Associate Director

Job Description Our story Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto is on a mission to save you time making every second count towards life's real joys. Our platform has revolutionised rapid commerce in India with cutting-edge technology and strategically optimised delivery hubs. Zepto offers an extensive range of 45,000+ products, from fresh groceries to electronics, beauty essentials, apparels, toys and more, delivering across 50+ cities in 10 minutes*. Zepto Caf extends our commitment to convenience, featuring a curated menu of over 200 fresh items. Role Overview We are looking for a dynamic and strategic Associate Director Supply Chain IT to lead end-to-end IT Service Delivery and operations across all warehouse, logistics, and supply chain locations. This role demands a blend of strategic leadership, operational excellence, automation mindset, and people management to ensure continuous IT uptime across 24x7 business operations. You will be responsible for building a scalable, SLA-driven IT service framework that enables efficiency, system reliability, and business continuity across distributed supply chain sites. Key Responsibilities 1. Strategic Leadership & Service Governance - Own the IT service delivery lifecycle across endpoints, warehouse systems, and cloud platforms supporting SCM operations. - Define and drive ITIL-based service frameworks, focusing on incident, problem, change, and release management aligned to logistics operations. - Establish and track SLA/KPI metrics for response, resolution, and uptime ensuring alignment with supply chain business objectives. - Develop a roadmap for modernization of supply chain IT operations using automation, analytics, and self-service solutions. - Partner with SCM leadership to align IT initiatives with business priorities such as warehouse throughput, fulfillment SLAs, and logistics efficiency. - Ensure high availability and resilience of critical applications (WMS, handheld device management, and mobility systems). 2. Operations & User Support Excellence - Oversee IT operations across warehouses, distribution centers, and remote SCM hubs ensuring business continuity and uptime. - Ensure quick resolution of issues related to networking, handheld devices, scanners, printers, Wi-Fi, and user systems. - Guide regional IT teams on root cause analysis and escalation management. - Drive proactive system monitoring, ticket trend analysis, and preventive maintenance programs. - Collaborate closely with Network, Cloud, Security, and Application teams to ensure optimal system performance. - Oversee IT Asset Management ensuring visibility, lifecycle tracking, and compliance across all supply chain locations. - Drive continuous improvement using CSAT feedback, audit observations, and operational analytics. - Ensure operational flexibility and readiness for extended shifts or business peaks (24x7 warehouse operations, festive surges, etc.). 3. Process Automation & Technology Enablement - Lead automation initiatives to reduce manual intervention in system management, asset tracking, and service workflows. - Evaluate and deploy modern ITSM and monitoring platforms (ManageEngine, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, etc.). - Collaborate with business and tech teams to enhance warehouse and logistics technologies including mobility management (MDM), barcode solutions, IoT integrations, and smart inventory systems. - Explore and integrate cloud-based and AI-driven solutions for better visibility, alerting, and efficiency. 4. Leadership & Team Development - Lead and mentor a distributed team of 3040 engineers across multiple supply chain sites. - Foster a service ownership culture with accountability, agility, and proactive communication. - Conduct performance reviews, training, and technical upskilling focused on warehouse IT, mobility, and automation tools. - Strengthen IT-business relationships by positioning IT as a strategic enabler of operational efficiency and delivery performance. - Ensure adequate shift planning and on-site coverage based on business hours, peak schedules, and critical operations. 5. Governance, Compliance & Vendor Management - Ensure compliance with IT policies, ISO 27001, ITGC, and audit standards across all sites. - Govern vendor contracts, AMC renewals, SLAs, and escalation management for hardware, network, and managed service providers. - Maintain complete documentation of assets, support workflows, and audit trails for traceability and compliance. - Generate monthly dashboards and performance insights for IT leadership and supply chain heads. - Drive initiatives for cost optimization, technology modernization, and sustainability across IT operations. Requirements - 1516 years of experience in IT Service Delivery, Infrastructure, or Operations Management, preferably in supply chain, manufacturing, or e-commerce environments. - Proven experience managing multi-location IT operations (warehouses, logistics hubs, distribution centers). - Strong understanding of networking (WAN/LAN/Wi-Fi), end-user computing, and cloud environments (Google Workspace, Azure, or AWS). - Experience with WMS platforms, handheld and mobility management, and endpoint security (MDM, EDR, DLP). - Deep familiarity with SLA-driven operations, ITIL frameworks, and service reporting. - Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and cross-functional coordination skills. - Ability to manage 24x7 operations, flexible to support rotational or business-demand-based schedules. - Strong communication and problem-solving abilities with an innovation mindset. - BSc in Computer Science / IT / Engineering or equivalent qualification. - ITIL v4 / PMP / ISO 20000 knowledge preferred.