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IT & Data Manager

Architect our data foundation and lead AI-driven transformation in beauty retail

Location: On-Site / Hybrid

Employment: Full-Time, Exempt

Salary Range: $95,000 - $125,000

Reports To: CEO / COO

ABOUT US

We are a growing beauty retail company operating multiple retail locations, with plans to expand into e-commerce and build a digital presence from the ground up. Our customers trust us for expert product curation, personalized beauty advice, and a shopping experience that reflects genuine care and deep product knowledge.

We are launching an initiative to build a unified data foundation and digital infrastructure that will power AI-driven personalization, smarter inventory management, and a seamless omnichannel customer experience. This role is the leadership hire that makes it all happen.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for a hands-on IT & Data Manager to architect, build, and lead our entire technology and data infrastructure. This is a greenfield opportunity: you will evaluate our existing systems, design the right data architecture, select the tools and platforms that fit our scale, and build the digital capabilities we need - including a brand-new e-commerce platform and website from scratch.

Our current technology footprint includes a Lightspeed X-Series POS across our retail locations. Everything beyond that - the data architecture, integration strategy, database platform, e-commerce stack, analytics pipeline, and AI roadmap - is yours to design. We have ideas and direction, but we are hiring you to make the technology decisions and own the outcomes.

You will be the first dedicated technology leader in the company, reporting directly to the CEO/COO with a mandate to build and lead a small, high-impact IT team.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Data Architecture & Infrastructure Design

• Evaluate our existing Lightspeed POS data and design the data architecture from the ground up, selecting the database platform, integration tools, and pipeline strategy that fits our scale and growth trajectory
• Architect a unified data model connecting in-store POS transactions, customer profiles, product catalogs, inventory, and future e-commerce and web analytics into a single source of truth
• Design and implement identity resolution to create a single golden customer record from fragmented data across all channels
• Build the integration layer between Lightspeed POS and the central data platform with near-real-time sync, monitoring, and alerting
• Establish data governance policies: quality standards, naming conventions, access controls, and documentation

E-Commerce & Digital Platform

• Lead the evaluation, selection, and build of our e-commerce platform and brand website from scratch
• Ensure the e-commerce platform integrates deeply with the data architecture from day one: shared customer profiles, unified inventory, consistent product data across channels
• Implement analytics and behavioral tracking to capture browsing and purchase data that feeds into AI models
• Build the digital foundation for personalized experiences: product recommendations, beauty profile-driven content, and intelligent search

AI Strategy & Agentic AI Readiness

• Design and build the AI Feature Store - pre-computed customer and product features powering recommendation engines, churn prediction, demand forecasting, and personalized marketing
• Develop the AI roadmap, identifying high-impact use cases: personalized recommendations, virtual consultations, intelligent inventory replenishment, and automated customer engagement
• Evaluate and plan for adoption of Agentic AI technologies - autonomous agents capable of multi-step workflows such as customer service resolution, order management, supplier communication, dynamic pricing, and proactive inventory reordering
• Stay current with rapidly evolving AI capabilities; assess emerging tools and frameworks for practical application; build infrastructure flexible enough to support future AI agent integration
• Establish model monitoring, evaluation, and retraining protocols to keep AI systems accurate as data and conditions evolve

Team Leadership & Vendor Management

• Hire and manage a small IT team: Database/Integration Engineer, E-Commerce Developer, Data Analyst, and IT Support Technician, scaled to business needs
• Manage vendor relationships with Lightspeed, hosting providers, e-commerce partners, and contract consultants
• Set and manage the IT budget with build-vs-buy recommendations grounded in ROI and scalability
• Coordinate with store managers to improve POS data capture and train staff on customer profile completion

Security & Compliance

• Define and enforce data security policies for customer data across all current and new systems
• Ensure PCI DSS compliance across retail locations and the new e-commerce platform
• Design the customer consent framework and maintain compliance with applicable privacy regulations

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years in IT management, data engineering, or a hybrid technical leadership role
• Demonstrated ability to design data architectures from scratch: evaluating platforms, selecting integration tools, building scalable pipelines for multi-channel retail or e-commerce
• Strong database expertise (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or cloud-native) including schema design, query optimization, and ETL/ELT development
• Hands-on experience with POS system integrations and retail transaction data flows
• Experience leading the build or major overhaul of an e-commerce platform
• Working knowledge of data quality frameworks, deduplication, and identity resolution
• Understanding of AI/ML concepts and strong interest in emerging technologies including agentic AI, autonomous workflows, and intelligent automation
• Track record managing cross-functional technical projects with milestones, budgets, and deliverables
• Experience managing a small technical team (2-5 direct reports)
• Exceptional communication: able to translate architecture decisions for store managers and AI capabilities into business cases for executives

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in beauty, cosmetics, or specialty retail
• Familiarity with Lightspeed X-Series POS and its API/integration ecosystem
• Hands-on experience deploying AI agents, LLM-powered tools, or intelligent automation in a business context
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP) and migration planning
• Background in recommendation systems, customer segmentation, or predictive analytics for retail
• PCI DSS compliance experience
• Knowledge of CCPA or state-level privacy regulations

HOW YOU'LL BE MEASURED

• Data architecture designed and approved within first 60 days
• Core data platform operational with POS data flowing reliably
• E-commerce platform launched, fully integrated with data architecture
• Majority of customers identified across channels via identity resolution
• High data quality scores on completeness, validity, and consistency
• IT team key roles filled within first 6 months
• AI Feature Store operational and agentic AI roadmap defined

YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS

Days 1-30: Audit Lightspeed POS data across all locations. Document data sources, structure, and quality. Meet store managers to understand pain points. Evaluate database platforms, integration tools, and e-commerce solutions. Draft the data architecture and technology roadmap.

Days 31-60: Present recommended architecture and stack to leadership. Finalize e-commerce platform selection and begin the build. Start hiring. Establish data governance standards. Begin Lightspeed-to-data-platform integration.

Days 61-90: Launch first data pipelines. Begin customer deduplication. Advance e-commerce toward launch timeline. Implement automated data quality checks. Deliver progress report with updated roadmap and agentic AI opportunity assessment.

WHY THIS ROLE IS DIFFERENT

Most IT Manager postings hand you a fixed stack and ask you to maintain it. This role hands you a blank canvas and asks you to design what comes next. You will choose the database, architect the pipelines, select the e-commerce technology, and define how AI - including autonomous AI agents - will shape how we serve customers and run our business. If you have ever wished you could start from scratch and do it right, this is that opportunity.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary of $95,000 - $125,000 based on experience
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance
• Opportunity to build a technology function and data architecture from the ground up
• Direct reporting line to executive leadership with real decision-making authority
• Hybrid work flexibility after the initial buildout phase
• Employee discount on all beauty products
• Professional development budget including AI and emerging technology education

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your resume and a brief cover letter addressing:

• An example of a data infrastructure or technology platform you designed and built from concept to production
• Your perspective on how agentic AI will change retail operations in the next two to three years, and what infrastructure decisions matter now to be ready

We review applications on a rolling basis. No recruiters or agencies, please.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.