Engineering Team Lead

Who We Are

Ocado is a UK based company admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange (Ticker OCDO). It comprises one of the world's largest dedicated online grocery retailers, operating its own grocery and general merchandise retail businesses under Ocado.com and other specialist shop banners, together with its Ocado Solutions division.

The Ocado Solutions division is responsible for providing Ocado’s innovative advanced robotics technology, known as the Ocado Smart Platform ("OSP"), to our major retailer clients around the world. OSP comprises access to Ocado's physical infrastructure solutions, running highly efficient warehouse operations for the single pick of products, together with the entire end-to-end proprietary software applications and advanced robotics required to operate a world-class online grocery business.

Our unique, proprietary and industry-leading technology is set to transform the shopping experience of consumers around the world. We have partnered with Kroger to help it redefine the grocery customer experience in the United States through the adoption of the centralized, automated model of online retailing provided by the Ocado Smart Platform.

Come join us as we build our North American team, bringing world-class innovation and technologies to one of the most exciting global markets for e-commerce.

What You Will Do

The Engineering Team Manager will report directly to the Engineering Operations Manager with a dotted line to the Senior Engineering Operations Manager. The Engineering Team Manager will manage the engineering shift activities for one of the four shifts for a 24/7 operations. The positions will be located at the Customer Fulfillment Center working closely with Inbound, Outbound and other support teams to optimize availability and performance of the facility, and its MHE automation. The primary focus is to achieve the safest working environment and most efficient operation; a balance between the lowest cost and the highest uptime.

Key Focus Areas:

• Create and promote a safe work culture by being a champion of safe work practices. 
• Monitor and report daily engineering KPIs, including fault reduction and elimination 
• Performance management, development and training of the team; daily direct personnel management responsibility
• Lead a proactive customer focused culture
• Drive and support change initiatives for MHE equipment and process improvement
• Build collaborative relationships with key customers and robust communication links

The Engineering Team Manager’s day-to-day responsibilities could include:

• Support daily objective/corrective actions defined during daily safety meetings led by the engineering operations.
• Lead daily safety meetings creating or implementing any needed risk assessments to complete planned work.
• Align, priorities and monitor KPI’s that support the Customer’s optimized service for its end customer/clients
• Performance management, development and training of the team; daily direct personnel management responsibility
• Working closely with Customer’s Inbound, Pick, Dispatch areas, and other support teams on a daily basis to ensure direction of labor, and planned engineering activities to fully support Ocado’s assets and the Customer’s daily operational goals.
• Champion safe working practices with expedited investigations and corrective actions
• Support the Engineering Operations Manager and the HR Team to ensure employee recognition & discipline (including documenting and resolving policy violations, conducting performance and holding probation review meetings)
• Day to day leadership of team members including prioritization and allocation of workload; deploying labor based on the demands and requirements of the task against the competency and capability of resource
• Responsible for personnel management including: time and attendance, time-off requests, establishing and reviewing goals and objectives, general mentoring, driving accountability and assigning daily priorities
• Develop effective customer relationships to facilitate communication and execution to ensure that the customer’s deliverables are successfully achieved.
• Be proactive in the development of team members; advise, lead and motivate team members, assess capability, identify and resolve training / skill requirements; be involved in disciplinary issues.
• Assessment of engineering team skills and assisting in up-skilling and training of staff, including integration of first line maintenance of plant and equipment.
• Management and development of department processes; including shift handovers, briefs, and defect reporting/resolving.
• Reporting and monitoring of data capture for automation and maintenance activities.
• Ability to lead from the front, driving pace accuracy and standards.
• Build collaborative relationships with key customers and robust communication links

The Engineering Team Manager may be asked to perform tasks as required by management deemed as a reasonable request from time-to-time. This job description is a summary of the typical functions of the role, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of possible role responsibilities, tasks and duties and is subject to review. The responsibilities, tasks and duties of the job holder might differ from those outlined in the job description and other duties, as assigned, might form part of the job.

The initial 6 to 9 months will involve training and most likely require some travel in order to obtain the training from another site in the US and/or UK.  In the event the operations is undergoing its initial startup, the daily responsibilities for this role may be different while supporting the needs of a facility in its initial stages of starting its operations.  Once the facility is commissioned, the roles defined in this job description will become the daily responsibilities for the ETM.

Who You Are

To qualify for this position, you should meet the following requirements:

• A minimum of 4 years' relevant experience in electrical and/or mechanical roles.
• A minimum of 2 years' experience in a management or supervisory level within an automated environment.
• A bachelor's degree in engineering or relevant field of study or; an associate’s degree coupled with an additional 2 years of relevant experience in an electrical and/or mechanical profession, preferably gained in an FMCG background or; an additional 2 years of relevant experience in an electrical and/or mechanical profession, preferably gained in an FMCG background.
• Good technical ability relating to automation hardware and software.
• Good organizational ability and the ability to plan and prioritize.
• Sound analytical skills with an eye for detail; good problem solving ability and a practical approach.
• Comprehensive understanding of production, picking and storage MHE systems, gained from experience in an automated environment.
• Experience of a FMCG environment.
• Experience of working with computerized maintenance management systems.
• The ability to really engage and enthuse a diverse team in a time-constrained environment
• Numerate and PC literate including Word, Excel etc.

This role will require flexibility due to us being a 24/7 operation and a shift pattern will be put in place that will require working days, nights and weekends.

Physical Activities: 

• Ascending or descending ladders and stairs. 
• Moving between worksites to accomplish tasks in tight and confined spaces. 
• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for a prolonged period. 
• Adjusting or moving objects up to 30 pounds in all directions. Work that includes moving objects up to 100 pounds or more. 
• Communicating with others to exchange information. 

Environmental Conditions:

• Low temperatures and noisy environments. 

Location

The Engineering Team Manager position is located in our Phoenix, Arizona Customer Fulfillment Center. 

 For a sense of who we are and what we deliver we invite you to explore online to learn more about Ocado Technology and Ocado Engineering, which directly support the Ocado Solutions division, and take the next step in what will be an amazing career with us.

Learn about our partnership with Kroger:

• Kroger Bets on Robots With Ocado Deal
• Meet Ocado, Kroger’s Newest Weapon in Its Grocery Delivery War with Amazon and Walmart
• Check out this video about our advanced robotics technology

Ocado is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, veteran’s status, or any other classification as required by applicable law.