Job Description

Are you passionate about designing innovative supply chain solutions that drive business growth, operational excellence, and long-term competitive advantage? At ID Logistics, great results start with great people. We are seeking a strategic and visionary Vice President, Research & Development (Solutions Design) to lead the development and execution of solution design, engineering, innovation, and continuous improvement strategies across our North American operations. Reporting to the Chief Research & Development Officer, this executive leadership role is responsible for translating business strategy into scalable solutions that enhance customer value, operational performance, and organizational growth. As a key member of the leadership team, you will partner closely with Operations, Commercial, Finance, IT, Human Resources, and Executive Leadership to develop innovative supply chain solutions, lead new business opportunities, optimize network performance, and drive engineering excellence across the organization.

Work Location: John's Creek, GA. Relocation will be considered on a case by case basis for top candidates outside of the Atlanta market.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday with flexibility outside of normal business hours for emergencies.

Travel: 0-25% domestic

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Develop and execute the organization's R&D, solution design, engineering, automation, and innovation strategies to support business growth and operational excellence.
• Translate corporate objectives into scalable functional plans that improve productivity, service, quality, capacity, and cost performance.
• Lead the development of engineering roadmaps, continuous improvement initiatives, and innovation programs that create measurable business value.
• Participate in corporate strategy development by identifying opportunities, validating assumptions, and designing scalable operational solutions.

Solution Design & Engineering Excellence

• Oversee solution development for new business, customer expansions, contract renewals, start-ups, retrofits, network redesigns, and major operational transformations.
• Lead labor modeling, process design, facility layout optimization, capacity planning, material flow analysis, and productivity improvement initiatives throughout North America.
• Support facility selection activities through site visits, due diligence evaluations, and RFP processes.
• Ensure all solution designs align with customer requirements, operational capabilities, financial objectives, and long-term scalability.

Business Development & Commercial Support

• Lead the full logistics RFQ lifecycle, including:
• RFI and RFQ response development
• Solution engineering
• Cost modeling and pricing support
• Proposal development
• Contract negotiation support
• Handover to implementation and operations teams
• Partner with Commercial, Operations, and Finance teams to evaluate opportunities, develop business cases, and deliver customer-focused solutions.

Organizational Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team of engineering and R&D professionals.
• Establish clear priorities, accountability measures, succession planning strategies, and performance expectations.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, safety, continuous improvement, customer focus, and entrepreneurial thinking.

Financial & Project Governance

• Develop and manage the annual R&D budget, including forecasting, capital planning, resource allocation, and investment evaluation.
• Monitor project milestones, financial outcomes, and key performance indicators to ensure successful execution and business impact.
• Review and approve departmental expenses while ensuring investment decisions align with strategic priorities and deliver measurable returns.
• Provide regular project and performance updates to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Research, Business, or a related discipline.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in solution design, industrial engineering, supply chain consulting, operations improvement, logistics engineering, research and development, or a related field.
• Solution Design experience within a third-party logistics (3PL) organization is required.
• Significant leadership experience managing managers, technical professionals, and cross-functional teams.
• Proven experience leading large-scale strategic initiatives, solution design projects, and operational transformation efforts.
• Strong knowledge of logistics solution engineering, network design, labor modeling, process optimization, and warehouse operations.
• Experience with the full logistics RFQ/RFI process, including solution development, cost modeling, proposal creation, and customer presentations.
• Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or advanced education in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field.
• Experience supporting FMCG, E-commerce, Fashion, Fragrance & Beauty, Consumer Electronics, Food Retail, Non-Food Retail, Healthcare, Automotive, Industrial, or Hazmat operations.
• Experience leading automation, robotics, digital transformation, or AI-enabled operational initiatives.