What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of IT Merchandising and Supply Chain Systems (Blue Yonder) position at WHSmith North America?
We are seeking a detail oriented “Director of Enterprise Applications” to leads the overall application strategy, architecture, and roadmap for the organization’s core, Merchandising planning, and logistics systems. This role ensures seamless integration, scalability, and optimization of all enterprise platforms supporting the company’s operating model and growth strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain the enterprise applications roadmap aligned with overall business and transformation objectives for all Supply Chain and Merch systems (Buying, Planning, Distribution).
- Oversee the design, delivery, and implementation of WMS integration over the next 18 months. Strong experience in supply chain and planning system implementation is required for this role.
- Oversee design, delivery, and implementation of Planning system for next 18 months.
- Partner with business leaders to drive process automation, system adoption, and continuous improvement across supply chain functions.
- Lead a cross-functional team of system managers and application specialists to support day-to-day operational needs.
- Establish and govern future system architecture and data integration standards to ensure scalability and interoperability.
- Manage vendor relationships, software licensing, and relevant budget oversight to optimize cost and value.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in information systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field.
- 7 years of experience in enterprise application strategy, architecture, or leadership roles.
- Proven track record in leading large-scale application implementations and integrations (WMS, Planning, ERP, SaaS).
- Strong knowledge of supply chain, merchandising, and logistics systems.
- Experience with process automation, data integration, and system optimization.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Analytical and problem-solving mindset with attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and cross-functional teams.
Definitions of Success
- Project Delivery: Timely implementation of new retail systems and upgrades.
- Operational Excellence: Maintain >99.5% uptime for all retail platforms.
- User Satisfaction: Achieve high satisfaction scores from store teams and business stakeholders.
- Cost Optimization: Deliver projects within approved budgets and maximize ROI on technology investments.
Salary : $150,000 - $165,000