Director IT Solutions – Supply Chain

Job Overview

The Director IT Solutions – Supply Chain management role is responsible for providing thought leadership, organization, and direction to drive strategy, projects and initiatives within their assigned department/function (Warehouse management). This role is accountable for developing and leading departmental strategy, decisions, and activities regarding the development and implementation of custom developed and commercial software information technology and systems to support UNFI inbound and outbound transportation functions along with our procurement business function. The IT Director establishes department goals that aligns with broader IT goals and develops operating plans in support of UNFI’s strategic imperatives.

What does it mean to be part of the UNFI Leadership team?

UNFI (NYSE: UNFI) is North America's premier grocery wholesaler, delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to community grocers and retail chains. As a leader at UNFI you are leading our teams as we are growing and transforming to meet the needs of an evolving workplace. We are implementing operational improvements and strategic initiatives to fuel efficiency and profitability with automation and optimization, new technology integration, digital transformation, and process improvements. As an impactful leader you will guide our teams to transform the future of food, feed our communities, make our customers stronger, our supply chain better and our food solutions more inspired.

Job Responsibilities

Supply Chain Technology Development

• Creates and communicates a vision for the department that aligns with IT the organization’s goals and objectives.
• Leads multiple concurrent objectives, projects, groups or activities and effectively prioritizes and allocates time and resources.
• Designs and leads to team implement operational, tactical, and strategic planning in support of the business plan, monitors progress of work against plan, reports variances and makes agreed-upon adjustments.
• Contributes to the ongoing evolution of process/methodologies that pertain to the product or software development lifecycle.
• Establishes and maintains strong working relations and partnerships with business, vendors and peers and works with business to address critical issues and resolve major problems.
• Actively engages and partners in understanding business satisfaction levels to proactively solve chronic problems and assign team to resolve and respond to business requests and needs.
• Analyzes effectiveness of existing department functions and performance and provides recommendations for updates to enhance existing business or work processes.
• Recognizes changing demands and priorities and re-directs team regarding operational priorities while making progress toward overall goals and priorities.
• Leads cross functional teams and initiatives to address their IT portfolio.
• Develop organizational strategies and processes to drive improvements within their area.
  
  

Team Leadership and Management

• Coach and mentor managers on their assigned efforts and team responsibilities.
• Ensures activities have proper coordination and collaboration when crossing multiple teams across IT, UNFI business areas or external IT vendors/partners.
• Ensures proper resource allocation and utilization is properly aligned, forecasted and managed for all efforts, to include cross function projects and transformation efforts.
• Participate as a strategy partner in the IT strategic planning processes defines roadmaps for their corresponding IT products and services often providing a more senior perspective and sharing across other IT teams.
• Provides leadership to IT teams through effective goal setting, performance management, recognition, associate engagement, and ongoing team communication.
• Promotes environment of innovative thinking in designing solutions to meet the business and technology needs and motivate team members to embrace new and different technologies.
• Creates and oversees departmental capital and expense budgets for projects, hardware, software, staffing (internal/external), etc. and ensures value has been added to the business through cost savings and ROI analyses.
  
  

UNFI Business Partnership & Vendor Management

• Establishes and maintains strong working relations and partnerships with UNFI business teams, IT vendors and peers while addressing critical issues and opportunities to achieve organizational goals and objectives.
• Actively engages in understanding business satisfaction levels to proactively solve chronic problems and assign team to resolve and respond to business requests and needs.
• Manages appropriate IT vendor relationship(s), understanding their products and services and aligning them with internal needs.
• Effectively manages the utilization of external services (e.g., product or platform vendors, service providers, contractors, consultants, outsourced functions).
• Ensures appropriate IT vendor contracts are in place and are appropriate for corresponding products and services.
• Creates RFIs, RFPs, SLAs, SOWs and processes invoices in alignment with our UNFI and IT best practices.
• Align with technology partners providing managed services to ensure maximum capability and accountability are delivered as expected.
• Ensures production support services levels meet the needs of the business, making changes with managed service partner when necessary.
  
  

Job Requirements

Education/ Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in the field of computer science, information systems, or software engineering or equivalent work- related experience.
  
  

Experience

• 8+ years of Information Technology experience.
• 4+ years leading a team of experienced, IT professionals through various life cycle phases.
• 10+ years of experience in Manhattan products & MAWM Supply chain product and implementation expertise.
• Previous experience working in a multi-location, enterprise environment with formal processes around change management, support, and security.
• Previous experience developing, setting and managing department level goals and priorities.
• Experience in Wholesale, Retail, Transportation, Distribution or Manufacturing industry preferred.
  
  

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Strong leadership and project management skills; experience organizing, planning, and executing large-scale projects from vision through implementation, involving internal and external resources.
• Strong analytical, problem solving and strategic skill set.
• Flexible and adaptable to work in an environment with a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Highly motivated and self-driven, ability to prioritize and manage competing priorities.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate and influence at all management levels and with both technical and non-technical individuals and successfully manage in a cross-functional environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong customer focus and demonstrated ability to work in geographically dispersed teams.
• Must have strong computer skills and be proficient in use of Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong knowledge in IT project management and software development.
• Good judgment is required for this position as there may be times when direct supervision may not be immediately available.
  
  

Work Environment

Remote Role:

• This position is classified as remote where the associate will perform remote work from their primary residence. Remote associates are welcome to work from the office but are not required to do so. While remote associates are not required to work from an office on a regular basis, they may be required to come to the office or other UNFI locations for necessary business reasons or if directed to do so by their manager.
  
  

Physical Environment/Demands

Office Roles:

• Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.
• Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at a desk or computer terminal.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephones, and other office equipment in the course of a normal workday.
• Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in the completion of job duties.
  
  

About UNFI: We are North America’s premier grocery wholesaler, delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to community grocers and retail chains alike. A pioneer in natural and organic foods, we are growing and transforming to meet the needs of an evolving workplace. Our 29,000+ employees work across America in our 50 Distribution Centers and corporate offices. Learn more: Organic, Natural and Conventional Food | Wholesale Food Distributors | UNFI

Benefits: Competitive 401k, Flexible PTO, Remote, Health benefits – first of the month following 30 days of employment, LTI, mentorship program/developmental opportunities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. UNFI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment for all. - M/F/Veteran/Disability. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.