Zach Robida

Zach Robida

Design Lead — Supply Chain Software & AI-Driven Solutions

Contact
Education
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Clemson University — Clemson, SC
2013 - 2018 | 4 Semesters of Co-Op Experience
Sustainable Cities of Scandinavia Program
Linnaeus University — Kalmar, Sweden
Summer 2017 | Selected as commencement speaker out of 300 students
Disclaimer

This website’s content was generated in a local VS Code environment using GitHub Copilot, powered by Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4.6 AI model. It draws from materials provided by Zach Robida, including his resume, cover letter, past performance reviews, and other supporting documents. Despite the AI-generated nature of this content, all information in this document has been independently verified for accuracy. This information was last compiled 4/25/2026 12:11AM GMT

Professional Summary

Zach Robida is a Design Lead at Manhattan Associates with 8 years of experience delivering high-impact supply chain software solutions for federal government clients. He bridges the gap between functional design and technical implementation — translating complex business requirements into scalable, well-documented solutions on platforms ranging from cloud-native FedRAMP environments to modern Angular-based logistics applications. Zach is an automation-first thinker who actively embeds AI into his workflow, using GitHub Copilot and Glean among other tools to accelerate design documentation, reduce manual overhead, and raise the quality bar for his entire team. Recognized with a Spirit Award for Master Mentor in 2025, he consistently elevates the consultants around him through structured coaching, delegated ownership, and a relentless focus on process improvement.

Cover Letter

Shlomi, For the past eight years, I have focused on solving complex problems at the intersection of enterprise software, supply chain operations, and evolving technology — consistently identifying where systems break down and designing better ways to make them work. Within my first year as a consultant at Manhattan Associates, I identified a critical bottleneck in our release process: a growing testing backlog that constrained delivery. I taught myself Python and built a dynamic Selenium-based automation framework, transforming a manual process into a scalable system and significantly improving release throughput. That experience shaped how I approach problems today — not as isolated tasks, but as systems that can be optimized, automated, and continuously improved. Since then, I have expanded into a Design Lead role, responsible for delivering multi-million-dollar implementations and guiding solution design end-to-end. I work directly with clients to understand their business processes, define requirements, and architect solutions that are both technically sound and operationally practical. Across these engagements, I have consistently introduced automation and, more recently, AI-driven approaches to improve efficiency, reduce manual effort, and enhance decision-making. My focus today is on applying AI as a practical layer within real systems — not as a standalone capability, but as an integrated component that enhances workflows, accelerates development, and enables smarter operations. I am particularly interested in how AI-driven feedback loops can continuously refine systems over time, creating compounding gains in efficiency and quality. What differentiates me is not a specific toolset, but a mindset: I question assumptions, identify constraints, make tough decisions, and design solutions that scale. I am comfortable operating across technical implementation, system design, and stakeholder communication. I am seeking an opportunity where I can apply this approach to help organizations design and implement AI-enabled systems that deliver measurable impact. If that aligns with your company's goals, I greatly welcome the opportunity to connect. Zach Robida

Work History

Project Highlights

AI-Driven Documentation Repository (Current Effort)

GitHub Copilot Claude Sonnet Glean Python Jinja2 AI
Problem Functional design documentation was inconsistent, repetitive to scaffold, and disconnected from the development pipeline — creating delays and quality variance across projects.
Solution Designed and built a centralized, version-controlled documentation repository with Jinja2-based automation tooling that scaffolds new specs on demand. Custom GitHub Copilot instructions and Claude Sonnet-powered agents are embedded directly in the repo as live context, driving high-quality output at scale. Leveraging Glean via MCP for knowledge management to ensure Claude has a substantial context window of internal documentation, past projects, and design patterns to draw from.
Tech Python, Jinja2, GitHub Copilot, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Glean, Markdown, Git
Impact Eliminated repetitive document setup, enforced consistent specification standards, and measurably accelerated functional documentation throughput across the implementation team.

Syncfusion + Figma Design System (LogX1)

Figma Syncfusion Angular UI/UX Process Improvement
Problem Significant gap between design intent and developer output on the LogX1 Angular application. Developers lacked fidelity mockups; the team had no reusable component library.
Solution Independently identified and prototyped the Syncfusion Angular component framework, built a business case with long-term cost analysis, convinced leadership to adopt it, and then integrated components into a Figma library for the team.
Tech Figma, Syncfusion Angular, LogX1 application platform
Impact Reduced developer/functional back-and-forth on UI issues during build and test phases. Phase 4 design and functional output quality measurably exceeded Phase 3. Became the standard design workflow for the team.

Digital Proof of Delivery

Design Lead Custom FEMA
Problem FEMA has major operational gaps with receiving commodities at state sites, leading to systematic errors — creating operational inefficiencies and compliance risks.
Solution Designed a custom digital proof of delivery solution that integrates with the existing LSCMS inventory model, enabling state-level receiving and inventory reconciliation with real-time visibility for FEMA. Presented the design to FEMA as $1.5M project currently pending funding approval.
Tech Manhattan Active, LogX1, Angular
Impact

FEMA State Portal

Design Lead Angular Syncfusion Figma $1M+ Project
Problem FEMA needed extended LSCMS visibility for State Emergency Management Associations, requiring a custom portal with a novel inventory model entirely decoupled from the existing ASN/Order flow.
Solution Served as sole Design Lead, authoring the Conceptual Design Document, designing a custom POD inventory snapshot data model, and creating a data access control layer for state-level companies — all on the new Angular/Syncfusion platform.
Tech Manhattan SCPP / LogX1, Angular, Syncfusion, Figma, extension spec framework
Impact Delivered on time with scope held near-perfectly to original plan. Client POCs expressed satisfaction with solution quality. Laid the foundation for future LogX1 expansion.

Manhrobo — Automated Testing Framework

Python Automation FedRAMP AWS
Problem Manual regression testing required 6 consultants a full week per cycle. Monthly patching made this schedule untenable.
Solution Designed and built Manhrobo, a lightweight portable Python framework purpose-built for supply chain application testing, with randomized input data, auto-generated logs, and cloud-native execution via AWS SSM.
Tech Python, AWS SSM, Robot Framework, REST/JDBC integrations, CI execution pipeline
Impact Reduced full regression cycle from ~240 consultant-hours to 30 minutes. Eliminated 70+ consultant-hours per monthly patch cycle across 10+ environments. Replaced ~80% of all manual consultant testing.

FedRAMP Cloud Vulnerability Automation Pipeline

Python AWS Security FedRAMP WebInspect
Problem All DAST vulnerability scanning, reporting, and Jira ticket creation was fully manual, creating compliance risk and hundreds of hours of analyst overhead per year.
Solution Designed a fully autonomous vulnerability detection and reporting framework: parallel WebInspect scans feed auto-exported results to S3, trigger Jira ticket creation, and populate Amazon Athena for POA&M and continuous-monitoring reports.
Tech Python, AWS S3 / Athena, WebInspect, Nessus, Jira API, PowerShell
Impact Saved hundreds of annual hours on vulnerability management. Provided a compliant, auditable evidence trail that supported FEMA's FedRAMP High authorization.

Skills & Proficiency

AI & Automation
GitHub Copilot (Instructions, Prompting, Agents)
Expert
Glean Collections & Memories
Advanced
Automated Testing
Expert
AI Workflow Integration
Advanced
Design & UI Systems
Functional / Extension Design
Expert
Figma
Advanced
Angular Components
Advanced
UI/UX Mockups & Prototyping
Advanced
Programming & Scripting
Python
Expert
SQL
Advanced
HTML / CSS / JavaScript
Intermediate
Jinja2 Templating
Intermediate
Systems & Architecture
AWS (EC2, S3, SSM, Athena)
Advanced
FedRAMP / Security Compliance
Advanced
Manhattan Active Supply Chain
Expert
Windows Server Administration
Intermediate
Data & Analysis
Python Pandas / NumPy
Advanced
SQL Query Development
Advanced
Excel / Macro Development
Intermediate
Amazon Athena / Data Pipelines
Intermediate
Postman/ Requests
Advanced
Tools & Platforms
WebInspect / Nessus (DAST/SAST)
Advanced
Figma
Advanced
Git / GitHub
Advanced
ServiceNow / ServiceDesk
Intermediate
Jira / Confluence
Advanced
Leadership

He has exhibited a talent I have only seen in two or three new consultants over my time with MA.

Matt Perry
Senior Engagement Director (quoted in 2018 Review)
Managers

Zach ramped up on the MATM solution, helped translate FEMA's SCPP solution into MATM, and established key contacts throughout the company to enhance his skills and progress his projects forward. In the coming year, Zach will be critical in designing FEMA's MASC solution and driving the project to a successful 2027 go-live.

Thomas Adams
Manager, 2025 Year-End Review

Zach has had a great first year as a Design Lead — not just leading design phases, but spearheading internal initiatives to help us deliver higher-quality solutions more quickly and efficiently. These efforts were impactful from both a design and development perspective.

Thomas Adams
Manager, 2024 Year-End Review

Zach had another great year and is performing well-beyond the role of a Senior Consultant. His FEMA solution knowledge, technical and design skills, and ability to work well within our team makes him an invaluable resource to our department and Manhattan as a whole.

Thomas Adams
Manager, 2023 Year-End Review

Zach played a critical role in our COVID response for FEMA. He worked long hours and solved difficult functional problems. His input will be invaluable as we move into 2021 with many new projects and initiatives on the horizon.

Thomas Adams
Manager, 2020 Year-End Review

Zach has continued to grow in many areas of his professional and technical development. He has proven that he can work on some of the most challenging tasks and master them as quickly as anyone. He has continued to show some of the best initiative I've seen at Manhattan.

Michaela McGinty
Manager, 2019 Year-End Review

Zach is off to an outstanding start in his career at MA. He has made contributions beyond what is expected of a new consultant — a very quick learner, a hard worker, and able to understand complex systems.

Ellie Kelly
Manager, 2018 Year-End Review
Spirit Awards & Recognition

Zach received the Q4 2025 Spirit Award for Master Mentor — recognized for building durable design instincts across the consulting team through structured coaching, delegated ownership, and an open-door approach to knowledge transfer.

Manhattan Associates
Q4 2025 Spirit Award — Master Mentor

Completed 18 campus recruiting interviews in Fall 2025 — ranking in the top 5 interviewers company-wide — demonstrating sustained commitment to bringing top talent into the organization.

Manhattan Associates
2025 Recruiting Recognition
Personal Interests & Hobbies
Woodworking DIY Home Projects Carpentry Bathroom Renovations Tiling Electrical Work Reading
Work Style
Problem Approach Identifies inefficiencies before being asked, then builds systematic solutions rather than one-off fixes. Driven by a belief that the best way to keep doing interesting work is to make the current work better.
Learning Style Learns by doing and by mapping knowledge gaps to the people who have already solved the problem. Comfortable going deep on technical topics outside his formal background — mechanical engineering to Python to AI workflows.
Leadership Leads through enablement rather than authority. Prefers to delegate, review, and develop rather than do it himself — because a team of skilled people scales infinitely better than one person who does everything.
Work Style Automation-first. Deeply invested in AI as a practical accelerant. Brings structured thinking to ambiguous problems and communicates with a bias toward clarity and brevity.
Personality Assessments
Myers-Briggs — ENTJ Natural leader and strategic thinker. ENTJs excel at organizing people and resources toward long-term goals, communicating with clarity and confidence, and turning ambitious visions into executable plans.
Color Personality — Red Driven, results-oriented, and decisive. Reds thrive in fast-paced environments, take ownership instinctively, and bring energy and directness to every challenge they tackle.
Enneagram — Type 8: The Challenger Confident, resourceful, and deeply invested in making a positive impact. Type 8s are natural protectors of their team — they advocate fiercely for the people around them and take on difficult problems others avoid.
Family
Wife Married to Molly McCullough Robida.
Pets Two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: Nova (6) and Bentley (3).
Influential Books
The Singularity Is Near / The Singularity Is Nearer — Ray Kurzweil
Technology compounds. Understanding the trajectory of exponential growth changes how you think about what is coming — and how fast.
Nexus — Yuval Noah Harari
Information networks have always shaped civilization. AI is the latest — and most powerful — iteration of that pattern.
Sapiens & Homo Deus — Yuval Noah Harari
Where we came from defines the hidden assumptions we carry into the future. Understanding history is the prerequisite for designing what comes next.
The Master Algorithm — Pedro Domingos
ML is not magic — it is a search for a unifying learning framework. Demystifying the mechanism makes you a better practitioner.
Scary Smart — Mo Gawdat
The question is not whether AI becomes capable, but what values we embed in it along the way. Agency matters now, not later.
Smart Brevity — VandeHei, Allen & Schwartz
Saying more with less is a skill, not a shortcut. Respecting the reader's time is the foundation of effective communication.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team — Patrick Lencioni
Trust is the root. Every team dysfunction traces back to an unwillingness to be vulnerable. Fix the root, not the symptoms.
The First Time Manager — Belker, McCormick & Topchik
Managing people is a craft, not a promotion. The shift from doing to enabling is the hardest and most important transition in a career.
Freakonomics — Levitt & Dubner
Incentives explain almost everything. Look at the data, question the conventional narrative, and find the hidden lever.
Conscious — Annaka Harris
Consciousness may be far more fundamental — and far stranger — than our intuitions suggest. Staying humble about what we don't know keeps thinking sharp.