Sr Manager - Software Engineering

Support Center - Irving

The Sr. Manager – Software Engineering will manage engineering teams to design innovative products. You will drive product definition, execution, testing and delivery of complex, large scale products for Michaels. This senior manager will manage multiple engineering teams across different functional areas. You’ll be a partner to our Product and Design teams, helping to bring light to engineering challenges such as scalability and robustness while continually supporting the growth of the engineers on your team. The ideal candidate must demonstrate technical leadership to drive execution of projects, lead project meetings and present project status to Tech executive team.

Execute Projects (Deliver Projects):

• Develops a sound implementation plan meeting the project strategy, within budget and timing constraints.
• Works within Michaels Project Management Methodology including using online project management documentation software for tracking project and finances.
• Monitors progress against plan and proactively communicates variances.  Is able to identify subtle issues that could results in major risks.
• Proactively manages the project delivery and approvals with little supervision, resolving action items, issues and risks.
• Owns addressing issues related to scope, schedule, budget, or quality.  Is responsible for documenting scope changes.
• Plans and manages quality throughout the project and provides final signoff for deliverables.
• Communicates and works with the construction team for the deployment of new stores, remodels and relocations.
• Manages contracts from negotiation through execution.  (Procurement Management)
• Plans and coordinates store activities with internal and external vendors for installations, support and direction.
• Identifies, analyzes and manages project costs to deliver the project within the budget (CAPEX and OPEX). (Cost Management)
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Engineering, Development, Security, and Business units to align operational needs with broader company goals.

Technical Support & Production Control:

• Manage the Helpdesk team, ensuring timely and effective resolution of technical issues reported by retail store staff.
• Owns and manages key ITSM processes, such as Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management, Service Request Management, Configuration Management, and Knowledge Management.
• Oversees the implementation, configuration, and administration of the ITSM tool(s) used by the organization.Manage offshore teams and SMEs to ensure consistent user/store support on high severity issues
• Act as contact between the District Manager, Zone Vice Presidents, and Store Managers for handling user/store issues when appropriate.
• Identify chronic trends in reported incidents and work to resolve; process improvements and work with vendors/offshore to enforce
• Monitors External Vendor SLA and has ongoing discussions with Vendor for Vendor performance and escalations
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in the areas of IT automation, ticket inflow reductions, and operational efficiencies.
• Proactively identify technology trends and improvements that could positively impact operational performance and lead their implementation.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies, tools, or processes that can enhance operational efficiency while maintaining budgetary constraints.
• Define processes for acquisition, deployment, maintenance, retirement, and disposal of IT assets.
• Manage Store tech asset deployment and configuration, coordinate the installation and setup of new store tech assets.
• Manage end user software licensing and subscriptions, track license usage, ensure compliance with vendor agreements, and optimize license utilization to minimize costs.

Leadership:

• Ensures associates roles and capabilities are optimally aligned with the company’s/department’s strategic initiatives.
• Constantly strive for Operation efficiencies and optimize Opex run cost.
• Gets results by acquiring the appropriate internal or external resources. Supports team members and empowers them so they can complete their activities in a timely manner and deliver quality results.
• Participates in the recruiting, interviewing and selection process of newly hired associates.
• Provides leadership, coaching, development and training to associates
• Partners with HR in decisions on personnel actions including reviews and performance appraisals.

Vendor Management:

• Assists vendors in developing documentation for step-by-step installation guides.
• Responsible for budget relating to store hardware, software and maintenance contracts.
• Assist in the review and adherence of SLA’s by supplier with respect to Service Desk and call statistics
• Manage vendors by coordinating quarterly updates.
• Closely works with the store team to identify enhancements and modifications that are needed for supporting the store infrastructure.
• Acts to improve or keep up to date on own technical knowledge
• Establishes and Leads IT Process Improvement efforts for continuous improvement.

Other duties as assigned

Minimum Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Minimum Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or STEM-related field of study

Minimum Type of Experience the Job Requires

• Experience with large-scale web traffic and data structures, Algorithms, and Linear Algebra.
• Knowledge of programming languages, including Java, Python, C, C++. MongoDB, and MySQL
• Experience in building search systems such as Elastic, SORL, Lucene, Algolia, and large-scale data pipelines
• Experience with cloud services, such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.
• Experience in machine learning/computer vision/natural language processing applications
• Experience managing multiple leaders across different skill sets
• Experience presenting high-level roadmaps to executive teams
• 10+ years of experience in software development
• 7+ years leading engineering teams with growing responsibility
• 6+ years as Engineering Product or Program Manager

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Preferred Type of Experience the Job Requires

• Ability to navigate a rapidly changing landscape while handling multiple responsibilities
• Curious about new technology and always looking to acquire new knowledge
• Computer Science fundamentals experience in object-oriented design, data structures, algorithms
• Experience building complex software systems that have been successfully delivered to customers
• Experience as a successful tech leader building, managing, and mentoring engineering teams
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent project management skills
• Be an action-oriented, independent, self-starter comfortable working in an unstructured, fast-paced environment
• Proven ability to manage multiple, time-sensitive products and competing priorities simultaneously with minimum guidance and high attention to detail

Applicants in the U.S. must satisfy federal, state, and local legal requirements of the job.

At The Michaels Companies Inc, our purpose is to fuel the joy of creativity. As the leading creative destination in North America, we operate over 1,300 stores in 49 states and Canada and online at

and . The Michaels Companies, Inc. also owns Artistree, a manufacturer of custom and specialty framing merchandise, and , a dedicated handmade goods marketplace. Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, Michaels is the best place for all things creative. For more information, please visit 

At Michaels, we prioritize the wellbeing of our teams by providing robust benefits for both full-time and part-time Team Members. Our benefits include health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), paid time off, tuition assistance, generous employee discounts, and much more. For more information, visit

.

Michaels is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are here for all Team Members and all Makers to create, innovate and be better together.

Michaels is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, Michaels will assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if a reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the job, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Customer Care at

(1800-MICHAEL).

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