Director of Analytics & Automation

Company Description

At Jack Link’s, we feed the journey. We take pride in rolling up our sleeves and getting things done together. Fueled by creativity, passion, and a commitment to doing things the right way, we tackle the hard stuff first and focus on real progress, bold moves, and no excuses. We create opportunities, celebrate wins, own our misses, and push forward as a team, knowing our strength comes from supporting one another and having fun along the way. We cultivate a workplace where passion meets purpose and our Team Members are inspired, recognized, and rewarded for their contributions. 

If you’re ready to make a difference and build something meaningful, we want you! 

Jack Link's Protein Snacks is a global leader in snacking and the No. 1 meat snack manufacturer worldwide. Headquartered in Minong, Wisconsin, Jack Link’s is strategically positioned with production, distribution, and support centers in key locations throughout North America, Brazil, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. This global network allows Jack Link's to deliver a wide variety of high-quality, great tasting protein snacks to consumers around the world. The company’s portfolio of brands includes Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Wild River®, Golden Island®, Country Fresh Meats®, BiFi®, Peperami® , Mariani and Local Legends Meat Snacks.

Job Description

The Director of Analytics & Automation will lead the analytics team to oversee the design & development of our enterprise data & analytics platform and solutions leveraging SAP, Nielsen, and customer POS data to drive strategic decision-making and business growth. This role requires a deep understanding of data analytics, consumer behavior, and the CPG industry. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing large datasets, developing insights, and leading cross-functional teams. The role will collaborate with business functions to develop analytic tools to improve decision making leveraging data. This position can be located in Bentonville AR or Minneapolis MN.

The responsibilities of this position shall consist of, but not be limited to, the following:

Leadership:

• Planning, organizing and executing the analytics roadmap including technical design & development of our enterprise data & analytics platform. 
• Provide oversight on technical design and development decisions,
• Lead a team of technical analysts and off-shore contractors to deliver competitively advantaged analytics solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment on business objectives and priorities.

Data Management and Integration:

• Oversee the integration and management of data from SAP, Nielsen, and customer POS systems.
• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and availability for analysis.
• Develop and maintain data governance policies and procedures.

Analytics and Insights:

• Lead the development of advanced analytics platforms for the business  to identify trends, opportunities, and risks.

Strategic Planning:

• Develop and implement analytics strategies to support functional business goals.
• Identify and evaluate new data sources and technologies to enhance analytics capabilities.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior leadership and stakeholders.

Performance Measurement:

• Design and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of analytics initiatives.
• Monitor and report on the impact of analytics on business performance.
• Continuously improve analytics processes and methodologies.

AI & Automation:

• Familiarity with AI technologies (like machine learning, Natural Language Processing) and process automation tools.
• Experience leveraging automation technologies to reduce manual work from processes and streamline operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related field or equivalent experience.

Required Experience: 

• 10+ years of experience in data analytics, with a focus on the CPG industry.
• 5+ years’ experience leading and mentoring teams
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills and the ability to make informed decisions to evaluate alternatives and make tradeoffs.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences including various levels of management, vendors, business teams with varied levels of skill/experience. Ability to clearly communicate technical subject matter to a non-technical audience. Strong people skills in a diverse cultural environment.
• Proficiency in SAP, Nielsen, and customer POS data platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Knowledge of advanced statistical techniques and data visualization tools (e.g., Python, R, Tableau).
• Experience with machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in analytics.
• Familiarity with data warehousing and big data technologies.
• Possess a solid understanding of the software development life cycle and proven project management techniques.
• Ability to model and document business requirements and related data needs.
• Familiar with systems security best practices
• Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws
• Familiar with data modeling techniques and best practices
• Ability to effectively communicate technical information to a non-technical audience.
• Provide data and reporting of KPI's and trends to IT Management and others.
• Review and maintain daily staff utilization.
• Strong customer service orientation.

Preferred:              

• Agile/Scrum methodology certifications or related experience.
• Exposure and understanding of SAP S/4 & ECC data structures and capabilities.

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is $175,300 - $241,010 (Annually). Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Jack Link’s provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Jack Link’s is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:  http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.