Director of Information Technology

Job Description: Director of Information Technology Position Title: Director of Information Technology Location: 100% On-site (Splitting week dynamically between Corporate HQ in Naperville, IL, and Production Facility in East Chicago, IN) Employment Type: Full-Time Salary: $150,000+ (Commensurate with experience, plus Private Equity-aligned bonus incentives) Position Summary The Director of Information Technology is a gritty, tech-forward, and relentlessly hands-on IT executive role designed for a "blocker and tackler" leader. Reporting directly to the CFO, this individual is responsible for developing and executing our multi-year technology strategy while actively maintaining secure, reliable, and cost-effective IT operations across our dual-site footprint. This is not a boardroom-only role. The ideal candidate is a full-time player-coach who manages an internal team of 3–5 IT professionals alongside outsourced resources. You will split your week seamlessly between our corporate headquarters and high-volume, cold-chain manufacturing floor. We need a leader who will fiercely advocate for workflow automation, handle intense daily multitasking, and roll up their sleeves to configure hardware alongside their team while partnering with executive leadership to drive EBITDA growth. IT Strategy, Leadership & Team Management Develop, execute, and govern the company's multi-year IT strategy to align technology initiatives with aggressive business scaling metrics. Directly manage, mentor, and develop an internal IT department of 3–5 staff members , fostering a low-ego, highly collaborative, and customer-service-driven environment. Build and manage the annual IT operating (OpEx) and capital (CapEx) budgets to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO). Partner closely with the CFO to leverage technology that improves operational efficiency, controls technology costs, and protects company assets. Establish and monitor departmental KPIs, ticket resolutions, and service level metrics. Enterprise Applications & Digital Transformation Lead the administration, integration, and optimization of our enterprise application stack, including Plex ERP , MercuryGate TMS , Monday.com CRM , Paycom HRIS , and TraceGains Quality Systems . Serve as the organization's loudest advocate for modernizing workflows and eliminating manual financial and operational bottlenecks. Identify opportunities to leverage Artificial Intelligence and automation by partnering directly with Cuesta to deploy tools like Claude AI for AP/AR processes. Manufacturing Technology & Plant Operations Directly support dual-site plant operations by maintaining shop floor hardware, labeling systems, warehouse technologies, and barcode/RF devices. Ensure continuous uptime and reliability for plant networking, production reporting, quality systems, and automation connectivity. Partner actively with Operations on the factory floor to improve manufacturing productivity through technical innovation. Infrastructure & Cybersecurity Leadership Ensure high system availability and reliable operation of all networks, servers, cloud environments, storage, telecommunications, and wireless infrastructure. Oversee rigorous disaster recovery, business continuity planning, system upgrades, and hardware lifecycle management. Act as the primary cybersecurity leader by developing security strategy, managing endpoint protection, monitoring threats, and leading penetration testing. Manage cyber insurance requirements, vulnerability remediation, incident response, and employee security awareness training. Manage outsourced IT providers, negotiate software/hardware licensing contracts, and strictly monitor vendor performance. Ensure absolute compliance with food safety technology requirements, data privacy regulations, software licensing, and customer security audits. Skills & Qualifications Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or Business Technology. A Master's Degree or MBA is a strong plus. Experience: 10+ years of progressive IT experience, with mandatory operational leadership experience within food manufacturing, high-speed packaging, or cold-chain logistics. People Leadership: Proven success managing, coaching, and scaling an internal technical team of 3–5 direct reports in a fast-paced environment. PE Fluency: Experience working within a fast-moving, Private Equity-backed setting with a clear understanding of scaling metrics. Software Expertise: Direct, practical exposure to Plex ERP and MercuryGate TMS is highly preferred. Proficiency with Microsoft 365, SQL, and EDI is required. Leadership Style: A "roll-up-your-sleeves" leader who thrives in the trenches, possesses a thick skin, and prefers active technical execution over passive delegation. Language: Bilingual in English and Spanish is a significant advantage. Mobility: Absolute willingness to split the workweek dynamically between Naperville, IL, and East Chicago, IN, with no remote flexibility. Physical Requirements Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout manufacturing facilities for extended periods. Comfortable working in cold and freezer environments (~0°F to 40°F) to support line technologies. Ability to lift up to 30 lbs occasionally to assist with hardware deployment, cabling, and network configurations. Flexibility to work early mornings, nights, or weekends as needed to manage system deployments and minimize operational downtime. Why Join Us? Play a critical, autonomous role in launching a state-of-the-art facility and reshaping a hyper-growth cold-chain operation. Work alongside an innovation-driven leadership team focused on automation and sustainability. Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Life insurance, Short/Long-term Disability, 401(k) matching, and Paid Time Off. #J-18808-Ljbffr