At Nordstrom, we embrace “One Good Way” as a path to efficiency, scaling, and speed of implementation. This is a rare opportunity to reimagine how Nordstrom flows product, replacing legacy systems with a modern, automated distribution network built to power decades of growth. The Director of Distribution Center Engineering will own that transformation end to end: setting the automation strategy for our entire distribution center network, from technology roadmap through vendor selection, governance, deployment and optimization. This role resides in the Engineering & Systems organization and partners closely with Supply Chain Operations, Product, and Technology leaders to turn bold ideas into reality, leveraging automation and process optimization to deliver results. Success means investments that hold up operationally, build a stronger team member experience and elevate customer experience for years to come. 

A day in the life… 

• Define the automation strategy and technology roadmap for Nordstrom’s distribution center network. 

• Lead the evaluation, selection, and ongoing management of automation technologies, vendors, and strategic partners. 

• Build the business case and ROI model behind each investment to drive prioritization of the most impactful initiatives 

• Drive continuous improvement and process optimization across end to end workflows to raise the bar across safety, quality, cycle time, productivity, and team member experience. 

• Set readiness criteria, success metrics, and governance processes that move initiatives from concept to deployment in a disciplined way 

• Ensure investments deliver measurable business value while improving safety, productivity, and the team member experience 

• Translate technical and operational findings into strategic recommendations. 

• Champion the customer in every automation decision, ensuring speed, accuracy, and reliability in the distribution network translate into a better experience for the people who shop with us. 

• Partner with Operations, Product, and Software Engineering so automation runs as a connected capability rather than a standalone system 

• Negotiate vendor contracts and manage external technology partnerships. 

• Build, mentor, and develop a world class team of technical leaders and subject matter experts. 

You own this if you have… 

• Undergraduate and/or graduate degree in engineering, supply chain, or a related field 

• Experience leading automation, robotics, or supply chain technology initiatives at scale 

• Experience evaluating new technologies, conducting due diligence, and managing vendor relationships and contract negotiations 

• Ability to build technology roadmaps that hold up at the enterprise level 

• Experience developing business cases and ROI models for capital investments 

• A track record of taking technology from pilot through full network deployment 

• Working knowledge of warehouse automation, material handling systems, and robotics integration 

• Strong cross-functional leadership across engineering, operations, product, and technology stakeholders 

• Executive communication skills, including the ability to make complex technical tradeoffs clear to non-technical audiences 

• Experience building and developing high-performing technical teams 

• Working knowledge of continuous improvement and lean methodologies applied to process optimization 

• 8+ years of engineering, automation, or supply chain leadership experience 

• Ability to travel 25-50%