He was the Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, its second-highest officer, from November 2012 to September 2022 after serving as its third-highest official for ten years.

During these years Zani was also director of the Episcopal Conference of Lombardy for the pastoral care of the schools.

[2] On 7 January 2002, Pope John Paul II named him Under-Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, its third-highest official.

[3] On 9 November 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, its second-highest officer, and Titular Archbishop of Volturnum.

For example, in May 2014 he acknowledged the Congregation was reviewing a complaint filed by author William Blatty against Georgetown University;[8] in January 2018, he discussed the apostolic constitution Veritatis gaudium and its restructuring of theological education;[9] and in May 2018, he discussed new norms for education in canon law with respect to marriage annulments.