Zenith Watch Movement Project Manager
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Senior
- Industry
- Fine Watches & Horology
- Posted
- May 8, 2026
About Zenith
Zenith is a Swiss haute horlogerie manufacture renowned for technical innovation and precision in watch movements. As part of the LVMH group, the maison combines traditional craftsmanship with industrial rigor, offering a workplace that balances artisanal production and modern engineering.
Zenith — Watch Movement Project Manager in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Lead movement projects from prototype to serial production; 5+ years required.
Role & Responsibilities
- Serve as primary internal and external contact to capture client needs and translate them into precise technical specifications (cahier des charges).
- Define cost of goods and prepare commercial offers (development fees, unit price, lead times) in coordination with purchasing and commercial stakeholders.
- Plan, pilot and take responsibility for project scheduling and milestone management to meet quality, cost and delivery targets; produce regular reporting with risk identification and mitigation plans.
- Coordinate make-or-buy strategy and lead supplier tender processes according to the approved supplier panel.
- Initiate and validate product creation and associated nomenclatures with the database team; manage BOMs and component follow-up from prototype phase to first serial volumes.
- Maintain the Movement Roadmap (launch plan) and monitor project success-rate indicators (KPI) for movement developments.
- Foster cross-functional collaboration across Quality, Purchasing, Manufacturing and other departments to ensure alignment and timely execution.
Qualifications
- HES engineering degree in microtechnology, mechanical engineering or equivalent (Swiss University of Applied Sciences level) or comparable technical diploma.
- Minimum five years' proven experience in technical project management within watch movements/manufacturing.
- Deep horological expertise covering movement design and manufacture.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills with demonstrated ability to federate multidisciplinary teams.
- Excellent analytical skills, autonomy, organizational rigor and resilience under complex, cross‑functional projects.
Skills
Experience
At least five years of technical project management experience in watch movements or a closely related mechanical manufacturing environment, demonstrating delivery of complex, cross-functional projects from prototype to serial production.
Education
HES engineer degree (microtechniques/microengineering) or degree in mechanical engineering, or equivalent technical qualification.
Workplace
This position is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, within easy reach of Neuchâtel.
Benefits
Health coverage and family benefits under the Convention Collective Horlogère; on-site healthy local catering; free on-site sports classes; additional on-site employee services and complementary benefits.
Culture
Zenith blends traditional Swiss watchmaking craftsmanship with modern engineering and innovation. The workplace emphasizes technical excellence, collaborative cross-disciplinary teams and a supportive, client-focused culture that values initiative and continuous improvement.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Zenith, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Project Manager — Movements», «Movement Development Manager», «Technical Project Manager, Watch Movements», «Movement Projects Lead», «Watch Movement Programme Manager», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.