Description

The Director of Information Systems (DIS) is a seasoned and results-oriented leader of all aspects of IT infrastructure and operations for Gentex’s multinational defense manufacturing business. The DIS should possess a strong understanding of information security principles and have a proven track record of implementing and maintaining secure, reliable, and scalable IT systems across geographically dispersed locations. The DIS will play a critical role in supporting Gentex’s global manufacturing operations and ensuring the effective use of technology to achieve our strategic objectives. The DIS ensures that the team has the necessary skills to maintain the company's IT systems with a high level of availability and appropriate governance processes and is also able to execute successfully on the organization's IT strategy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Establish the company’s technical vision for information and leads all aspects of the company’s information technological development through its ERP platform and Network architecture.
• Directs the company’s strategic direction, development, and future growth for information technology.
• Enables organization to have right systems, tools and information to make data driven decisions. 
• Works in a consultative fashion with other leaders in the organization as an advisor of technologies that may improve their efficiency and effectiveness.
• Provide leadership to other leaders in the organization in a fashion that supports the company’s culture, mission, and values.
• Conducts research and case studies on leading edge technologies and makes determinations on the probability of implementation.
• Acts as a good steward of Gentex resources and develops and manages IT expense and capital budget across the organization.
• Ensure IT Operations’ conformance to IT and DOD Governance standards, guidelines, processes, and policies. 
• Communication with vendors, customers and senior management regarding plans, goals, and budgets.
• Network connectivity, network security and architecture of corporate infrastructure. 
• Disaster recovery, business continuity, information security and data recovery planning. 
• Project management methodologies and techniques for resource optimization. 
• Communication with vendors, customers and senior management regarding plans, goals, and budgets. 
• Manage servers, maintenance and support service agreements, disaster recovery and business continuity plan for IT. 
• Manage staffing levels, efficiencies, goal setting, performance management and role definition for the IT team across all locations.
• Perform tactical and strategic planning, scheduling and resource allocation for IT resources including Applications, Development and Network/Hardware teams.
• Develop and maintain standardized procedures for all IT activity. 
• Provide technical guidance and project management coaching to project leads.
• Comprehensive experience in senior-level management of IT organizations, including expense and capex. responsibility, strategic planning, security, business relationship management, and vendor & contract management.
• Highly skilled in professional project management and delivering large scale, enterprise projects.
• Software/Application support of ERP, Financial, Sales, Engineering, Program Management, HR, and Communications Systems, plus Website 
• Designs, owns, and oversees IT Enterprise Architecture
• When applicable, lead integration strategy for IT capabilities during M&A activity.
• Other duties as assigned including flexibility for special projects and additional work hours to meet performance requirements. 
• Responsible for full software life-cycle including analysis, development, testing and training.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Position requires bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field (master’s degree preferred). 10 years of experience in a leadership role within information technology, preferably in a manufacturing and engineering environment; and 5 years of strategic IT planning experience. 

EXPERIENCE: 

• Proven experience in leading multi-site projects, intra and cross site networking and applications.
• Must have experience with various platforms, applications, software, and computer/information/communication technologies.
• In-depth understanding of information security principles, best practices (e.g., CMMC, NIST SP 800-161), and relevant industry regulations and data privacy laws (e.g., ITAR, GDPR)
• Experience with IT system integration and managing geographically dispersed IT environments.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to effectively manage and motivate a team; and lead complex projects and cross-functional teams to success. 
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Lean experience and belt certification desired. 
• Experience working with identifying, selecting, and working with IT vendors and service providers.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain all necessary security clearances for access to classified information.
• Proven experience of planning, implementing, and sustaining secure cloud-based applications, Website management and integration with of eCommerce solutions. 
• Hands on IT networking, troubleshooting and systems experience. 
• High Availability and Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity planning experience.
• Infrastructure Development and Strategic planning. 
• Experience with leading End User device management and security.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Lead, Develop and manage a team of IT professionals, including network administrators, system administrators, and cybersecurity specialists, and application/solution/project leads.
• In depth knowledge of ERP Systems. SAP in particular S/4 Hana Cloud experience is a plus.
• Ability to actively communicate, inspire and motivate all levels of staff, as well as cross-functional and cross-location project teams and customers.
• Ability to think and act strategically.
• Must be proactive, independent, entrepreneurial, and able to manage stakeholders and lead projects. 
• Strong writing and presentation skills. 
• The candidate must have the ability to develop strategic, tactical and operational business capabilities to support the effective implementation of solutions through the use of new or enhanced technology products and services to achieve the business objectives.
• Strong ability to influence others while working in a highly matrix environment.
• Excellent oral, written and presentation skills to effectively decompose and communicate complex technical and business concepts.
• Positive thinking, can-do attitude, initiative, and ability to see the whole picture and integrate multiple points of view for the optimal overall solution.
• Ability to prioritize multiple efforts that compete for resources with appropriate sense of urgency.
• Customer focus to serve the organization through understanding that technology is a means to an end and aligns business strategy and objectives with technology solutions.
• Ability to collaborate, conceptualize and develop alternative solution approaches, articulating the benefits and tradeoffs of each solution (includes evaluation of external applications, internal process and use of programming only where required)
• Takes accountability and is willing to take positions assertively, make decisions and take action.
• Manages customer expectations.
• Possesses the ability to interact equally well with experts from multiple disciplines, both technical and non-technical. Listens effectively and articulates complex technology alternatives in ways appropriate for audience.