Director, Technology Innovation COE

World Courier; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 119,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

Cencora seeks a Director of Technology Innovation CoE to lead the stage-gate framework, govern technology vetting, and drive value across the supply chain.

You will partner with IT, operations, finance, and vendors, build executive-ready business cases, and mentor a cross-functional network to foster disciplined innovation in a remote-first environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in supply chain operations, strategy, or technology
• 3–5 years in a leadership role
• Experience designing or managing a stage-gate, innovation pipeline, or governance process
• Proven ability to present to executives and influence decisions

Responsibilities

• Own and refine a multi-stage gate framework for evaluating and scaling innovations
• Identify emerging technologies relevant to supply chain operations
• Engage stakeholders and govern technology candidate vetting with executive committees
• Develop executive-ready business cases and investment proposals
• Lead cross-functional teams and foster a culture of structured experimentation

Skills

Stage-Gate framework

Executive communication

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Cross-functional collaboration

Vendor evaluation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

ERP systems

WMS

TMS

AI platforms

Job description

## Director, Technology Innovation COEApply: Remote, USA: Full time: Posted Today: R2617075Our 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****JOB SUMMARY:**The Director of Technology Innovation Center of Excellence (CoE) is a strategic leadership role responsible for governing and advancing the evaluation, selection, and deployment of emerging technologies across the supply chain organization. This individual will own and continuously refine a structured stage gate process for vetting technology innovations — ensuring that investments are rigorous, aligned to business priorities, and positioned to deliver measurable supply chain value. This leader will serve as the bridge between technology vendors, internal stakeholders, and executive decision-makers, championing a disciplined yet agile approach to innovation. **KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:** **Stage Gate Process Ownership*** Design, implement, and continuously improve a multi-stage gate framework for evaluating, piloting, and scaling supply chain technology innovations* Define clear criteria, scoring rubrics, and decision checkpoints for each gate (e.g., ideation, feasibility, pilot, scale, sunset)* Lead cross-functional gate review committees, facilitating structured go/no-go decisions with executive stakeholders* Maintain a transparent innovation pipeline dashboard, tracking all active and archived technology candidates**Technology Evaluation & Scouting*** Proactively identify emerging technologies relevant to supply chain operations (e.g., AI/ML, robotics, IoT, digital twins, blockchain, autonomous systems)* Develop and maintain relationships with technology vendors, startup ecosystems, and industry research bodies (e.g., Gartner, Forrester, industry consortiums)* Conduct structured technology assessments including market analysis, vendor due diligence, and total cost of ownership modeling* Represent Cencora at industry forums, innovation councils, conferences, and strategic vendor engagements; maintain awareness of supply chain innovation trends and benchmark practices across industries.**Stakeholder Engagement & Governance*** Partner with Supply Chain operations, IT, Finance, Legal, and Compliance to ensure holistic vetting of technology candidates* Build and manage a Technology Innovation Advisory Board comprising internal subject matter experts and external advisors* Develop executive-ready business cases and investment proposals for technologies advancing through the pipeline* Drive alignment between innovation initiatives and the broader supply chain strategic roadmap**Portfolio & Performance Management*** Manage the innovation portfolio budget, ensuring appropriate resource allocation across stages of the gate process* Establish KPIs and success metrics for piloted and deployed technologies, measure realized benefits including cost savings, productivity improvements and service enhancements and reporting outcomes to senior leadership* Conduct post-implementation reviews to capture lessons learned and refine the vetting framework over time**Team Leadership & CoE Culture*** Lead and mobilize a cross-functional network of internal stakeholders and subject matter experts, driving innovative outcomes through influence rather than direct authority* Build trust and credibility across Supply Chain, IT, Finance, Operations, and other functions by demonstrating deep expertise, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving* Create alignment around a shared innovation vision by engaging stakeholders early and often throughout the stage gate process* Design and facilitate working sessions, workshops, and forums that draw out subject matter expertise and foster co-ownership of technology evaluation decisions* Cultivate a culture of curiosity and structured experimentation across the stakeholder community, encouraging teams to surface and champion emerging technology ideas**QUALIFICATIONS:** **Required*** Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, Information Systems, or a related field* 10+ years of experience in supply chain operations, strategy, or technology — with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role* Demonstrated experience designing or managing a stage gate, innovation pipeline, or technology governance process* Strong understanding of supply chain operations across distribution, logistics, procurement, or inventory management* Proven ability to build executive-level presentations and facilitate senior leadership decision-making forums* Experience managing cross-functional programs from concept through implementation **Preferred*** Master's degree (MBA, MS Supply Chain, or related)* Experience in pharmaceutical distribution, healthcare supply chain, or highly regulated industries* Familiarity with frameworks such as Stage-Gate, Lean Startup, or Design Thinking* PMP, Agile, or related certifications* Experience working with or evaluating enterprise technology vendors (ERP, WMS, TMS, AI platforms)# ******What Cencora offers******We provide compensation, benefits, and resources that enable a highly inclusive culture and support our team members’ ability to live with purpose every day. In addition to traditional offerings like medical, dental, and vision care, we also provide a comprehensive suite of benefits that focus on the physical, emotional, financial, and social aspects of wellness. This encompasses support for working families, which may include backup dependent care, adoption assistance, infertility coverage, family building support, behavioral health solutions, paid parental leave, and paid caregiver leave. To encourage your personal growth, we also offer a variety of training programs, professional development resources, and opportunities to participate in mentorship programs, employee resource groups, volunteer activities, and much more. For details, visit https://www.virtualfairhub.com/cencoraFull time# ****Salary Range\\*****$119,100 - 186,560\\*This Salary Range reflects a National Average for this job. The actual range may vary based on your locale. Ranges in Colorado/California/Washington/New York/Hawaii/Vermont/Minnesota/Massachusetts/Illinois State-specific locations may be up to 10% lower than the minimum salary range, and 12% higher than the maximum salary range.