VP, IT - Data Technology - PetSmart

It’s an exciting time in technology, and that buzz is felt throughout PetSmart! We are continuing to grow at a faster pace and we want to continue to provide best-in-class experiences for pets and pet parents.

Our Technology team has 6 different departments: Information Security, Service Delivery, Business Enabling Systems, eCommerce & Marketing Technology, Data and Stores, Services & Supply Chain.

Whether it’s online or in our stores, the work that the IT team does is instrumental in PetSmart’s success. We have a strategic and actionable plan underway and are looking for associates who are just as excited about it as we are.

Onsite Position:

This position is based in Phoenix, Arizona at the corporate Home Office and is considered to be Fully Onsite, work is to be done onsite at a PetSmart location (Phoenix Home Office, PetSmart stores, Merchandise Development Center, Distribution Centers or another PetSmart site).

ROLE MISSION STATEMENT

The Vice President of IT – Data and Engineering is a role that serves as a leader for PetSmart’s Enterprise Data and Analytics technology domain, a group driven to innovate, create, and succeed. This domain’s passion isn’t focused on charts and graphs; its members are here to disrupt and start a cultural revolution that leads to a data revolution. PetSmart is seeking a technologically creative, passionate, and hands-on leader who will lead their data-focused Software Engineering, Architecture, Analytics, and Operations teams. This role is critical to motivate, guide, and vision the company’s new Cloud-based data factory by providing inspiring leadership, insightful management, and interactive involvement in software and business development across all levels of the organization to include the PetSmart executive team.

KEY ROLE RESPONSIBILITES

• Articulating and executing technology, business, and organizational strategies to lead the Data Engineering team responsible for creating simple, stable, and scalable data products/platforms
• Actively leading the technology domain that includes data architecture, data engineering (inclusive of big data supporting data science), data integration, data operations, and business strategy that advances ideas into transformational new capabilities
• Defining and encouraging the development and implementation of self-service tools, increasing data literacy across the wider business functions
• Working broadly across technical and non-technical teams to craft realistic plans, translate technical concepts, and advance the data environment to the future-state data architecture
• Acting as a change agent in driving new ways to enable the utilization of data by bringing the art of the possible to realization in future-state designs, leveraging your own vision in driving outcomes, innovating with new technologies, and driving new ways of working within a compelling future state
• Ensuring the team delivers on time, on budget, and to specification; using every delivery as a chance to iterate and improve the team, quality of data, and the use of data
• Enhancing the data domain of resources in the team’s ability to leverage best practices and tools to drive both scale and throughput at a level to be admired across the IT industry
• Mentoring and coaching leaders and individual contributors to grow, reach their fullest potential, and have a healthy bench of future leaders
• Understanding there are fundamentals to managing data which require and ability to know it, federate it, mobilize it, govern it, and use it; these fundamentals provide you with the power to implement a holistic data management strategy which does not only allow you to ensure that your data is fully protected, but also enables you to activate this data for business value
• Responsible for the scoping, selection, negotiation and managing relationships with all external data technology partners

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Excellent oral and written communication skills across all levels of an organization, and especially with senior executive management
• Willingness to seek out and enjoy hands-on involvement with technologies and platforms used within the group
• Eagerness and passion to continue to learn new technologies outside of the day-to-day role, keen understanding of Cloud-based and software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies
• Ability to quickly understand and explain complex data/issues and distill complex and voluminous data into understandable information for a wide audience
• Ability to leverage creativity, vision, and precision execution to solve challenging business problems with simple, scalable, and competitive enabling technology solutions
• Passion for data, technology, innovation, and building great teams
• Understanding that no single solution can solve all problems; firmly believe in the power and need to leverage modern data ecosystems
• Experience in working with Data Science teams to provide big data engineering capabilities enabling advanced models for execution
• Foundational knowledge of current and evolving data domain technologies along with best practices for execution
• Proven business acumen (retail a plus, but not required) and the ability to apply technology capabilities to enable key strategic business outcomes
• Solid foundation of technology strategic planning, financial planning, and organizational management/development
• Detail oriented with excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills
• Track record of initiative with a proven ability to follow through on initiatives and bring them to a timely completion
• Ability to build effective relationships with business executives, key stakeholders, and those in the ecosystem of data
• Comfortable working under tight deadlines
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Relocation to Phoenix area and work in the Phoenix Home Office
• Experience in working in an IT environment that leverages both waterfall and agile development methodologies
• Ability to work collaboratively and in group situations
• While having a pet is not required, the ability to develop a passion for pets and enhancing their relationship with pet parents is desired

QUALIFICATIONS + EDUCATION

• Bachelors of Science in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Engineering, or another technical field, or equivalent work experience
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in data management and data engineering, in roles of progressive responsibility
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience building and leading teams of top-tier engineers to build data platforms and technologies
• Knowledge of technologies such as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Databricks, Kafka, and Denodo beneficial
• Experience with event-driven architecture (data streaming technologies) capabilities a plus
• Advanced working knowledge and experience with industry-leading statistical and reporting tools and applications (e.g., MicroStrategy, SAS, Tableau, RapidMiner, Snowflake, Alteryx)

At PetSmart, we work hard to create a culture where every associate feels like they truly belong and we celebrate the unique stories, backgrounds, and experiences our associates share.  These experiences not only bring new perspectives in shaping our Belonging culture but they’re core to PetSmart’s success.

Not sure if you meet 100% of the position requirements and whether you should apply? We’d still like to hear from you and encourage you to apply with us! You just may be the ideal candidate for this role, and if not this one, perhaps another position.

Our home office offers outstanding amenities in a fun and rewarding workplace including:

• Pet friendly environment, bring your pets to work!
• On-site Dog Park
• “Top Dog” gym with equipment, fitness classes, massage therapists and personal trainers
• “Sit & Stay” Café serving fresh breakfast and lunch options
• On-site coffee bar
• “Lil’ Paws” learning center and onsite daycare facility (associate paid)
• Volunteer events with PetSmart Charities
• Learn more about #LifeAtPetSmart here: https://www.lifeatpetsmart.com/life-at-petsmart/
• Check out Associate stories and share in some celebrations at PetSmart: https://www.blog.lifeatpetsmart.com/
• Explore PetSmart Benefits here: https://benefits.petsmart.com/
• If you don't already live in the Phoenix area here's a guide to the area:  Welcome to Phoenix Guide

PetSmart provides an equal opportunity for all associates and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.