Director - Distribution Center Engineering

Nordstrom Inc; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Vision

Dental

Retirement and Paid Time Away

Life Insurance

Merchandise Discount

Job summary

Nordstrom, a fast-moving fashion company, seeks a Director of Distribution Center Engineering to own the automation transformation across the distribution center network from roadmap to deployment. You will lead strategy, vendor management, ROI modeling, and cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Product, and Technology to deliver measurable value and elevate safety and productivity.

The role requires 8+ years in engineering, automation, or supply chain leadership, and travel up to 50%.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in engineering, supply chain, or related field.
• Experience leading automation, robotics, or supply chain technology initiatives at scale.
• Experience evaluating new technologies, due diligence, and managing vendor relationships and contracts.
• Ability to build technology roadmaps that hold up at the enterprise level.
• Experience developing business cases and ROI models for capital investments.
• Track record of taking technology from pilot through full network deployment.
• Knowledge of warehouse automation, material handling systems, and robotics integration.
• Strong cross-functional leadership across engineering, operations, product, and technology stakeholders.
• Executive communication skills to explain complex tradeoffs to non-technical audiences.
• Experience building and developing high-performing technical teams.
• Lean methodologies applied to process optimization.
• 8+ years of engineering, automation, or supply chain leadership experience.
• Willingness to travel 25-50%.

Responsibilities

• 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 initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement and process optimization across end-to-end workflows for safety, quality, cycle time, and productivity.
• Set readiness criteria, success metrics, and governance processes from concept to deployment.
• Ensure investments deliver measurable business value while improving safety and team experience.
• Translate technical findings into strategic recommendations.
• Champion the customer in automation decisions to improve service quality.
• Partner with Operations, Product, and Software Engineering to connect automation as a capability.
• Negotiate vendor contracts and manage external technology partnerships.
• Build, mentor, and develop a world-class team of leaders.

Skills

Automation leadership

Robotics experience

Vendor management

ROI modelling

Executive communication

Cross-functional leadership

Travel readiness

Education

Undergraduate/Graduate degree in engineering or related field

Job description

Job Description 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%

Pay Range Details The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations. Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. $175,000.00 - $275,000.00 Annual

We’ve got you covered… Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:

• Medical/Vision
• Dental
• Retirement and Paid Time Away
• Life Insurance and Disability
• Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources

This position may be eligible for performance-based incentives/bonuses. Benefits include 401k, medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance options, PTO accruals, Holidays, and more. Eligibility requirements may apply based on location, job level, classification, and length of employment. Learn more in the Nordstrom Benefits Overview by copying and pasting the following URL into your browser: https://careers.nordstrom.com/pdfs/Ben_Overview_20-21.pdf

A few more important points... The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.

For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com. Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.

© 2026 Nordstrom, Inc

About Us

We’re a fast-moving fashion company that started as a shoe store in 1901. This heritage of service is the foundation we’re building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. We empower our people to be innovative, creative and focused on providing the best service to our customers. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it. Whether you’re a genius engineer, a phenomenal salesperson or a supply chain pro, we invite you to bring your unique talents and join our team. We reward great work, promote from within and celebrate diversity. CUSTOMER OBSESSED We strive to know our customers better than anyone else. We listen, anticipate, build trust and move with speed to deliver on their needs. OWNERS AT HEART We treat every interaction as an opportunity to make an impact and deliver excellence. CURIOUS AND EVER CHANGING We approach problems with curiosity and create solutions. We unlock potential to be bold, think big and inspire innovation. HERE TO WIN We’re committed to delivering results, both today and tomorrow. We win as a team by supporting and challenging one another to be better every day. WE EXTEND OURSELVES We treat each other with respect and kindness. We do the small things that make a big difference. We create a welcoming environment, helping people feel connected, valued and part of one community. Come on! Join us.