Director, IT

Ross Stores, Inc.; Dublin (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Ross Stores, Inc. is seeking a Director of Enterprise Architecture based in Dublin, CA. The Director will drive IT strategy, oversee solution architecture, and manage a team of architects. A minimum of 10 years' experience in enterprise architecture within retail is required, along with strong leadership and communication skills.

This role offers the opportunity to work on strategic projects while fostering collaboration across the organization. A mix of in-office and remote work may be possible.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise architecture within the retail industry.
• Demonstrated experience in managing a team of architects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain a strategic technology roadmap.
• Provide architecture and technology consultancy.
• Drive the Enterprise Architecture process.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Solution architecture

Team management

Retail industry knowledge

Financial analysis

Education

Undergraduate degree in information systems or computer science

Master's degree (a plus)

Job description

Overview

Our values start with our people. Join a team that values you. Bring your talents to Ross, a leading off‑price retail chain with over 2,200 stores, renowned for offering high‑quality brands at extraordinary savings while delivering a fun and exciting treasure hunt experience.

Role Summary

The Director of Enterprise Architecture reports directly to the Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture and will be based in Dublin, CA. The role is responsible for driving IT strategy, roadmap development, and solution architecture for Ross’s business portfolios, including merchants, planners, supply chain, stores, marketing, and related functions. The Director will lead and manage a team of enterprise architects, external experts, and consultants.

Essential Functions

• Define and maintain a strategic technology roadmap and plans.
• Participate in 5‑year IT planning and annual budgeting.
• Provide architecture and technology consultancy for the application and technology portfolio.
• Manage delivery of strategic business, application, and technology architecture on projects.
• Supervise other architects in developing roadmaps aligned with business unit objectives.
• Negotiate and balance competing demands to meet organizational needs.
• Apply retail industry best practices in solution discussions.
• Lead enterprise architecture thought leadership across teams and external advisors.
• Perform business analysis at strategic, operational, and organizational levels.
• Explore and analyze new applications, technology, and infrastructure services.
• Ensure alignment of deliverables with other Enterprise, Application, and Portfolio architects.
• Deliver architectural and technical input for project definition, estimation, and delivery.
• Drive the Enterprise Architecture process and evangelise the architecture community.
• Develop architecture metrics and reporting to evaluate and communicate effectiveness.
• Present Enterprise Architecture content to internal and external audiences, including executive leadership.

Competencies

• People: Building Effective Teams, Developing Talent, Collaboration.
• Self: Leading by Example, Communicating Effectively, Ensuring Accountability, Managing Conflict.
• Business: Business Acumen, Planning, Alignment, Prioritization, Organizational Agility.
• Technical Competence / Expertise, Customer Focus, Problem Solving, Strategic Thinking.

Qualifications and Special Skills

• 10+ years in enterprise architecture within the retail industry (15+ years overall in IT architecture).
• Demonstrated experience in solution architecture, system integration, and managing a team of architects.
• Broad application and business architecture knowledge across merchandising, planning, forecasting, supply chain, stores, marketing, digital, SaaS, cloud platforms, business capability modeling, advanced analytics, AI/ML, and Gen AI.
• Strong understanding of retail best practices (ARTS, NRF), TOGAF, ArchiMate, and other architectural frameworks.
• Ability to anticipate complex issues, drive negotiations, and resolve conflicts.
• Experience in basic financial analysis, including ROI and TCO calculations.
• Undergraduate degree in information systems, computer science, or a related field; master’s degree a plus.
• Strong analytical, judgment, and problem‑analysis skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with senior executives.
• Capability to work across geographically distributed teams and time zones.
• Some travel may be required.

Physical Requirements

• Work primarily in an office environment, using a computer.
• Requires sitting, standing, walking, listening, speaking, attending meetings, typing, and handling paper/files.
• Consistent timeliness and regular attendance required.
• Vision required to see information on print or electronic displays.
• Regular in‑office presence is expected, but a combination of in‑office and remote work is possible.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Senior Manager of solution architects and engineers.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities, and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the company’s overall commitment to attract, hire, and develop a strong, talented, and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.