Job Description: IT Manager – Corporate Solutions and Support

Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) is a retailer-owned cooperative serving over 3,000 retail member stores with a complete assortment of grocery, fresh meat, fresh produce, specialty foods, health care, and general merchandise items. Through an extensive distribution network and nine distribution centers, AWG and its subsidiaries deliver in over 28 states. In addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company also operates subsidiary companies which provide real estate and supermarket development services, digital marketing services, and pharmaceutical supply. If you have a passion for technology, the drive to succeed in a fast-paced industry, we can't wait for you to join the team! Make us your Best Choice!

AWG needs a Manager in Information Technology to provide management and leadership oversight for strategic, business-transforming projects in IT service and support. This role assists with the prioritization of needs for and serves the customers using corporate human resources systems and applications. The manager partners with AWG business teams to deliver strategic projects and initiatives as well as system enhancements and application support. You will use your business process understanding, critical thinking, and planning & organizing skills to build a team that delivers solutions that meet critical business objectives across the enterprise. You will be asked to align people, process, and technology as a high impact leader for a team of business and process analysts and collaboration with integration developers. This role will be focused on improving the quality of solutions and overseeing the delivery of support, projects, and enhancements. It is important you guide the team in understanding the business outcomes, not just the tools and process used to achieve them.

The Manager is responsible for leading teams and managing the implementation of new and ongoing maintenance of software and solutions. The IT Manager is responsible for the development of 5-10 IT professionals. The role will be responsible for building the core team that supports application transformation, driven by business process architecture/design first mindset supported by package technology selection and integration expertise.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Refine & Deliver Strategy (15%)

• Develop a strong understanding of current technologies and solutions, and relevant trends.
• Responsible for business partner relationship, including communication and alignment on system operations and project delivery.
• Shape the vision and roadmap of human resource systems associated to the business functional areas.
• Estimate project costs and timelines, identify resources to execute projects. Assist with preparing estimates to support the 5-year capital plan.
• Influence, promote, drive quality improvements, service enhancements, cost reductions, and productivity increases for the team and business systems.
• Demonstrate strong business partnerships, model effective teamwork and be an advocate for the business in all aspects of project and team management.
  

Deliver Reliable Solutions & Technology (30%)

• Define functional and technical standards along with best practices in the application development, system management, change reviews, code reviews and business system risk analysis.
• Review project status with project managers and assist in planning and organizing resources assigned to each project.
• Deliver solutions with the highest quality and on time, on budget.
• Drive change through influence, personal advocacy, vision, and consensus building.
• Evaluate technology acquisitions designed to optimize feature/function for long term supportability, vendor viability and total cost of ownership.
• Engage in day-to-day relationship management with vendors, hold them accountable for service quality/delivery and assist with creating cost-efficient & comprehensive contracts that protect AWG.
• Communicate roadmap and its relationship to the organization's mission, vision, and goals. Clarify actions needed to implement roadmap projects.
  

Operational Support & Service Management (30%)

• Responsible for the stability, availability, and operational effectiveness of solutions.
• Responsible for change implementation practices that reduce business risk and overall downtime (pre-deployment testing, implementation plan, post implementation verification, backout plan).
• Responsible for 24x7 production support for corporate systems and applications.
• Implement and manage operational and solution health and SLA metrics, set performance objectives and take corrective action where needed.
• Seek customer feedback regularly to ensure services and support are efficient and effective; surface and identify repeat problems or service challenges, crafting and driving improvement plans to close gaps, ensures ticket status communication.
• Ensures the team follows implementation standards/processes/procedures, collaborates, and shares best practices.
  

Financial & Performance Management (25%)

• Responsible for performance management practices that drive the growth, development, and overall performance improvement of the team. Hold direct reports accountable and take corrective action where needed.
• Grow a high-performance team by selecting high potential talent, training, coaching, and providing developmental assignments.
• Participate in financial budgeting/planning processes, work with teams to estimate project total cost of ownership. Partner and prepare benefit cases to establish the justification for solutions and priority.
• Manage actuals to budget and timely communication of budget exceptions and development of plans to close gaps.
• Motivate team members to achieve business goals, develop their capabilities and fulfill their personal potential. Build capabilities mentoring.
  

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree in Management Information Systems, Computer Science or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 7+ years of experience in the management of information technology teams and systems, including IT business relationship management in human resources systems and vendor/contract management and strong estimation skills.
• Experience managing human capital management systems, preferably Oracle HCM.
• Business process architecture / design lead solution selection and implementation, including building a team of business/process analyst skills that can facilitate design sessions and produce swim lane workflows.
• SaaS solution evaluation/selection and implementation for large scale, complex environments, including proposal comparison/score carding and total cost of ownership and benefit estimation.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and results-oriented with effective communication skills to drive clarity with IT and business teams.
• Ability to apply best practices to the software development lifecycle (SDLC) for projects based on experiences with iterative/agile and blended approaches, effectively coordinates implementations with cross functional teams. Experience with modern development practices and technologies to drive reuse, scalability, seamless process/system integration and long-term supportability.
• Experience working with various enterprise teams across the software development lifecycle, to review, inspect, document, and ensure the quality of software products being tested and eventually implemented.
• Identifies and initiates action plans with limited guidance, self-prioritizes, drives to deliver on commitments without prompting and communicates ahead of deadlines.
  

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Coaching & Development / Building Organizational Talent
• Business Process Design and Facilitation Skills
• Planning & Organizing / Driving for Results, ability to break down complexity
• Analytical / Metrics Driven Mindset
• Adaptable to changing business needs
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
• Customer Focus / Orientation
• Process Improvement Mindset / Critical Thinking
• Establishing Strategic Direction (balance strategic and pragmatic)
  

NICE TO HAVE/PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Modern architecture, integration technologies, and security best practices
• MBA, Management of Information Systems or equivalent
• Proven solution delivery/service experience using Agile and ITIL methodologies, using internal, external, and offshore skillset to perfect cost and support
  

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Paid Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Time
• 401(k)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Basic and Supplemental Life and AD&D
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Wellness Programs