Job Description

Director of Engineering Responsibilities 1. Leadership and Delivery • Oversee and lead the engineering project delivery, ensuring high availability, scalability, and performance to support global business needs. Define and execute the engineering strategy, aligning with the company’s business goals and long-term vision for omnichannel retail. Ensure high-quality deliverables by establishing robust processes for code reviews, testing, and deployment. 2. Cross-Functional Collaboration • Collaborate actively with Product Management, Business Stakeholders, and other Engineering Teams to define project requirements and deliver customer-centric solutions. Serve as a key point of contact for resolving technical challenges and ensuring alignment between business needs and technical capabilities. Promote seamless communication between teams to deliver cross-functional initiatives on time and within budget. 3. Talent Acquisition and Development • Build a strong and diverse engineering team by attracting, recruiting, and retaining top talent. Design and implement a robust onboarding program to ensure new hires are set up for success. Coach team members to enhance technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and leadership abilities, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Maintain a strong pipeline of talent by building relationships with local universities, engineering communities, and industry professionals. 4. Performance Management • Define clear, measurable goals for individual contributors and teams, ensuring alignment with broader organizational objectives. Conduct regular one-on-one meetings to provide personalized feedback, career guidance, and development opportunities. Manage performance reviews and recognize high-performing individuals, while providing coaching and support to those needing improvement. Foster a culture of accountability, where team members take ownership of their work and deliver results. 5. Technology Leadership • Champion the adoption of best practices in software engineering, including agile methodologies, DevOps, and automation. Facilitate and encourage knowledge sharing and expertise in critical technologies, such as cloud computing, microservices, and AI/ML. Evaluate and introduce emerging technologies that align with business goals, driving innovation and competitive advantage. 6. Continuous Education and Domain Expertise • Develop and execute a continuous education program to upskill team members on both key technologies and the Williams-Sonoma business domain. Organize training sessions, workshops, and certifications to keep the team updated on the latest industry trends. Encourage team members to actively participate in tech conferences, hackathons, and seminars to broaden their knowledge and network. 7. Resource Planning and Execution • Accurately estimate development efforts for projects, considering complexity, risks, and resource availability. Develop and implement delivery plans, timelines, and budgets to deliver initiatives on schedule. Oversee system rollouts and implementation efforts, ensuring smooth transitions and minimal disruptions to business operations. Optimize resource allocation to maximize team productivity and ensure proper workload distribution. 8. Organizational Improvement • Champion initiatives to improve the engineering organization’s culture, focusing on collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity. Continuously evaluate and refine engineering processes to increase efficiency and reduce bottlenecks. Promote team well-being by fostering a positive and supportive work environment where engineers feel valued and motivated. Lead efforts to make the organization a "Great Place to Work", including regular engagement activities, mentorship programs, and open communication. 9. System Understanding and Technical Oversight • Develop a deep understanding of critical systems and processes, including architecture, APIs, data pipelines, and DevOps practices. Provide technical guidance to the team, addressing complex challenges and ensuring alignment with architectural best practices. Partner with senior leaders to align technology decisions with business priorities and future-proof the company’s systems. 10. Innovation and Transformation • Play a pivotal role in transforming Williams- Sonoma into a leading technology organization by implementing cutting-edge solutions. Drive the future of omnichannel retail by conceptualizing and delivering innovative products and features that enhance customer experiences. Actively represent the organization in the technology community, building a strong presence through speaking engagements, partnerships, and contributions to opensource projects. Identify opportunities for process automation and optimization to improve operational efficiency. 11. Additional Responsibilities • Be adaptable to perform other duties as required, addressing unforeseen challenges and contributing to organizational goals. Stay updated on industry trends and competitive landscapes to ensure the company remains ahead of the curve. Criteria: Experience and Expertise 1. Extensive Industry Experience 10+ years of experience in developing and delivering Supply Chain and Logistics solutions with multiple concurrent tracks of development and operations. Proven success in leading initiatives that drive business outcomes, scalability, and innovation. In-depth understanding of Order Management, Payment processors, Inventory management, and Warehouse management applications and products. 2. Leadership and Team Management 5+ years of experience in building and managing medium-scale teams (15–50+ team members) of engineers, technical leads, and managers. Demonstrated ability to optimize team performance, foster a culture of collaboration, and implement career development initiatives. Ability to guide the team in code reviews, setting coding standards, and adopting best practices in Java and related technologies. Hands-on experience in mentoring and growing engineering talent. 3. Project Lifecycle Management Skilled in managing projects through the entire lifecycle, from concept and design to development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Adept at balancing technical, business, and resource constraints to deliver highquality outcomes. 4. Project and Technical Leadership Strong project management skills with the ability to lead and mentor technical professionals. Proven experience in scoping, prioritizing, and delivering projects on time, within budget, and aligned with business objectives. 5. Analytical and Decision-Making Skills Ability to gather and analyze data from multiple sources, addressing complex issues with actionable insights. Proven capability to make effective decisions quickly, especially under pressure or in uncertain environments. Core Technical Criteria Expertise in Java frameworks such as Spring & Spring Boot. In-depth understanding of RESTful API design, implementation, and optimization. Knowledge of microservices architecture and tools like Kubernetes, Docker, and API Gateway. Experience in building scalable, high-performance backend systems. Hands-on experience with relational databases like Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and NoSQL databases like MongoDB, Cassandra, or Redis. Proficiency in cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure. Experience with CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or equivalent tools. Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and orchestration tools like Kubernetes. Knowledge of security standards, including PCI DSS compliance for payments. Knowledge of event-driven architectures using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or similar tools. Expertise in load balancing, caching strategies (e.g., CDN, Redis), and database partitioning.