Retail IT Delivery Director - Global Business Applications

Overview

The Ahold Delhaize Group IT works in a highly complex and highly matrixed environment, with members in global and local IT teams. Since the merger of Ahold and Delhaize in 2016, it is the ambition of AD Group Technology to leverage the scale of Ahold Delhaize to drive value for the organization; on one hand to drive down costs while on the other hand to receive R&D focus from vendors like Microsoft, Google, SAP to drive transformation for the business. Our team ensures OpCo-IT and business customers are satisfied through reliable global IT services/products, on-time delivery of additional/new functionality all while meeting financial targets for our stakeholders. The Global Delivery Leader needs to have an entrepreneurial approach to delivery.

Since the merger, we have focused on building and maturing its capabilities on the most critical ITIL processes with specific focus on leveraging the scale (to so-called Sandwich Model) and limited focus on its customers. In this new organizational set-up, each value stream is aimed to create more focus on leveraging the scale, customer satisfaction and clearer accountability. Each value stream is focused to strategically leverage more scaling advantages via more customer focus and clear accountability for the performance of the entire value stream while protecting Technology standards and driving value for money. This role will report within a business platform team and will have responsibility to create and execute a mid-term tactical domain to achieve the goals on strategic, customer satisfaction, financial, service performance and HR objectives, for a defined set of Global IT products within the platform. This role will define smart objectives and ambitious targets across all regions (US, Europe, AD Group) as well as being responsible to deliver input from the specific domain to support the Value stream leader with defining and shaping the technology strategy, ambition, and framework for the function across all regions (US, Europe, AD Group).

Partners with the Business Process owners within the Domain (ie. Finance) Business Area to understand the domain strategy and develops the Tech Finance strategic roadmap to support the Business strategy. Ensures that the systems, information, and technology portfolios within the assigned domain provide high quality, low-cost operating services while supporting the Domain Strategy. This position is the primary contact of the Finance organization with the Business, acting as a strategic consultant to provide consulting support to business management on applying technology to business opportunities, as well as coordinating, planning and implementing of cross-functional solutions. Liaison to ensure the Domain needs and agendas are fulfilled through Finance and its service providers. Responsible to ensure comprehensive business cases are developed engaging all Finance internal functions and 3rd party service providers. The position leads the Tech Finance function operates as a change agent and must have excellent impact and influence skills.

Your Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide strategic IT leadership within functional departments in partnership with Business leaders and IT managers.

   • Oversees the solution architecture, development and implementation of multiple, complex, corporate-wide systems and deploys solutions that are in alignment and support the AD Strategy & Roadmap for assigned domain
   • Organizes, directs, and executes the planning, analysis, selection/development, implementation, and operation support of business information systems, processes and needs to support the AD Strategy & Roadmap for assigned domain
   • Develops and maintains complete and accurate understanding of how the assigned domain area conducts its business
   • Maintains detailed knowledge of the domain's current technology and infrastructure. Coordinates with the Business community on strategic initiatives.
   • Ensures requirements are properly defined for each business solution, that the requirements are developed in concert with and agreed upon by the Business partners, and the solution delivers the agreed upon benefits.

2. Continuously improve the Application Development and support processes

   • Understands the retail industry and technology trends and directs and recommends technology improvements to deliver business value.
   • Understands business processes and provides consulting services to assigned domain's internal business groups aligning process improvement and information management initiatives designed to improve their business results and create an on-going competitive advantage.
   • Maintains an in-depth knowledge of the domain for introduction of new application functionality and continuous improvement.
   • Provides guidance and advice to clients in the use of business applications including advanced functions and productivity enhancements.
   • Serves as the primary contact of the Tech Finance organization with the Business.
   • Facilitates life cycle assessment for application portfolio in the assigned domain.
   • Focus on refresh cycles, upgrades, and application version management. Determine remaining useful life of applications based on business functionality, technical architecture, vendor strategies, competitor activities and package alternatives.
   • Create and direct strategies to retire old systems while deploying new ones.

3. Ensure Application Development initiatives are well managed and deliver on expectations re functionality, timeliness, and cost.

   • Drives system, information, and technology portfolios to provide high-quality, low-cost operating services in the assigned domain.
   • Establishes and maintains relationships with 3rd party providers in order to provide quality services that lower the overall cost of ownership, leverage resources, and improve user experience. Accountable for delivery of 3rd party services.
   • Prepares and manages the annual capital and expense budget that aligns with projected requirements of staff, software and hardware within the assigned domain.
   • Ensure all domain efforts are properly aligned and resourced to met scheduled commitments on time and within budget.
   • Ensure monitoring and reporting is produced that informs constituents on status of projects, incident resolution, improvement opportunities, and 3rd party performance.
   • Integrates diverse 3rd Party offerings to deliver business solutions.
   • Coordinates design and delivery across multiple suppliers

4. Provides inspirational leadership to promote high performance and conquer obstacles.

   • Challenges each Lead to create and recommend changes that improve business performance and productivity.
   • Develops people though coaching, training and development programs.
   • Drives development of next generation IT talent by implementing career paths to associate performance and succession planning (bench strength).
   • Drives all IT associate communication for the calendar year via Business Meetings and Monthly Newsletter

Your profile

• Bachelor’s degree in IT and/or Business or similar work experience
• Strongly preferred is a minimum of 10-15 years of similar experience as an IT leader
• Senior IT professional who has broad experience operating as a strategic business partner and has made a discernible impact on the successful development and transformation of a business Successful experience working within matrix environments where working across boundaries and leading through influence are critical to success
• Fluent in English, excellent communicator