Director, Technology (eCommerce and Platform)

Success in the role requires agility and results orientation, strategic and innovative thinking, a proven track record of delivering new customer-facing software products at scale, rigorous analytical skills, and a passion for automation and data-driven approaches to solving problems.

Director of eCommerce Engineering - Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Delivery

• Oversee and lead the engineering project delivery for the ECommerce Global Multi-Tenant Platform, ensuring high availability, scalability, and performance to support global business operations.
• 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

• Actively collaborate 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, taking into account complexity, risks, and resource availability.
• Develop and implement project 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 platform 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 in eCommerce, Platform Engineering, AI, ML, and Data Science.
• 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 open-source 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
   • 12+ years of experience in developing and delivering eCommerce mobile applications and retail store solutions with multiple concurrent tracks of development and operations.
   • Proven success in leading initiatives that drive business outcomes, scalability, and innovation in eCommerce platforms.
2. Leadership and Team Management
   • 5+ years of experience in building and managing medium-scale teams (10-20 team members) of engineers, technical leads, and managers.
   • Demonstrated ability to optimize team performance, foster a culture of collaboration, and implement career development initiatives.
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 high-quality outcomes.

Technical and Professional Skills

1. 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.
2. Analytical and Decision-Making Skills
   • Ability to systematically gather and analyze relevant data from diverse sources to address complex issues.
   • Skilled in making prompt, insightful decisions under pressure and in ambiguous situations.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

1. Business Relationships and Conflict Management
   • Demonstrated ability to build trust-based business relationships across teams and external stakeholders.
   • Proven capability to anticipate, mitigate, and resolve conflicts across workgroups to maintain team cohesion and productivity.
2. Communication Excellence
   • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas effectively to technical and non-technical audiences.
   • Experienced in delivering engaging presentations to different audiences, including senior leadership and external partners.
3. Interpersonal Effectiveness
   • Exceptional interpersonal skills, including team collaboration, negotiation, and mentorship.
   • A team player who values diverse perspectives, respects all individuals regardless of seniority, and actively contributes to team success.

Operational and Organizational Skills

1. Execution and Results Orientation
   • Proven track record in developing and executing detailed plans, managing budgets, and delivering results under tight deadlines.
   • Demonstrated ability to handle complex, fast-paced projects with competing priorities.
2. Vendor and Stakeholder Management
   • Skilled in negotiating and managing vendor relationships, contracts, and service-level agreements (SLAs).
3. Self-Motivation and Independence
   • Self-driven with the ability to work independently, take initiative, and proactively solve problems.
   • Comfortable operating in ambiguous environments, making calculated decisions, and managing risks effectively.
4. Educational Qualification
   • Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Equivalent work experience will also be considered.

Core Technical Criteria

1. Backend Expertise (Java)

• Strong Java Knowledge:
  • 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.
• Scalability and Performance:
  • Experience in building scalable, high-performance backend systems to handle high traffic.
  • Proficiency in tuning Java Virtual Machine (JVM) for optimal performance.
• Database Management:
  • Hands-on experience with relational databases like Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and NoSQL databases like MongoDB, Cassandra, or Redis.
  • Ability to optimize database queries and manage large datasets effectively.

2. Frontend Expertise (Vue.js)

• Proficiency in Vue.js:
  • Deep understanding of Vue.js components, Vuex (state management), Vue Router, and the ecosystem.
  • Ability to optimize frontend code for performance, SEO, and user experience.
• Modern Web Development:
  • Familiarity with JavaScript (ES6+), TypeScript, and tools like Webpack, Vite, or Rollup.
  • Hands-on experience in responsive design, cross-browser compatibility, and progressive web apps (PWAs).

3. Full Stack Knowledge

• Understanding of frontend-backend communication patterns, including REST APIs, WebSockets, and GraphQL.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues across the stack (frontend, backend, and database).

Platform and Infrastructure Expertise

4. Cloud and DevOps

• Proficiency in cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud Platform (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.
• Experience in implementing scalable, fault-tolerant architectures in a cloud environment.

5. Security and Compliance

• In-depth knowledge of eCommerce security standards, including PCI DSS compliance for payment processing.
• Experience in implementing security best practices, such as authentication (OAuth2, SSO), encryption, and secure API design.

6. Observability and Monitoring

• Knowledge of logging and monitoring tools like ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), Prometheus, Grafana, and Datadog.
• Experience in implementing robust error tracking and alerting mechanisms.

Architectural Expertise

7. System Design and Architecture

• Proven experience in designing and delivering eCommerce platforms that are scalable, reliable, and fault-tolerant.
• Knowledge of event-driven architectures using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or similar tools.
• Expertise in load balancing, caching strategies (e.g., CDN, Redis, Memcached), and database partitioning.

8. API Management

• Experience designing and implementing secure, versioned, and scalable APIs for both internal and external integrations.
• Knowledge of API Gateway technologies and API rate-limiting strategies.

Leadership and Team Management

9. Technical Leadership

• Ability to guide the team in code reviews, setting coding standards, and adopting best practices in Java and Vue.js development.
• Hands-on experience in mentoring and growing engineering talent, specifically for eCommerce-focused teams.

10. Collaboration with Product and UX

• Ability to collaborate with Product Managers and UX/UI Designers to align technical implementation with business goals and user experience.
• Experience in leading discussions on frontend performance optimization, UX responsiveness, and accessibility (WCAG standards).

Emerging Technologies and Trends

11. AI/ML and Personalization

• Knowledge of AI/ML-driven personalization engines and recommendations for eCommerce platforms (e.g., product recommendations, search optimization).

12. Search and Catalog Optimization

• Expertise in search technologies such as Elasticsearch, Solr, or custom implementations for product catalogs.

Other Must-Have Skills

13. Performance Optimization

• Proven experience in load testing, stress testing, and optimizing eCommerce platforms to handle millions of transactions.

14. Version Control and Collaboration Tools

• Expertise with Git workflows, and tools like GitHub, Bitbucket, or GitLab.
• Familiarity with Agile tools such as Jira & Confluence.