Job Title: Enterprise Director of Information Technology

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Company: Irwin

Position Overview: Reporting directly to the SVP of Growth of Innovation, Enterprise Director of Information Technology is responsible for overseeing the full software and technology infrastructure lifecycle of development, implementation, and management of multi-site enterprise applications across the organization. This leadership role ensures that the applications support the company's business goals, processes, and needs while maintaining operational efficiency, security, and user satisfaction.

This agile and growth-oriented Enterprise Director of Information Technology oversees all aspects of our IT department. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing our IT infrastructure, systems, networks, and security protocols. He or she will lead a team of internal IT professionals and external partners/contractors to ensure IT strategies, execution and resources are being deployed in an organized and efficient manner. This position will play a key role in Enterprise Digital Transformation to help realize Irwin’s strategic priority to be the industry Thought Leader by providing the industry's best customers with a digital experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strategy and Vision: Define and drive the strategic direction for enterprise applications, ensuring alignment with the organization's broader IT and business objectives. Understands and anticipates the direction of the business to identify opportunities and make recommendations to support the desired future state.
• Directly support the implementation of CRM, CPQ, CLM, and integration with existing Engineering and ERP systems.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Establish and maintain strategic relationships with function leaders and other stakeholders to understand and cater to their application needs, ensuring solutions are user-friendly and drive business value.
• Performance Monitoring: Regularly review the performance of enterprise applications, ensuring they meet performance, security, and functionality standards.
• Change Management: Drive application-related change management initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions and minimal disruption.
• Security and Compliance: Ensure that all enterprise applications comply with relevant regulations and internal policies, particularly in areas such as data privacy and security.
• Vendor Relations: Manage relationships with software vendors, application service providers, and external consultants.
• Budget Management: Develop and manage the budget for enterprise applications, ensuring cost-effectiveness and ROI.
• Lead or be part of a large transformational initiative within the organization, ensuring the transformation is on time, on budget, and to the intended quality standards.
• Proactively identifying risks and areas of improvement and will develop mitigation plans to ensure successful program delivery.
• Direct and manage enterprise-wide IT team and structure to support Irwin’s ongoing transformation.
• Serve as liaison with functional business leaders to identify IT team knowledge/skills gaps, and strategically develop the team to support future needs.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the IT department, including migrating/updating hardware, network management, and technical support.
• Ensure the security and integrity of our IT infrastructure and data, implementing robust security measures and protocols.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies, software, and hardware solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead IT projects from conception to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time and within budget.
• Stay current with industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies, and make recommendations for their adoption as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain IT policies, procedures, and documentation to ensure compliance and standardization.
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts, negotiating favorable terms and ensuring vendors meet service-level agreements.
• Develop and implement multi-site IT infrastructure, software, and security network to foster remote Enterprise market-based team collaboration.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 10 years of related experience as an Information Systems hands-on leader in a manufacturing environment.
• Technology Leader: Strong IT background with exposure to CREO, AutoCAD, Infor CPQ, PLEX ERP, Shop Floor operations, B2B eCommerce, Analytic technologies, and custom-developed application development.
• Prior work experience in a vertically integrated global manufacturing company with B2B and/or B2C distribution preferred.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Extensive experience in enterprise application development, implementation, and management.
• Proven leadership and team management abilities, along with ability to establish productive relationships across the organization.
• Strong understanding of enterprise application technologies, architectures, and best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and costs.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proactive, energetic, flexible and team-oriented are key attributes essential to this position.
• Strong communications skills, both written and verbal, are required.
• Previous experience with Lean and/or Agile operation principles desired.
• Demonstrated natural “achiever” personality with a start-up mentality who strives to resolve issues and roadblocks to meet goals on time.
• A seasoned people leader, motivator and mentor with experience in managing professional and technical teams and employees, recognized as a leader able to inspire and motivate others through conviction, vision, and the ability to formulate and clearly articulate direction.

Special Requirements

• Ability to travel 10% (Mainly United States)
• Ability to work evenings and/or weekends.