The posting
About Us
Fanatics is a leading global sports platform redefining how fans connect with the teams, players and moments they love. Our businesses — Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Fanatics Events, Fanatics Advertising, Fanatics Markets and Fanatics Studios — maximize the presence and reach for hundreds of partners globally and create a one-stop experience that allows fans to buy, bet, collect, and earn, while engaging with sports in deeper, more immersive ways. This includes licensed fan gear and lifestyle products, sportsbook and iGaming, physical and digital trading cards, live events, premium sports entertainment content, credit card offerings and more. Together, they form a powerful, integrated ecosystem — connected by the Fanatics ONE loyalty program and FanCash, the currency of sport — delivering personalized experiences to over 100 million fans worldwide. Fanatics holds partnerships with over 900 sports properties, from professional leagues and players’ associations to teams, colleges and retail partners; over 7,000 athletes and celebrities; and over 2,000 retail locations, including all Lids stores. Backed by a team of more than 22,000 employees, Fanatics is committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience.
Fanatics Collect | Global Operations | Reports to: SVP, Operations
Location: Portland area (Tualatin, OR) | Full-time, on-site
About the Role
Fanatics Collect is building the most trusted marketplace for collectibles, and the Vault is the foundation of that trust. As volume grows, the Vault has to scale on engineered systems rather than headcount: robotics, automation, software and data that keep high-value assets secure, accurately tracked and moving fast.
The Vice President, Operations Engineering & Automation owns that engine. You will design, build and deploy the automation, systems and engineering capabilities that power Vault operations, and help turn the Portland-area site into a flagship, AI-enabled facility. You will work in lockstep with the Vault Facility and Vault Performance teams who run daily operations, and with Marketplace Operations, whose growth plans and new programs your platforms must support.
This is a hands-on senior leadership role for someone who has put automation on a real warehouse or fulfillment floor, and who can make the business case, deliver the project and hand it off to the operators who run it.
What You Will Do
Strategy & Roadmap
- Set the automation roadmap. Define and sequence the multi-year operations engineering and automation strategy, covering robotics, material handling, process automation and AI-enabled workflows, tied to volume forecasts and the Vault growth plan.
- Build the business case. Size each investment, set ROI and payback targets, and manage capital plans so fixed investments leverage into lower unit cost and higher throughput as volume scales.
- Design for scale. Define the target operating model and site architecture for the Portland-area site and future Vault sites, including layout, flow, capacity and expansion readiness.
Engineering & Delivery
- Lead Operations Engineering. Own industrial, process, controls and systems engineering for receiving, intake and authentication, storage, inventory control, fulfillment and outbound shipping.
- Deploy automation. Select, integrate and commission robotics, conveyance, storage and retrieval, scanning and imaging, and other automation, from vendor selection through launch and stabilization.
- Integrate the systems layer. Partner with Technology and Product to connect WMS, inventory control, order management and operational data so automation, chain of custody and reporting work as one system.
- Apply AI to operations. Identify and deliver AI-driven workflows that improve accuracy, cycle time, exception handling and decision-making on the floor.
- Standardize and hand off. Define SOPs, training and change-management plans so new systems transition cleanly to Vault Facility and Vault Performance leaders.
Performance, Risk & Controls
- Own engineering KPIs. Define and track automation uptime, throughput, inventory accuracy, error and claims rates, cycle time, cost per unit handled and ROI against plan.
- Protect asset integrity. Engineer chain of custody, audit readiness, loss prevention and physical and cyber controls into every system, with Security, Legal and Risk.
- Manage vendors. Run relationships with automation integrators, equipment manufacturers and systems providers, including contracts, SLAs and maintenance programs.
- Drive safety and compliance. Ensure all equipment and processes meet safety, regulatory and insurance standards.
Leadership
- Build the team. Hire, lead and develop directors, managers and engineers across operations engineering, controls, automation and continuous improvement, with clear goals and a culture of accountability and safety.
- Own the budget. Manage the operating budget, capital plan and headcount for the organization; report on results, risks and ROI to executive leadership.
- Partner across the company. Work with Vault Facility, Vault Performance, Marketplace Operations, Technology, Product, Finance, Security, Legal and Customer Experience to deliver integrated solutions.
What You Bring
- 12+ years in operations engineering, automation, supply chain or logistics, with at least 5 years leading large, multi-layer engineering or operations teams.
- Proven record deploying automation, robotics or advanced systems in warehouse, fulfillment, secure storage or other asset-intensive operations, with measurable gains in accuracy, speed and cost.
- Experience taking projects from business case through design, integration, launch and stabilization, including managing capital budgets and vendors.
- Strong command of WMS, inventory management systems, controls and the data architecture behind them.
- Experience in high-value or high-security environments (vaults, custody, fulfillment centers or similar), including audits, insurance requirements and chain-of-custody practices.
- Data-driven approach to KPIs, forecasting, capacity planning and process improvement; experience applying AI or machine learning to operations.
- Executive presence and the ability to influence across Operations, Technology, Finance, Security and Product.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
Preferred
- Lean, Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
- Background in authentication, grading, collectibles or precious asset handling.
- Experience opening or expanding multi-site facilities.
What Success Looks Like
- First 30 days: Assess current systems, automation and engineering capability; audit controls; align with the SVP and Vault peers on KPIs and priorities.
- First 60 days: Deliver a prioritized automation roadmap with business cases, and launch the first high-impact improvements to accuracy and throughput.
- Post 60 days: Execute the roadmap so each fixed investment lowers unit cost and expands capacity, and establish the Vault as a technology-enabled competitive advantage that collectors and partners trust.
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