technology solutions manager - branded solutions/licensed stores, Starbucks Technology - Seattle, WA

This position contributes to Starbucks success by leading the definition, deployment, and support of technology solutions in support of Channel Development initiatives. As a manager, global technology solutions, you are ultimately accountable for the success of the technology products and services delivered in support of the Channel Development portfolio, specifically the Branded Solutions and Licensed Stores verticals. Working collaboratively with other functions, this role is responsible for crafting the strategic technology vision and roadmap guiding the selection and definition of solutions enabling key business capabilities aligned with strategic business objectives. Whether an enterprise-wide system or a more targeted application, effective solution management requires leadership through a strong customer service orientation and continuous improvement mindset to continually deliver enhanced capabilities elevating the user experience. The ability to lead, influence, and partner effectively with others is critical to success in this role. This position passionately fosters team member development in the context of a high-performing team consistently delivering business value and exceptional customer service.

Models and acts in accordance with Starbucks guiding principles.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following:

Leadership - Setting goals for the work group, developing organizational capability, and modeling how we work together:

• Innovation – Instills innovation into daily activities to transform technology solutions. Leads with industry technology trends that propel the organization into the future.
• Inspiration - Demonstrates passion that motivates, influences, and inspires partners to accomplish extraordinary things. Creates an engaging environment where individuals take action, connect with others, participate, and deliver.
• Communication - Communicates effectively with positive impact. Listens attentively, processes, and takes appropriate action. Facilitates the discussion of conflicting issues between individuals and across groups. Expresses ideas clearly in documents and written communications. Plans communication that is clear in purpose, and key messages while considering audience needs.
• Influence - Advocates change in an authentic and transparent way by leveraging relationships and organizational savvy to influence and encourage adoption by others.
• Mobilizing Cross-Functional Teams - Brings people together from different disciplines to improve problem-solving and decision-making. Fosters collaboration to enable team to achieve customer satisfaction and goals. Encourages open-mindedness and instills motivation. Empowers team with both the authority and the accountability to accomplish the assigned goal.

Strategy and Portfolio – Accountable for defining high-level, shared vision/approach. Develops strategic technology vision and supporting operational plan for Channel Development with particular emphasis on the Branded Solutions and Licensed Stores verticals.

• Roadmap – Accountable for developing capability roadmap and delivery strategy by translating capabilities into technology solutions. Has a comprehensive view of how technology lands across the Channel Development user community.
• Business Partnership – Advocates and aligns business requirements and vision with technology strategies to deliver solutions enabling critical business capabilities. Ensures that service level agreements are consistently met/exceeded.
• Vendor Relationships – Builds strong vendor relationships to influence product roadmaps and ensure quality service delivery. Negotiates with vendors, ensures product and contract compliance, and manages ongoing relationships.
• User Experience – Owns the user experience holistically for Channel Development partners. Creates a rich and engaging user experience that cohesively links all functions a Channel Development partner performs.
• Industry Knowledge – Remains informed of relevant technology, business, and functional trends enabling strong contributions to the strategic planning process.
• Functional Expertise – Evaluates solution options for addressing business requirements and makes appropriate recommendations. During project definition/initiation, accountable for defining high-level, shared vision/approach. Thoughtfully coordinate the deployment of technology solutions to ensure an exceptional end-user experience

Planning and Execution - Developing strategic and operational plans for the work group, managing execution, and measuring results:

• Solution Support/Sustainment - Prepares, communicates and educates client groups and team on changes in policies and practices within the organization. Partners with relevant support functions to establish holistic 24*7 support model optimizing partner talent with offshore support options. Performs root cause analysis of issues and assess trends to identify required future investments. Defines and analyzes metrics to measure success criteria and business value of features and products, inform the product roadmap and influence stakeholders.
• Program & Project Delivery - Plans and manages business unit and department processes and practices to ensure that programs are aligned with company business goals and objectives. Supports the implementation of company programs to ensure the success of the company. Oversees feature intake requests and prioritization; owns roadmap planning, serving as liaison to other product and IT teams for cross-functional planning and prioritization
• Project Investments/Initiation – In partnership with the PMO, establishes and aligns on business case, project budget, resource requirements, and scope. Ensures that projects meet expectations for quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness. Directs project and program plan development and manages resource allocation in conjunction with other managers and executive management. Oversees global application systems development projects, works to remove barriers, and facilitates compliance with project management best practices.
• Product/Service Management – Responsible for management of application configuration and services enabling required business capabilities. Develops and maintains personal and team expertise for respective technology solutions, business functions, and processes. Acts as focal point for the solutions and provides platform point of view for cross-cutting work, issues and decisions.
• Technology Leadership – Coordinates effective platform management across peer technology functions, such as solution architecture, application development/engineering, quality assurance. Understands and coordinates potential dependencies across solution design, development, testing, deployment, support, and maintenance activities.
• Financial Acumen/Budget - Develops and manages annual capital and expense budgets.

Partner Development & Team Building - Providing partners with coaching, feedback, and developmental opportunities to build an effective team:

• Performance Management - Accountable for the performance of their direct and indirect reports including productivity, quality of work, collaboration and attitude/behavior of their team. Builds effective teams by providing partners with coaching, feedback, and developmental opportunities. Conducts and ensures ongoing two-way performance discussions. Challenges and inspires team members to achieve business results. Conducts and ensures the completion of performance reviews.  Provides coaching, direction and leadership support to team members in order to achieve partner, business and customer results. Ensures partners adhere to legal and operational compliance requirements.  Ability to manage teams comprised of functional, technical, and/or analytical professionals at a variety of levels.
• Talent Planning - Engage continuously internally and externally to attract and develop talent with business acumen, technical expertise, and thought leadership. Responsible for recruitment and selection through talent career management. Oversees training and development of partners directly and indirectly managed and makes effective staffing decisions. Provides partners with coaching, feedback, and developmental opportunities supporting career development and formation of effective teams.
• Resource Planning – Fully understands and plans for required resources across solution support and delivery efforts. Ensures required resource capacity and skill coverage through internal and timely external staff augmentation as appropriate. Plans future talent requirements to support technology strategy and delivery roadmaps. Identifies required skills and determines approach to address gaps via partner development and/or incremental talent acquisition.

Summary of Experience 

Relevant technology experience (10+ years)

• Customer Relationship Management (Siebel and/or Salesforce preferred)
• ERP systems general knowledge (Oracle EBS preferred)
• Enterprise Data Warehouse
• Data architecture & analytics platforms
• Operational Reporting & Data Visualization (Tableau and OBIEE preferred)
• Analytics & data warehousing (Exadata, NoSQL or other big data applicance)
• Iterative software / reporting development
• Management of technology development from POC to enterprise sustainable solution
• Technology Product Management (cross-platform preferred)
• Mobile Application Development
• Software selection process
• Application support

• Ability to coach, provide guidance and leadership to team members in order to achieve results.
• Lead by example, with confidence, respect, patience, a positive attitude, honesty and integrity and a strong sense of commitment.
• Be intellectually curious and comfortable with the unknown; taking initiative to learn about other products across the enterprise.
• Strong knowledge and demonstrated application of all facets of systems development lifecycle and technology operations.
• Ability to apply knowledge of multidisciplinary business principles and practices to achieve successful outcomes in cross-functional initiatives and activities.
• Ability to collaboratively and objectively assesses benefits, costs, and viability of proposed solution options and drive alignment across a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Ability to leverage business knowledge, sound judgment, and resourcefulness to determine appropriate course of action in challenging, ambiguous situations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.  Ability to engage with and present ideas to senior leadership. Provides key input to facilitate decision-making process.
• Leadership in the utilization of user-centric design concepts in conjunction with agile prototyping, development, and testing to deploy highly engaging technology solutions to the end user.
• Working knowledge of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) design and service management practices.
• Working knowledge of Agile SCRUM solution design/development methodology and practices.

Job Scope

• Partners Directly Managed: 5-10
• Geographic Reach: US focus with global scalability
• User Base: mix of Seattle-based users and distributed teams across the globe
• Functional Scope: Broad cross-functional solutions highly integrated with enterprise platforms

Core Competencies

Achieving Results - Your accomplishments, outcomes, and impact, relative to goals.

Living our Mission and Values - Behaviors that demonstrate Our Mission and Values.

• Creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome.
• Acting with courage, challenging the status quo and finding new ways to grow our company and each other.
• Being present, connecting with transparency, dignity and respect.
• Delivering our very best in all we do, holding ourselves accountable for results.

• Connecting across Starbucks.
• Sharing and working together.
• Leveraging and learning from each other.

Starbucks and its brands are an equal opportunity employer of all qualified individuals, including minorities, women, veterans & individuals with disabilities. Starbucks will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all federal, state, and local ordinances.