Senior Program Manager - Best Practices - Supply Chain Network

Job Description

Nordstrom Supply Chain is in the middle of a significant transformation; investing in new fulfillment capabilities, advancing technology platforms, and evolving how the network operates to deliver for customers and stay ahead of a changing industry. As that transformation accelerates, maintaining a consistent network standard of operational execution across every site becomes both more important and more complex. The Sr. Program Manager - Best Practices, is a role built to meet that challenge. Sitting within Quality Operations and uniquely positioned as a cross-functional partner across the supply chain network, this role serves as the independent verification layer that gives Nordstrom Supply Chain leadership a clear, grounded, and reliable view of how sites are executing against the network standard. You'll travel to sites across the network and assess execution across Safety, Continuous Improvement, Training, Staffing/Planning, and Performance Management. Your findings will directly shape how leaders and executives understand network health, how sites prioritize improvement, and how the Best Practices program itself evolves. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role that requires the strategic judgment to synthesize what you see across the network, the executive presence to communicate it clearly, and the operational credibility to be trusted by site leaders as a genuine partner in their success. If you thrive on turning field-level insight into network level action, this role was built for you.

A day in the life…

• Serve as the independent, third-party verification layer for the SCO Best Practices program, conducting on-site assessments that give SCO leadership a grounded, network-wide view of how sites are executing against the established standard.
• Travel to sites across the network to conduct structured, evaluating execution across each SCO Best Practices category and identifying where observed performance aligns with, or diverges from, the network standard.
• Conduct hands on assessments including floor observation of Gemba walks, 5S audits, A3 problem-solving discipline, Glass Wall/Gemba board accuracy, and Leader Standard Work compliance; sample WMS and operational data to validate reported figures.
• Produce clear, evidence-based assessment reports that identify where sites are executing well and where gaps exist, giving SCO leadership a reliable, consistent view of operational health across the network.
• Engage site GMs, AGMs, and category owners (Safety Leaders, CI Champions, Training Managers, Production Controllers) as a strategic partner while communicating findings with executive clarity and co-developing corrective action plans that are practical and durable.
• Track open items between assessment cycles and validate progress at each subsequent site visit, building a continuous improvement cadence that compounds in value over time.
• Identify and synthesize network-wide patterns where execution is strong, where gaps are systemic, and where the Best Practices standard itself may need to evolve. Then bring those insights to QO and SCO leadership with strategic recommendations.
• Develop and deliver semi-annual network insight summaries for QO and SCO leadership that translate site-level findings into clear, actionable intelligence on network health, investment priorities, and program refinement.
• Escalate high-priority findings or systemic risks to the Sr. Director, Quality Operations and relevant SCO leadership with the context and framing needed to drive rapid, informed decisions.
• Be a trusted, energizing presence at each site.
• Distinguish between a local fix and a network fix, resolving single-site issues directly while escalating and scaling those that reveal a systemic, network-wide gap.

You own this if you have…

• 7+ years of progressive experience in supply chain operations, FC/DC operations, or operational excellence, including meaningful hands-on building experience.
• 5+ years in program management or a related discipline, with a demonstrated track record of designing and owning complex, cross-functional programs that deliver measurable results across a multi-site network.
• Proven ability to synthesize field level observations into network level strategic insights and communicate them to senior and executive leadership in a clear, compelling, and actionable way.
• Working knowledge of SCO Best Practices categories: Safety, Continuous Improvement (5S, A3, 4DX), Training, Staffing/Planning, and Performance Management.
• Hands-on experience with WMS platforms (Manhattan WMS, Manhattan Active, HighJump, or Oracle preferred) and the ability to evaluate operational data as evidence in an assessment context.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated experience presenting findings and recommendations to VP level and senior stakeholders.
• The judgment and integrity to serve as a consistent, unbiased evaluator across every site and the executive presence to deliver difficult findings in a way that drives action rather than defensiveness.
• A track record of influencing and aligning cross-functional stakeholders across site and organizational boundaries without direct authority, building trust through expertise, consistency, and follow-through.
• Experience designing or refining assessment frameworks, scoring methodologies, or operational standards.
• Ability to travel to sites as part of structured, twice-yearly assessment cycles.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• PMP certification, Lean/Six Sigma credential, internal audit experience, or equivalent preferred.

Pay Range Details

The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations. 
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

We’ve got you covered…

Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:

• Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away
• Life Insurance and Disability
• Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources

A few more important points...

The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.

For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.

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