Senior Director Embedded Software Components

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

The Senior Director Embedded Software Components will be responsible for defining and leading a high-performing organization with full Design Ownership across the entire lifecycle of Embedded Software components — from design and development to delivery and sustainment. These components are leveraged across solutions and brands and include key domains such as the Wireless Subsystem, Wireless Applications, Hardware Abstraction (Controller), Digital Signal Processing, and Neural Subsystems.

She / he will drive the strategic direction and execution of Sonova’s Embedded Software components, making critical design decisions while effectively balancing component reuse with product-specific requirements. In this role, she / he will ensure engineering excellence and strong cross-site alignment through the implementation of harmonized processes, standards, and collaborative ways of working.

The executive will be accountable for the efficient execution of projects, ensuring delivery in line with scope, quality, timeline, and cost expectations, while maintaining a balanced focus on both short-term objectives and long-term sustainability across the full product lifecycle.

In close partnership with cross-functional stakeholders across Components and Solutions development teams, she / he will enable seamless, iterative integration of Embedded Software components into end-to-end solutions, ensuring consistency, scalability, and high-quality outcomes.

The Senior Director Embedded Software Components will report directly to the VP SW Components and will have 4-5 direct reports (100-120 indirect reports).

Key responsibilities

The person in this role will, in particular, be responsible for the following:

Organizational Development & Collaboration

• Build and foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and high individual responsibility.
• Define and continuously optimize the organizational setup and interfaces within R&D and across functions.
• Enable strong global collaboration, leveraging the strengths of diverse and distributed teams.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Initiate, lead, and support organizational change and transformation initiatives.

People Leadership

• Act as line manager for team leaders, providing guidance, coaching, and support.
• Take full accountability for talent development, succession planning, employee engagement, and retention.
• Partner closely with HR on all people-related topics and organizational development initiatives.

Process, Standards & Infrastructure

• Define and implement global standards, processes, methodologies, and best practices within the organization.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards across all development activities.
• Contribute to and support project reviews, approvals, and audits.
• Own and manage infrastructure budget and cost efficiency.
• Ensure access to modern, efficient, and scalable infrastructure, tools, and equipment.

What We Are Looking For

Qualifications & Experience

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Science, or a related technical field.
• Extensive leadership experience in an R&D environment, ideally in an international and multi-site setup.
• Strong strategic planning capabilities aligned with business objectives.
• Solid understanding of technical domains relevant to Embedded Software.
• MedTech R&D experience, experience in one or more fields of expertise which are part of the Scape will be an advantage.

Leadership & Personal Capabilities

• Demonstrates resilience and the ability to perform under pressure and uncertainty.
• Proactive, solution-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Analytical and strategic thinker with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of Medical Device Regulations will be an advantage.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and align diverse stakeholders.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build trust, foster team ownership, and inspire a shared vision.
• High level of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and ethical behavior.
• Pragmatic and impact-oriented, with a strong focus on outcomes and efficiency.
• Ability to navigate change and drive transformation into a complex, global environment.

Additional Requirements

• Fluent in English.
• Knowledge of German or French will be a plus.
• Proficiency in common office and project management tools (e.g. Jira, Confluence, planning tools).

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.