversity is a part of ZEISS. We look forward to receiving your application regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, philosophy of life, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.