Vice President - Technology - Online Retailer

Role: VP - Technology

Experience: 18 to 22 Years

Job Location: Chennai

About OJ Commerce:

OJ Commerce (OJC), a rapidly expanding and profitable online retailer, is headquartered in Florida, USA, with a fully functional office in Chennai, India.

We deliver exceptional value to our customers by harnessing advanced technology, driving innovation, and building strong brand partnerships. With over 1M+ SKUs and 2,500+ brands across eight major categories, OJC has a strong presence on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair, Home Depot, and eBay, serving millions of U.S. consumers.

Our flagship website, www.ojcommerce.com, is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce platforms, supported by advanced, data-driven systems that streamline operations with minimal manual intervention.

Responsibilities:

1. Lead Technology Transformation & Delivery:

- Drive the transformation of our custom-built technology stack to a modern, API-first architecture with microservices and CI/CD pipelines, building on the platform foundation already established.

- Own end-to-end delivery and operational stability of all applications supporting our complex ecommerce ecosystem including multiple marketplace channels (Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair, Home Depot, Target, eBay, Overstock), hundreds of vendor/supplier integrations, freight carriers, advertising platforms, and social commerce platforms.

- Accelerate time-to-market for technology initiatives through improved development practices, automation, and AI-augmented workflows while maintaining system reliability and uptime.

2. Manage & Optimize a High-Performing Technology Organization:

- Lead a 30+ person India-based technology team including developers, technical leads, and engineering managers with a focus on productivity, accountability, and rapid development.

- Leverage AI and automation to increase team productivity by 30-50% over 6 months, optimizing team composition and eliminating low-value work.

- Maintain hands-on technical involvement in critical architecture decisions, proof-of-concepts, and complex troubleshooting while empowering your team to own day-to-day execution.

3. Execute Technology Strategy & Operations:

- Own the HOW of technology delivery - establishing standards, architecture patterns, development methodologies, and quality practices that enable speed without sacrificing stability.

- Manage diverse technology portfolio spanning MS Platform (SQL Server, .NET/ASP/C#), Linux-based open-source applications (EDI, telephony, ELK stack), and emerging modern architecture.

- Lead infrastructure, DevOps, and internal technology systems that enable the function to operate efficiently.

- Partner with business stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions and realistic delivery commitments.

4. Build Technical Excellence & Innovation Culture:

- Establish and enforce engineering standards through architecture reviews, code reviews, and technical governance that balance speed with maintainability.

- Research and recommend emerging technologies, AI applications, and development practices that create competitive advantage.

- Develop technical roadmaps that sequence modernization efforts to minimize disruption while maximizing business value.

Skills & Qualifications:

1. Technology Leadership & Transformation Experience:

- 10+ years of progressive technology leadership experience with proven track record of modernizing legacy systems to cloud-native, API-first architectures.

- Deep hands-on expertise in system architecture, microservices design, and CI/CD implementation - able to personally architect solutions and build proof-of-concepts when needed.

- Experience driving architectural transformations while maintaining operational stability and accelerating delivery velocity.

2. Ecommerce & Integration Complexity:

- Strong understanding of ecommerce technology ecosystems including marketplace integrations (Amazon, Walmart, etc.), payment systems, order management, inventory systems, and multi-channel commerce.

- Experience managing complex integration landscapes with external APIs, EDI, real-time data synchronization, and high-volume transaction processing.

- Familiarity with advertising platforms, social commerce, and logistics/fulfillment technology stacks.

3. Team Leadership & Productivity Optimization:

- Proven ability to lead and scale technology teams of 30+ people, including managing through technical leads and engineering managers.

- Experience managing distributed or offshore technology teams with ability to drive accountability, quality, and productivity across time zones.

- Track record of leveraging AI, automation, and modern tooling to measurably improve team productivity and eliminate low-value work.

4. Technical Foundation & Versatility:

- Strong foundation in both Microsoft stack (.NET, SQL Server, Azure) and open-source technologies (Linux, Python, modern frameworks).

- Understanding of database architecture, infrastructure/DevOps, and operational reliability practices.

- Ability to quickly evaluate emerging technologies and AI applications for practical business value vs. hype.

5. Execution & Business Partnership:

- Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions with realistic commitments and trade-off decisions.

- Experience establishing engineering standards, quality practices, and technical governance without creating bureaucracy.

- Strong communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts and constraints to non-technical stakeholders.

What we Offer:

- Competitive salary

- Medical Benefits/Accident Cover

- Flexi Office Working Hours

- Fast paced start up