Director Warehouse Automation

About the Role

As the Director of Warehouse Automation, Implementation & Innovation, you will lead the enterprise-wide strategy for warehouse automation, overseeing technology selection, deployment, operational integration, and long-term system management across all distribution centers. This role acts as the critical liaison between Innovation, Engineering, IT, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, external vendors, and the International Innovation & Development Team to ensure automation investments deliver tangible business results and sustainable performance.

Beyond technology deployment, this position is accountable for operational readiness, implementation excellence, employee training and adoption, system reliability, performance optimization, and ongoing sustainment of all automation systems. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience leading large-scale warehouse automation projects, distribution center operations, robotics integration, and multi-site implementation programs in fast-paced, high-volume environments. This role requires international travel.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision:
  • Develop and execute enterprise warehouse automation roadmap aligned with business objectives
  • Establish automation standards, governance models, and implementation methodologies across all facilities
  • Partner with leadership on business cases, ROI models, labor strategies, and capital investment plans
  • Identify emerging technologies improving quality, throughput, scalability, and performance
  • Drive innovation positioning the organization as an industry leader in warehouse automation
• International Innovation & Development Collaboration:
  • Lead collaboration with International Innovation & Development Team, global suppliers, and technology providers
  • Coordinate technology evaluations, proof-of-concepts, pilots, factory acceptance testing, and system validation
  • Ensure standardization of automation platforms, controls architectures, and implementation best practices
  • Facilitate knowledge transfer between development, implementation, engineering, and operations teams
  • Support strategic relationships with global automation providers and system integrators
• Automation Implementation & Deployment:
  • Own enterprise deployment strategy and execution for all warehouse automation projects
  • Lead projects from conception through operational stabilization
  • Ensure site readiness, infrastructure, IT integration, training, commissioning, and handoff processes
  • Develop repeatable implementation frameworks ensuring consistency across facilities
  • Drive accountability across vendors, contractors, engineering, and operational stakeholders
• Operational Integration & Sustainment:
  • Establish processes ensuring successful transition from implementation to daily operations
  • Define ownership, support models, escalation procedures, maintenance practices, and spare parts strategies
  • Drive continuous improvement maximizing system performance and reliability
  • Monitor KPIs and identify opportunities to improve utilization, throughput, efficiency, and service levels
• Vendor & Technology Partner Management:
  • Manage strategic relationships with automation vendors, integrators, and technology partners
  • Establish vendor performance metrics and accountability standards
  • Lead technical evaluations, contract reviews, and system acceptance processes
• Team Leadership & Organizational Development:
  • Build and lead high-performing warehouse automation organization
  • Establish ownership structures for engineering, implementation, commissioning, and sustainment
  • Foster culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Performance, Analytics & Continuous Improvement:
  • Establish enterprise automation KPIs and reporting structures
  • Monitor performance including throughput, productivity, utilization, availability, reliability, and accuracy
  • Utilize analytics to identify optimization opportunities and drive ROI maximization
• Financial Management:
  • Develop and manage automation budgets and capital investment plans
  • Monitor project costs and ensure efficient resource use
  • Present financial results and investment recommendations to executive leadership

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive leadership in warehouse, distribution, or supply chain operations
• Proven experience implementing automation solutions in high-volume environments
• Strong expertise in warehouse operations, material handling systems, distribution processes, and labor metrics
• Experience with WMS/WCS platforms and automation technologies
• Demonstrated success developing business cases and ROI analyses for large capital projects
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Excellent communication and stakeholder influence skills at all organizational levels
• Travel required

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business Administration
• Multi-site automation implementation experience
• Knowledge of robotics, AI, machine learning, and emerging warehouse technologies
• Experience with greenfield distribution centers or automation startups
• Lean, Six Sigma, or PMP certifications
• Background in furniture, retail, manufacturing, or consumer goods industries
• Proven change management and technology adoption leadership
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar capital projects

Work Environment

This position is located in an active industrial manufacturing and distribution center with moderate to high noise levels, temperature variations, and material handling equipment in operation. The role may require extended periods of standing or walking on concrete floors and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses and steel-toed boots. The fast-paced environment involves time-sensitive and safety-sensitive operations and may include various shift schedules to support production and distribution needs.

Benefits

• Health, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off; increases with years of service
• Generous Employee Discount on home furnishings
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Tuition Assistance
• Ashley Wellness Centers (location specific)
• 401(k) and Profit Sharing
• Life Insurance

Core Values

• Honesty & Integrity: Acts with transparency, discretion, and ethical judgment. Trusted to handle sensitive information and provide accurate, unbiased insights.
• Dirty Fingernail: Takes full accountability for outcomes, not just tasks. Inspects details, ensures data accuracy, and follows through to completion.
• Continuous Improvement: Actively seeks better ways to improve templates, tools, and processes. Learns from prior initiatives and embeds lessons into standard work.
• Growth & Results Focus: Understands how transformation initiatives drive growth, cost reduction, and profitability. Keeps work aligned to enterprise priorities.
• Culture of Leadership: Leads through influence, reliability, and example. Builds trust across functions and supports leaders at every level.
• Customer-Centric & Boundaryless: Works across silos for the greater good of the organization. Ensures outputs meet the needs of executives, initiative owners, and teams.
• Operational Excellence: Demonstrates strong organizational discipline, attention to detail, and the ability to translate ambiguity into clear, executable tools.

This role is 100% onsite in one of the following locations: Advance, NC; Ecru, MS; or Arcadia, WI.