Director Hardware Portfolio Management (m/f/d)

Kardex Holding AG is a global leader in automated warehouse and intralogistics systems, with 3,000 employees across 30+ countries. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 1989, we’re known for premium products, exceptional service, and a culture that empowers employees to innovate.

Shape the future of Kardex's hardware portfolio.

As Director Hardware Portfolio Management (m/f/d), you will play a critical role in defining the future direction of Kardex's hardware portfolio. Combining strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and a strong understanding of market dynamics, you will drive portfolio decisions that support sustainable growth, profitability, and long-term competitiveness. Leading a team of Product Managers, you will foster an entrepreneurial mindset and ensure our solutions continue to create value for customers and the business alike.

This role can be based at one of our Kardex locations in Zurich, Bellheim, Neuburg an der Kammel, or Neuenstadt am Kocher.

Your tasks

• You will define and execute the long-term strategy for Kardex’s hardware portfolio, ensuring future competitiveness, profitability, and sustainable growth.

• You will drive portfolio decisions based on market opportunities, customer needs, business impact, and financial performance.

• You will continuously evaluate and optimize the product portfolio to strengthen Kardex’s market position and competitive advantage.

• You will prioritize investments and allocate resources across competing opportunities to maximize portfolio value and return on investment.

• You will collaborate closely with Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and Operations to translate market insights into successful portfolio strategies.

• You will lead portfolio simplification, lifecycle management, modularization, and complexity-reduction initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability.

• You will challenge the status quo and foster an innovative, entrepreneurial mindset that drives sustainable business success.

• You will lead, coach, and develop a team of Product Managers, building a high-performing and commercially focused Product Management organization.

• You will make strategic portfolio decisions, balancing growth opportunities, profitability, technological developments, and customer value.

• You will ensure that the Kardex hardware portfolio is well-positioned to meet future market demands and support the company's long-term strategic objectives.

Your profile

• Strong business and commercial background with a solid understanding of economics, portfolio management, and investment decisions.

• Entrepreneurial mindset with experience driving growth, competitiveness, and business performance.
• Experience in Business Development, Management Consulting, startup environments, or entrepreneurial roles is a strong plus.

• Proven ability to work effectively with Sales and Marketing organizations to bring products successfully to market.

• Highly data-driven and comfortable making decisions based on financial and commercial impact.

• Strong technical affinity and interest in hardware products, without being an engineering specialist.

• Ability to drive innovation, challenge the status quo, and inspire teams to think differently.

• Leadership experience is a plus, but outstanding candidates with strong business credentials will also be considered.

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Case Study

As part of the application process, we are asking you to complete a short case study designed to assess your strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and approach to portfolio decision-making. The exercise reflects key challenges of the role and provides an opportunity to demonstrate how you evaluate market opportunities, prioritize investments, and balance customer, business, and portfolio considerations.

Please note that only applications including the completed case study will be considered.

Case Study: Customer Innovation Day

You take over the role of the Director Hardware Portfolio Management (m/f/d) and will be responsible for leading a team of Hardware Product Managers. As part of this role, you are tasked with planning and executing a Customer Innovation Day with selected customers.

Please develop a concept that addresses the following topics:

• Purpose and expected outcomes of the Customer Innovation Day
• Selection and engagement of relevant customers and stakeholders
• Structure and agenda of the event
• Your role and responsibilities as Team Lead
• Task allocation and delegation within your team
• Critical success factors to ensure a valuable customer experience and meaningful outcomes
• Metrics and criteria you would use to evaluate the success of the event

Deliverables

Please submit the following with your application:

Presentation (PDF format, maximum 4 slides) Short presentation video explaining your concept, assumptions, and key decisions Recommended video length: 3 to 5 minutes

The objective is not to create a perfect event plan, but to demonstrate how you approach a cross-functional leadership challenge, align a team around a common goal, and generate customer-driven innovation outcomes.

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What we offer

• Long-term prospects: A secure job in a fast-growing, international company with exciting development opportunities and interesting and varied tasks in a future-oriented environment

• Valuable support: Great team spirit, elaborate onboarding and a wide range of training opportunities in our own academy at the Bellheim site, and also Employee Assistance Support (Lyra)

• Tangible added value: Flexible working hours

• Visible benefits: Attractive salary, company pension plan and capital-forming benefits - depending on location

• Attractive extras: Corporate benefits, company and team events

Ready to join? Apply now and start your journey with us!

Please send us your application with a possible start date via our career page. If you have any questions, please contact Ralf Theis by phone +49 (7272) 709554.

You like to learn more about the Kardex leadership model? See on youtube: David Marquet Inno-Versity Presents: Greatness by David Marquet - YouTube

Want to see your insights drive decisions worldwide? Come join the team!

​Applications from people with severe disabilities as defined by SGB IX (German law) are explicitly welcome.