Sr. Program Manager- Chief of Staff- Strategic Sourcing & Procurement- (Hybrid, Seattle, WA)

Job Description

The Sr. Program Manager/Chief of Staff to the VPs of Strategic Sourcing & Procurement is a critically important role, enabling the VP and their leadership team to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders by driving business operations, internal communications and strategic initiatives that cut across the Nordstrom organization. This is a highly strategic and facilitative position that requires a combination of focus and flexibility, as well as a willingness to play an active, behind-the-scenes role. The role requires a highly resourceful individual with strong emotional intelligence, self-motivation and an understanding of how to drive effectiveness and transformation at scale who can serve as trusted counsel to Senior Executives.

**This role is Hybrid and will require you to be in office 3 days per week in downtown Seattle, WA. We are not offering relocation for this role at this time.

A day in the life:

Communications: You will have accountability for driving internal communications, strategy, events and initiatives.  You will work with key partners within the Strategic Sourcing & Procurement (SS&P) team, Finance, and other business units to deliver a communications plan that will include a heavy focus on change management, employee engagement, strategic vision and priorities. 

Leadership Effectiveness: As the SS&P team continues to experience transformation and growth, you will own and drive processes and agendas, including follow through and related communications to enable successful leadership and alignment across the teams.  You will participate as a valued member of the SS&P leadership team and provide input to key strategic decisions.  You will assess current meetings and decision-making forums and provide recommendations for increasing effectiveness and the appropriate sequence/cadence. You will ensure preparation and pre-work for leadership meetings are understood and happening in a coordinated way so that meetings are highly productive and follow up/accountability measures are in place.

Business Data and Measurement: You will have accountability for the SS&P COE team which includes data/analytics, strategy and initiatives.  This will include developing data and measurement standards, defining consistent measurement efforts that align to business outcomes and working with leaders to communicate progress against key initiatives using data.

Business Integration: You will drive cross-cutting strategic initiatives and provide thought leadership.  This includes identifying issues that impede business group success and provide solutions/recommendations.  Identifying opportunities to create cross group collaboration and synergies.  Demonstrating discretion and professionalism when working with cross-functional leadership on sensitive business and organizational issues, managing ambiguity and proposing workable solutions to challenging problems.

Business Process: You will act as a key partner to all relevant business units to ensure key processes and initiatives are aligned and coordinated.  This includes effective budget management and planning, risk management efforts, support for organizational changes and initiatives as well as ensuring teams deliver accurate and timely inputs to the corporate planning process.  An understanding and perspective of how team efforts are aligned with organizational objectives and priorities.

The Ideal Candidate

• Brings People Together: Fosters a respectful, positive, transparent and collaborative environment. Displays humility, adaptability, unquestionable ethics & integrity. Is selfless in their approach and lives the company values.  Can handle highly sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Track Record of Success: Demonstrated ability to drive complex, strategies and projects - exceeding expectations and delivering business results. Experience working on high profile projects with senior level executive visibility and engagement
• Solid Judgement & Instincts: Proven ability to make principled decisions under pressure and find the “right” path, particularly when there are different/competing points of view. Comfortable managing ambiguity and uncertainty.  Confidence to navigate a vast array of information and stakeholders. Identifies broad impact of decisions and implications for people and teams internally and externally
• Communications Expertise: Is great at storytelling, strategy and execution across written, verbal and social mediums internally and externally. Understands how to communicate at scale.
• Organization Skills: Builds partnerships, aligns difficult groups, builds consensus and trust, and keeps the pulse of a large group. Outstanding cross group organization skills