Director of Engineering, Strategic Initiatives & Technology Enablement

Director, Technology Enablement & Product InnovationPetco is seeking a strategic technology and product leader to drive high-impact initiatives across engineering, product, and business teams. This role will lead cross-functional programs focused on identifying new opportunities, accelerating innovation, modernizing technology capabilities, and delivering scalable solutions that create measurable business value across the enterprise.The ideal candidate brings a strong background in software engineering, product management, and technology leadership within retail, digital commerce, or consumer technology environments. This role requires someone who can operate at both strategic and execution levels—partnering with stakeholders to define priorities, shape product and technology roadmaps, and drive successful delivery of transformative initiatives.ResponsibilitiesLead strategic technology and product initiatives across engineering, product, and business teamsIdentify opportunities to leverage technology, data, and AI to solve business challenges and create competitive advantagePartner with business and product leaders to define roadmaps, priorities, and long-term technology strategiesDrive execution, prioritization, and delivery of enterprise programs and innovation initiativesCollaborate with engineering leaders to improve systems, processes, platform capabilities, and delivery effectivenessEvaluate emerging technologies and develop recommendations for adoption and investmentHelp identify and implement practical AI solutions across customer-facing products, enterprise platforms, and internal workflowsSupport modernization efforts through cloud-native architectures, APIs, automation, and scalable platform capabilitiesPromote engineering best practices, product thinking, operational excellence, and continuous improvementEstablish frameworks, standards, and governance processes that improve execution and cross-functional alignmentCommunicate technology strategy, business value, and program outcomes to executive leadership and key stakeholdersQualifications12+ years of experience in software engineering, product management, technology strategy, or technology leadership5+ years in senior leadership rolesStrong background in engineering, software development, product strategy, and product deliveryExperience in retail, eCommerce, consumer technology, or digital platformsProven ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives from concept through executionStrong understanding of cloud technologies, APIs, modern architecture, data platforms, and scalable systemsExperience implementing modern technology and AI-enabled solutions in production environmentsAbility to bridge business strategy, product vision, and technical executionExcellent communication, stakeholder management, and executive presentation skillsPreferred QualificationsExperience in omnichannel retail or consumer-facing technology organizationsBackground in product innovation, platform modernization, or digital transformationExperience leading technology incubations, innovation programs, or strategic initiativesExperience building shared engineering practices, Centers of Excellence, or product operating modelsFamiliarity with generative AI, machine learning applications, and emerging technology trendsWhy PetcoAt Petco, we're passionate about improving the lives of pets, pet parents, and our partners.

This role offers the opportunity to influence enterprise-wide technology and product strategy, drive innovation at scale, and help shape how we build and deliver the next generation of experiences, capabilities, and solutions across the Petco ecosystem.