Platform Manager / IKEA Retail Concept / Retail Operations Solution & Support

Job ID: R0008393

Date posted: 08/08/2024

Company description

Our vision, to create a better everyday life for the many people, influences everything we do. It is a vision that lives in the everyday efforts of all co-workers, all over the world.

Fulfilling the IKEA vision requires a strong, efficient, and sustainable business setup. That is why it is built on a franchise system. The IKEA Franchisor, Inter IKEA Systems B.V., is the worldwide owner of the IKEA Concept and has the responsibility to ensure that the IKEA Concept stays attractive and competitive while enabling growth and a profitable business for IKEA franchisees.

Take time to explore the IKEA Franchise system here, and read more about us here.

The scope of ROSS is to develop, deliver and manage the digital offer for IKEA retailers, which enables the same customer and co-worker experience in all markets and channels.

ROSS operates as part of Retail Concept, the organization part of the franchisor of the IKEA Concept that delivers to the IKEA growth ambitions by enabling development of the IKEA business in existing territories and by expanding into new ones.

Job description

We are seeking a skilled Platform Manager to join our team at Retail Operation Solution and Support – Inter IKEA Retail Concept Operation. As the Platform Manager, you will play a crucial role in driving several teams that are focusing on delivering platform solutions that build up our core digital retail offer.

The Inter IKEA Core digital retail offer is a set of standardized and well-established tools, digital products and services tailored for the IKEA retail business and available to all IKEA retailers. This Retail Package is built based on a “best of breed” approach with Microsoft applications at the core with integrations for data distribution to Inter IKEA range and supply IT system landscape.

Our base platforms currently consist of a retail operations module (Master Version Business Central) based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and LS Central, a business intelligence application (Master Version Qlik Sense), based on Qlik Sense, a Customer Relations Management module (Master Version CRM), based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and an azure component-based platform for DCX products such as cart & checkout, profile pages, etc.

For this to work in an IKEA context we also have several integration platforms that exchange data between the franchisor Inter IKEA range and supply systems and franchise retailer mentioned systems.

We are now starting a journey to replace Business Central and LS Central as our base ERP core digital retail offer with D365 Finance & Operation, D365 Commerce, D365 Customer Engagement, D365 Field service and different power platform apps.

To support in this transition, we will increase in number of enabling platforms and therefor are looking for an additional platform manager.

Qualification

with various teams across the organization.

To be successful in this role, the following knowledge, skills, and experiences would be valuable:

• Solid experience of platforms, architecture, and information management.
• Experience of IT service operations, including release management.
• Understanding of OKRs and other metrics and how they would be used to track value delivered in an agile organization.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, including active listening and the ability to communicate complex issues in a simple way.
• A solid understanding of end-to-end digital product development and operations expertise.
• Extensive experience in agile frameworks and practices, as well as DevOps ways of working and traditional product and project delivery methods.
• Understands the complexity of the IKEA business and technology landscape.
• Solid understanding of IKEA IT landscape from an integration and data distribution perspective.

• Key responsibilities for the assignment:

• Lead a competent and high-performing team that inspires and empowers co-workers to perform to the best of their abilities and continuously develop in their assignments.
• Responsible for recruitment, competence development, performance management, retention, and succession plan for the team members.
• Accountable for managing the assigned platform, securing running business, support/service performance, and development.
• Accountable for the platform vision, strategy, and roadmap to secure life-cycle management, and to support emerging business needs according to the goals set by Capability Area Management.
• Contributing to breaking down overall IKEA strategies and movements to a clear and strategic direction for the platform and related product area(s).
• Responsible for balancing the need to implement the platform roadmap, ensuring platform functionality and at the same time satisfying the on-going needs of product development.
• Build awareness and understanding around the platforms and ways of working.
• Ensure assigned teams understand the overall direction, vision, delivery process and responsibilities for any given initiative.
• Responsible for managing stakeholder engagement, e.g. capability area management, suppliers, super users, or user community, depending on domain.
• Drive consistency in practice, process, toolset, and architecture, promoting best practices and continuously benchmarking against industry standards.
• Support the budgeting process for the area.

• You will be responsible for assisting the organization in continuing to implement data distribution together with other parties. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in platform engineering and a proven track record in leading successful engineering initiatives. Additionally, you should possess excellent communication and collaboration skills, as you will work closely with various teams across the organization.

More Information

A few more details for you:

At IKEA we believe that we’re better when we’re physically together for collaboration, dialogues, and conversations. We believe in the power of human interactions; the informal chats, the energy, belonging, and creativity generated by people being in the same place. Our approach is that we spend most of our time in the IKEA workplace and with the flexibility to work from home when relevant.

This is a full-time role (40 hours per week) located in Malmö, Sweden. You will report to the Product Area Manager in ROSS.

18 Aug 2024 is the closing date to apply for this role. Please send your application – CV and motivation – in English and let us know why you would be a good fit. We look forward to hearing from you!