Senior Director, Components Technology Lead

Location: Staefa (Switzerland)

Who we are

Sonova is a global leader in innovative hearing care solutions: from personal audio devices and wireless communication systems to audiological care services, hearing aids and cochlear implants. Sonova operates through four businesses: Hearing Instruments, Audiological Care, Consumer Hearing and Cochlear Implants – and the core brands Phonak, Unitron, AudioNova, Sennheiser (under license) and Advanced Bionics as well as recognized regional brands. The Group’s globally diversified sales and distribution channels serve an ever-growing consumer base in more than 100 countries.

The Role

Reporting directly to the VP Technology, the Senior Director, Components Technology Lead defines and drives the long-term strategy and architecture for Sonova’s reusable technology components and shared capabilities. The role ensures that component platforms are designed and governed in line with group-wide architectural principles, non-negotiable standards, and the strategic direction set by the Technology Office.

Within Sonova’s federated architectural leadership model, the role translates enterprise architecture into scalable, secure, and reusable component platforms that enable consistency and efficiency across product lines. Acting as a key architectural authority, the Senior Director guides Technology Leaders and system architects, manages cross-domain dependencies, and ensures component development supports long-term scalability, sustainability, and overall system integrity.

Key responsibilities

Strategic & Architectural Leadership

• Define and drive the strategy and architecture for technology components in alignment with group-wide technology principles, architectural guardrails, and long-term technology direction.
• Own key component-level architectural decisions, including component boundaries, evolution paths, and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure components are robust, secure, scalable, and reusable, while fully aligned with the governance framework and standards set by the Technology Office.

Cross-Domain Alignment

• Ensure coherence between component architectures, target-state architecture, and solution requirements across R&D.
• Collaborate closely with Solution, Product, and Functional Leaders to enable seamless integration of components into end-to-end solutions.
• Identify and manage cross-domain dependencies and proactively address architectural risks.

Technical Governance & Decision-Making

• Lead feasibility assessments, technology trade-off analyses, and cost-of-change evaluations related to component architecture decisions.
• Ensure consistent adherence to non-negotiable standards, architectural guardrails, and the strategic technology roadmap.
• Drive modernization initiatives and maintain ownership of component-level technical debt.

Leadership & Capability Building

• Mentor Technology Leaders and component architects, strengthening architectural capabilities across teams.
• Foster a culture of innovation, secure design, and engineering excellence across the technology organization.

What We Are Looking For

Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• Continuous professional development through hands-on experience and industry engagement.

Experience & Background

• Minimum five years of leadership experience in a research and development environment.
• Strong technical background with proven expertise in domains central to technology and architecture leadership.
• Experience leading technical initiatives and guiding architectural decision-making in complex environments.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within matrixed and cross-functional organizations.
• Familiarity with product development regulations, preferably with specialized knowledge in the medical field, will be a plus.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Proven leadership capabilities with the ability to inspire and guide technical and functional leaders.
• Experience leading cross-functional and cross-cultural teams in complex organizational environments.
• Strong influencing skills, with the ability to facilitate alignment, resolve conflicts, and drive decisions.
• Team-oriented mindset with a strong commitment to collaboration and shared outcomes.

Strategic Thinking & Execution

• Strong strategic mindset with the ability to translate complex technical challenges into clear decisions and solutions.
• Proactive, decisive, and disciplined approach to leadership and execution.
• High degree of perseverance and resilience when navigating complex decision-making processes.
• Strong planning and organizational capabilities with the ability to drive improvements and long-term impact.

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Excellent stakeholder management and engagement skills across technical and business functions.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and negotiation capabilities.
• Strong presentation and articulation skills, with the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences.

IT Skills

• Experience with collaboration and workflow platforms, such as Confluence and Jira.
• Proficiency in project planning and management tools, including standard office software will be an advantage.

Languages

• Fluent in spoken and written English.
• Proficiency in additional languages, such as German, is an advantage.

Mindset & Personal Effectiveness

• Highly self-motivated with a structured, methodical way of working.
• Strong problem-solving mindset and the ability to navigate complex systems efficiently.
• Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning and development.

Why Join Us

Sonova is an equal opportunity employer.

We team up. We grow talent. We collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds to win with the best team in the marketplace. We guarantee every person equal treatment in regard to employment and opportunity for employment, regardless of a candidate’s ethnic or national origin, religion, sexual orientation or marital status, gender, genetic identity, age, disability or any other legally protected status.