Senior Director – Warehouse Automation

AmerisourceBergen; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health solutions provider in York, UK, is seeking a Senior Warehouse Automation Engineer to lead a team in enhancing automated material handling systems. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in project management and automation, strong leadership capabilities, and expertise in software and hardware solutions. This role involves coordinating large-scale projects and ensuring seamless operations, making a significant impact on efficiency and performance across the organization.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in project management and team leadership.
• Experience with warehouse material handling and automation systems.
• Ability to manage large-scale automation projects from start to finish.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team to support warehouse automation systems.
• Manage performance issues and ensure effective project execution.
• Coordinate with stakeholders on system enhancements and implementations.

Skills

Strong issue resolution skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Project management skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Project

SQL Server

PowerBI

MS Office suite including Excel and Access

Job description

Our team members are at the heart of everything we do. At Cencora, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures, and every person here is essential to us being able to deliver on that purpose. If you want to make a difference at the center of health, come join our innovative company and help us improve the lives of people and animals everywhere. Apply today!

Job Details

This role leads a team of software, controls and business intelligence engineers that create, implement, and support various automated Material Handling Equipment software/systematic/hardware solutions that support AmerisourceBergen’s business requirements. The incumbent will participate on and lead project teams to help design and implement solutions for the project software, PLC control systems and hardware as well as performs in a support role to sustain the solution after implementation. The role also leads operational analytics and business system enhancement initiatives using various Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Cencora and Vendor systems.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages the team including performance management, coaching, and escalation of heightened systems issues
• Assists and supports company with support of new and existing warehouse automation systems (including but not limited to conveyor, sortation, automated picking, automated packing, etc.)
• Leads corporate and/or division MHE enhancement projects with evaluations, cost saving initiatives, estimates, budget tracking, purchase order management, designs, implementations plans, coding, messaging, MHE Vendor Support, testing, training, documentation, delivery / deployment for project software/systems/hardware/equipment and project close out
• Supports local distribution operations and maintenance leadership teams with superior internal customer service by driving automation projects and support objectives including timely execution, high-quality standards, on-budget implementation and effective performance management by collaborating with all project contributors and stakeholders
• Identifies, evaluates, recommend and implements new software or tools to higher utilization and efficiency of the automated material handling systems
• Acts as enterprise leader in the search, identification, justification, design, implementation and execution of new warehouse automation solutions that will provide tangible operational benefit
• Monitors and manages end of life for MHE network, software and controls equipment and systems
• Establishes, documents, communicates and deploys MHE solution providers technical configuration standards for project software, systems and hardware
• Has key MHE system contact responsibilities with IT, warehouse systems team, maintenance leadership, division personnel, project teams and vendor accounts
• Leads and promotes change management processes
• Assists in developing and/or managing vendor contracts and negotiations associated with MHE software/system/hardware/equipment.
• Assumes primary system project lead role for division enhancements, MHE software/system/hardware/equipment implementations, upgrades, including developing cut-over plans, conversion utilities and test plans
• Keeps all project and management personnel updated in a timely manner with accurate project and task information
• Assumes a lead role in maintenance and management of various MHE vendor systems and training environments for the project software/systems/hardware
• Architects and leads other systems solutions projects for new and existing systems as business needs arise
• Develops maintenance and operator training as needed to supplement vendor supplied training
• Develops tools to improve the management of MHE project software/systems/hardware production, test, troubleshooting and training systems
• Develops highly effective internal automation support systems (audits, hotline, etc) including tracking of issues and resolutions as well as knowledge database in collaboration with corporate maintenance leadership
• Assists the project teams and managers with implementations, design, functional specifications, leading support teams, training, trouble-shooting production issues/questions
• Coordinates and leads efforts with corporate, IT, WSOs, division personnel and project teams when software/system/hardware/equipment projects require upgrades and/or replacement
• Interacts with all levels of personnel, from new associates to executive management and support personnel and identifies and evaluates opportunities to expand scope and responsibilities of the team
• Participates with senior management in long and short-term strategic planning
• Manages vendor, division and other stakeholder questions, complaints, and expectations

Minimum Requirements

• Training in fields such as project management, business administration, accounting, computer sciences, engineering or similar vocations obtained through completion of a four-year bachelor’s degree program (Master’s degree preferred)
• A minimum of ten (10) years directly related and progressively responsible experience leading projects and teams, trouble-shooting, designing, building, testing and deploying software/system/hardware/equipment solutions.
• Previous experience with Warehouse Material Handling and Automation Systems
• Working experience with Manhattan warehouse management systems including Material Handling System interface development and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated strong issue resolution, analytical and problem-solving skills, including debugging WMS, MHE, vendor code and messaging
• Demonstrated strong software & PLC controls testing management in a highly automated material handling environment
• Ability to write and review functional and technical specifications for automated material handling systems
• Demonstrated ability to quickly resolve time-sensitive issues, including deriving short-term solutions and long-term solutions to meet the business needs for multiple business units on new and existing automated systems
• Ability to multi-task several initiatives, production issues, etc. while meeting committed development delivery dates and managing others as required
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; including the ability to present complex, technical topics to a non-technical audience
• Strong skills with project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Access, Excel, Word, Visio, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to successfully plan, organize and manage medium and large-scale material handling automation projects from beginning to end
• Ability to execute with speed and agility despite challenges while leading others to a consensus and influencing change
• Ability to communicate effectively with various levels within the organization (VPOs, IT resources, Warehouse Systems team, vendor support, warehouse supervisors, etc.).
• Strong ability to leverage thought diversity to identify and execute innovative ideas
• Strong decision-making skills
• Willing to travel up to 50% of the time and to work evenings and weekends as necessary to support division processing or issue resolution
• Strong proficiency with MS Office suite of products, especially Excel and Access
• Previous design, analysis, coding, messaging and testing experience with large systems interfacing Experience with the following (or similar): Operating systems – Windows, Unix, Linux / Database – SQL Server, Oracle, MS Access / DB Language – PL/SQL, T-SQL / Programming languages – VB, Java, C, Python & object-oriented code / Cloud environments – Azure, AWS / Business Intelligence Tools – PowerBI, SQL Datawarehouse / Web Technologies – XML, HTML, Json, CSS, J2EE, JSP / Web Server/Application Server – TomCat, IIS / Backup & Restore – Backup Exec, Ghost / Version Tools – TFS, Confluence, SharePoint

Preferred

• Understanding of Dematic, Knapp and PEEM tote flow, troubleshooting, networking, PLC, coding, messaging and issue resolution experience
• Experience designing, developing, implementing, and supporting business systems
• Knowledge of Cencora/vendor interfaces and networking
• Programming skills
• Lean Sigma skills
• PMP certification
• Scrum Master or Agile certification highly desired
• Previous design, analysis, coding, messaging and testing experience with large systems interfacing Experience required with the following (or similar)

What Cencora Offers

Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

Affiliated Companies

AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email [e-mail]. We will make accommodation determinations on a request-by-request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned