Is ZEC proof-of-work?

Could you elaborate on whether ZEC, also known as Zcash, utilizes a proof-of-work consensus mechanism? As a cryptocurrency and finance practitioner, I'm curious to understand the underlying technology driving its secure and decentralized transactions. Proof-of-work is a well-known consensus algorithm, and I'm wondering if ZEC, with its focus on privacy-enhancing features, still relies on this traditional approach or has adopted a different consensus method. Your insights would be invaluable in clarifying this aspect of ZEC's operation.