Staefa, Switzerland

Senior Director Hearing Functions

The Role

As the Senior Director, Hearing Functions, you will set the strategic direction for a broad and critical domain: Enhancement Functions, Acoustic Stability, Active Control, Classification & Steering, Acoustic Modeling & Sound Acquisition, and Objective Metrics & Models. Your leadership ensures that Sonova’s solutions deliver a consistently exceptional hearing experience and remain ahead of market expectations.

You will translate business goals into clear functional strategies, build alignment across R&D, Technology Leadership, Product Management, Clinical and Marketing, and foster deep domain expertise within our teams. Your influence will shape architecture decisions, innovation pipelines, and long-term product performance.

This is a role for a collaborative technology strategist who thrives at the intersection of science, innovation, and organizational leadership.

What You Will Lead & Deliver

Strategic & Functional Leadership

• Define and own the functional strategy, ensuring alignment with technology roadmaps, product priorities, and business objectives.
• Assess market evidence and “Jobs to Be Done” to identify impactful opportunities.
• Act as the primary ambassador for the Hearing Functions domain, enabling data-driven decisions across the organization.
• Resolve cross-team dependencies and drive system-wide coherence in functional design.
• Influence architecture choices in collaboration with Technology Leaders, ensuring that functional benefits are fully realized.

Innovation, Scouting & External Engagement

• Drive exploration of emerging methods, concepts, and technologies relevant to the Hearing Functions domain.
• Link early-stage exploration to strategic value, clinical validation, and long-term functional development.
• Represent Sonova within scientific communities, industry bodies, and research associations, strengthening our external presence.

Organizational & Capability Development

• Develop domain expertise and future-ready skills across teams and leaders.
• Assign functional leaders and experts to key innovation streams and projects (ILSP).
• Ensure compliance, guide implementation, and support intellectual property generation.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and technical excellence.

What You Bring

Experience & Knowledge

• 10+ years in a relevant domain (incl. PhD years), with a strong scientific background; PhD preferred.
• Proven track record in strategic leadership within a complex technology environment.
• Experience in innovation management, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership.
• Business acumen including budgeting and resource planning.
• Deep understanding of the hearing solutions domain or closely related fields.