Intelligent Process Automation Engineering Manager

This position is designated as a hybrid role based out of our headquarters near Portland, Oregon. The current expectation is for employees to work onsite four days per week, subject to change based on business needs. This in-office requirement may be adjusted at the discretion of the company.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Although we're an apparel and footwear-focused company, technology is central to everything we do. Columbia Sportswear's Digital Technology (CDT) group enables an IT infrastructure and applications across four global brands, a global supply chain, and 500+ geographically dispersed stores. These teams support in-store, mobile, and data platforms to enhance customer interface and service in an ever-evolving industry.

We're seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead our Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) team in designing, building, and deploying scalable automation solutions that drive digital transformation across the enterprise. The ideal candidate combines deep technical knowledge of automation platforms with strong leadership skills to guide multidisciplinary teams in delivering business impact.

You will oversee engineers and developers working with platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps, Power BI), Pega Systems, and Automation Anywhere, ensuring the team delivers efficient, secure, and compliant automation solutions.

HOW YOU'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of automation engineers and solution developers.

• Define and execute the intelligent automation roadmap aligned with business and IT strategy.

• Partner with business stakeholders to identify, evaluate, and prioritize automation opportunities.

Technical Delivery

• Oversee design, development, testing, and deployment of automation solutions using Power Platform, Pega, and Automation Anywhere.

• Ensure best practices in solution architecture, security, and integration with enterprise systems.

• Establish governance, standards, and reusable frameworks to scale automation initiatives.

• Drive continuous improvement in automation quality, performance, and maintainability.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate cross-functionally with IT, business units, and data teams to deliver end-to-end solutions.

• Communicate progress, risks, and metrics to executive leadership.

• Serve as a subject matter expert for automation technologies and evangelize adoption across the organization.

YOU ARE

Strategic and Visionary Thinker

• Sees the big picture - not just automating tasks but transforming business models through intelligent automation.

• Understands how technology can deliver measurable business outcomes (efficiency, quality, cost savings, customer experience).

• Balances innovation with practicality, prioritizing scalable, sustainable solutions over one-off automations.

Technically Fluent but Business-Minded

• Has deep hands-on knowledge of platforms like Microsoft Power Platform, Pega, and Automation Anywhere, but knows when to delegate technical work.

• Can translate complex technical possibilities into simple, outcome-focused language that resonates with business leaders.

• Enjoys bridging the gap between IT and the business units, ensuring technology delivers real value.

Empowering, Collaborative Leader

• Leads by influence rather than authority - fosters trust, autonomy, and accountability within the team.

• Mentors' engineers and developers, helping them grow technically and professionally.

• Creates an environment where innovation, experimentation, and continuous improvement are encouraged.

Change Agent and Innovator

• Thrives on transforming traditional processes into intelligent, automated workflows.

• Comfortable driving organizational change and influencing senior stakeholders to embrace automation.

• Stays on top of emerging technologies (AI copilots, process mining, machine learning) and proactively experiments with new tools.

Delivery-Oriented and Disciplined

• Has a strong sense of ownership - ensures automation projects are delivered on time, within scope, and with measurable results.

• Skilled in Agile or hybrid delivery, balancing flexibility with structure.

• Uses data and KPIs to measure automation success and identify areas for improvement.

• Thrives in a dynamic environment with multiple competing priorities.

Exceptional Communicator and Influencer

• Articulate and persuasive when presenting to executives or non-technical stakeholders.

• Can negotiate resources, manage expectations, and gain buy-in for automation roadmaps.

• Listens actively and builds credibility across technical and business domains.

Curious, Adaptable, and Resilient

• Naturally curious - constantly learning about new automation, AI, and digital tools.

• Adaptable to changing technologies and business conditions.

• Resilient when faced with ambiguity, setbacks, or competing organizational priorities.

• Maintains composure and focus under pressure, modeling a growth mindset for the team.

YOU HAVE

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field.

• 7+ years of experience in software engineering, digital process automation, or intelligent automation.

• 3+ years in a leadership or managerial role overseeing technical teams.

• Hands-on expertise with:

  • Microsoft Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps, Power BI)

  • Pega Platform (workflow automation, case management)

  • Automation Anywhere (bot development, orchestration, and deployment)

• Strong understanding of process design, RPA, AI/ML integration, and API-based automation.

• Experience with cloud environments (Azure, AWS, or similar) and DevOps pipelines.

• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred:

• Certification(s) in Power Platform, Pega, or Automation Anywhere.

• Experience implementing AI-driven process automation or document understanding solutions.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and CI/CD practices.

#Hybrid

#LI-LC1

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.

Columbia Sportswear Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Columbia Sportswear is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf. If you need reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please notify your recruiter.

At Columbia Sportswear Company, we're proud to offer regular full-time employees a benefits package that includes a variety of services and products to help make your life and work more rewarding. Our benefit programs contribute to overall employee well-being by aligning those programs with the fundamental elements of well-being: physical, social/emotional, financial, career and community. Benefits that can protect your family's financial future and help you save money through our 401k plan plus a generous company match. Columbia offers medical, dental, vision, life Insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, and an assortment of voluntary benefit offerings (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and legal services). In addition, Columbia offers EAP + which is free and confidential 24/7/365 counseling services. We have extensive wellness benefits, employee discounts and a generous time off program available.

If you need an accommodation/adjustment to successfully complete and submit your application, please reach out to AskHR@columbia.com with the Subject: Applicant Assistance Requested.