What's Happening?
Nordstrom is actively recruiting a Senior Engineering Manager for Network Infrastructure in Seattle. This hybrid role will lead the Network Engineering team within the Security, Network, Access & Automation Platform (SNAAP) division, reporting directly
to the Director of Engineering, SNAAP. The selected candidate will be responsible for the design, operation, and evolution of Nordstrom's enterprise network platform, which spans over 400 retail stores, fulfillment centers, and distribution centers. This platform includes Versa SD-WAN fabric, multi-cloud connectivity across AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI, Juniper Mist wireless infrastructure, and Infoblox DNS/IPAM. The role demands both technical direction and people leadership, focusing on ensuring high availability, resilience, and security of network services while fostering engineering excellence. The position also involves driving the adoption of modern network automation and infrastructure-as-code practices.
Why It's Important?
This hiring initiative underscores Nordstrom's significant investment in strengthening its core technological infrastructure, which is critical for supporting its extensive retail operations and growing digital presence. A robust and secure network is essential for seamless customer experiences, efficient supply chain management, and protecting sensitive data across its numerous physical and online touchpoints. The emphasis on multi-cloud connectivity and SD-WAN technologies highlights the company's commitment to modernizing its network architecture to enhance flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency. By recruiting a leader in this area, Nordstrom aims to ensure its network can effectively support current business demands and future growth, including its expanding Nordstrom Rack stores and e-commerce platforms, directly impacting operational efficiency and competitive advantage in the retail sector.
What's Next?
The Senior Engineering Manager will be tasked with leading daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and approving architectural designs for new network solutions, including SD-WAN policy changes and cloud connectivity updates. They will also be responsible for incident response, leading triage during network-impacting events, and conducting post-incident reviews to ensure long-term solutions. The role involves collaborating with various internal teams, such as Network Security, Store Technology, Fulfillment Operations, and Cloud Architecture, to align network capabilities with business needs. This strategic hire is expected to drive continuous improvement in network performance, security, and automation, directly influencing Nordstrom's ability to deliver reliable services to its customers and maintain operational integrity across its diverse retail ecosystem.
Beyond the Headlines
The demand for a highly skilled network infrastructure leader at Nordstrom reflects a broader trend in the retail industry where technology is no longer just a support function but a core driver of business strategy. As retailers increasingly rely on complex digital ecosystems, including cloud services, IoT devices in stores, and advanced analytics, the underlying network infrastructure becomes paramount. This role's focus on automation and infrastructure-as-code indicates a move towards more agile and resilient IT operations, reducing manual errors and accelerating deployment cycles. The integration of multi-cloud environments also points to the challenges of managing diverse technological landscapes and the need for specialized expertise to ensure seamless and secure operations. Ultimately, the success of such technological investments will be crucial for Nordstrom to navigate the competitive retail market and meet evolving consumer expectations for speed, reliability, and security.
