Manager, Automation Engineering, Non-Sort Implementation

Manager, Automation Engineering, Non-Sort Implementation

Bentonville, AR

805 Respect Bentonville, AR

R-2657298

$90,000 - $180,000/yr

Regular/ Permanent

The Manager, Automation Engineering is responsible for leading the on-site execution of complex automation, material handling, and industrial racking projects from site readiness through installation, commissioning, go-live, and operational handoff. This role serves as the primary on-site project leader, ensuring projects are executed safely, to scope, on schedule, and within budget. The Project Manager will coordinate multiple vendors and cross-functional partners, proactively manage risks and open issues, and drive timely resolution of constraints that could impact project commitments.

The role will also leverage AI and digital tools to improve project visibility, identify emerging risks, streamline project management activities, and enable faster, data-driven decision-making.

• Project Execution: Lead day-to-day site execution of automation, material handling, conveyor, controls, and industrial racking installations from site readiness through commissioning and operational handoff.
• Scope, Schedule & Budget: Maintain accountability for approved project scope, master schedule, milestones, financial commitments, and change control. Identify variances early and establish recovery plans when commitments are at risk.
• Vendor Management: Manage equipment suppliers, system integrators, rack installers, contractors, and other project partners. Establish clear deliverables, monitor performance, and hold vendors accountable to contractual, schedule, quality, and performance commitments.
• Risk Management: Own and actively manage the project risk register, identifying technical, schedule, cost, safety, resource, and operational risks. Establish mitigation plans, owners, and due dates and upscale material risks early.
• Open-Issue Resolution: Maintain disciplined tracking of open issues, dependencies, decisions, and actions. Drive issues to closure, remove barriers, and coordinate cross-functional support to maintain project momentum.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Engineering, Construction, Operations, Reliability/Maintenance, Technology, Safety, Procurement, Finance, and external partners to coordinate execution, resolve issues, and ensure alignment to project commitments.
• Installation & Site Readiness: Coordinate site access, installation sequencing, equipment delivery and staging, utilities, construction interfaces, and other dependencies required for successful automation and industrial rack installation.
• Commissioning & Go-Live: Lead coordination of testing, commissioning, punch-list closure, performance validation, training, documentation, and operational readiness activities through successful go-live.
• Change Management: Evaluate proposed scope and field changes for cost, schedule, technical, and operational impacts. Ensure changes are appropriately documented, reviewed, and approved before execution.
• AI & Digital Tools: Leverage approved AI and digital project-management tools to improve schedule and cost analysis, risk identification, issue tracking, meeting and action summarization, document review, reporting, and emerging project trends. Apply AI-generated insights to proactively identify constraints and accelerate informed decision-making while maintaining accountability for project outcomes.
• Project Governance: Provide clear, fact-based reporting on overall project health, including scope, schedule, budget, risks, open issues, vendor performance, and operational readiness. Use AI and digital tools to improve reporting efficiency, identify trends, and enable earlier escalation and resolution.
• Operational Handoff: Ensure project deliverables, documentation, training, spare parts, punch-list items, open issues, and system ownership are effectively transitioned to Operations and Reliability teams.

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

Experience leading complex capital projects involving automation, material handling systems, industrial racking/storage systems, conveyor and sortation equipment, controls, construction, fulfillment/distribution operations, or similar industrial environments is preferred.

Candidates should demonstrate…