(Senior) Project & Quality Manager Control Systems (m/f/d)

Net Zero is a specialised consultancy for energy infrastructure and transformation. We work at the intersection of the energy sector, digitalisation, data management and software development. The energy sector is changing fundamentally: more volatility, more data, more systems, more operational complexity. This increases the need for people who can understand, design and help build digital solutions themselves. With us, you lead topics on your own responsibility, work closely with decision-makers and business units and help shape a consulting offering that makes the energy sector more digital, more data-driven and more future-proof.

You want to steer IT projects in critical infrastructure where a go-live must not fail. We are speaking to experienced project leads who have already owned control system or migration projects and managed vendors as equals, just as much as to people in their first years in project or test management who want to take the next step. Depending on your experience, you join us at junior or senior level. We will clarify this together during the application process.

Control systems are the nervous system of grid control, and every changeover happens in live 24/7 operations. You don't need to know grid operations in detail yet. We do expect your willingness to get to grips with its technical and regulatory specifics. We work to the highest quality standards in our consulting and are looking for someone who shares that standard.

Your responsibilities

• Project management: You steer control system, integration and migration projects at grid operators, using classic, agile or hybrid approaches depending on the project context. When you start, you take on sub-projects alongside experienced project leads; with more experience, you lead projects on your own.
• Planning & stakeholders: You own planning, budget, risks and stakeholder management between IT, OT and the 24/7 operations of grid control.
• Vendor management: You steer vendors and service providers, including acceptance of deliverables and deviation management.
• Procurement: You prepare and support make-or-buy decisions and tenders.
• Testing & acceptance: You develop test strategies and test concepts and own acceptance procedures (FAT, SAT, integration and operational tests).
• Release & commissioning: You define release and approval processes for regulated environments and plan cutovers and commissioning with minimal operational risk.

Your profile

• A completed degree (master's or Diplom) in computer science, business informatics, electrical engineering, industrial engineering or a comparable field of study. Strong academic results and analytical sharpness are a clear plus for us.
• Relevant professional experience in IT projects, test and acceptance management or IT consulting, ideally in critical infrastructure or other regulated industries (e.g. energy, telecommunications, transport, finance, healthcare).
• Confident use of at least one established PM framework (PMI, PRINCE2, Scrum or SAFe) and common tools such as Jira, Confluence and GitLab.
• Basic IT security expertise, including planning pen tests and hardening measures as well as monitoring and incident response.
• You think entrepreneurially and solution-oriented, spot opportunities early and are driven to visibly move topics forward.
• Business-fluent German and good English.

For a senior-level start, you also bring:

• Several years of experience leading IT projects, ideally in critical infrastructure or other regulated industries.
• Experience managing vendors, general contractors or external service providers.
• Hands-on practice in test and acceptance management.

A plus:

• Experience in the context of grid operators or grid control systems, for example with vendors such as Siemens, Soptim, Hitachi Energy, PSI or GE Vernova.
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks such as KRITIS, NIS-2 or the IT security catalogue under § 11 EnWG.
• Experience with public procurement procedures, in particular under the SektVO.
• Certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, ISTQB or SAFe.
• Experience with simulators or training environments (DTS) in a testing context.

What we offer

• Visible responsibility: You work on projects and topics that have immediate impact, with direct sparring with the founders and short paths to decisions.
• A modern way of working: Fast iterations, a modern toolchain, AI assistance and pragmatic collaboration instead of long approval loops.
• An attractive setup: Flexible working, attractive pay, honest feedback and an environment where performance is visible.
• Growth with perspective: You grow professionally, methodically and entrepreneurially, with room for your own ideas, responsibility and development.