Director of IT

Essential Functions

• Strategic Leadership & Governance
• Develop and execute the IT strategy to support manufacturing operations, supply chain, quality, engineering, and corporate functions.
• Serve as a strategic partner to operations, engineering, quality, finance, and executive leadership.
• Establish IT governance, policies, standards, and best practices across the facility.
• Manage IT budgets, vendor relationships, and technology roadmaps.
• ERP & MES Integration
• Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing integration of the ERP system with the MES to ensure seamless data flow across production, inventory, quality, maintenance, and financial systems.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, process engineering, and quality teams to define system requirements and workflows.
• Ensure real-time visibility into production performance, traceability, genealogy, and compliance data.
• Oversee system upgrades, enhancements, and scalability as production volumes increase.
• Manufacturing & Operational Systems
• Support plant-floor systems including MES, SCADA, PLC interfaces, data historians, and industrial networks.
• Ensure high availability and reliability of manufacturing systems in a 24/7 production environment.
• Drive digital manufacturing initiatives such as automation, analytics, and Industry 4.0 capabilities.
• Cybersecurity & Infrastructure
• Ensure robust cybersecurity practices across enterprise and operational technology (IT/OT) environments.
• Oversee infrastructure including networks, servers, cloud platforms, data centers, and endpoint devices.
• Implement disaster recovery, business continuity, and backup strategies.
• Team Leadership & Development
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing IT team, including internal staff and external partners.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure appropriate training and knowledge transfer for both IT staff and system users.
• Compliance & Risk Management
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, quality, and data security requirements relevant to battery manufacturing.
• Manage IT risks and audits, including vendor and system risk assessments.

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of progressive IT experience, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership or director-level role.
• Proven experience in manufacturing environments, preferably high-volume or process manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success in integrating ERP platforms with MES systems in a production setting in cloud and on-premise environments.
• Strong understanding of IT/OT convergence, manufacturing systems architecture, and plant-floor technologies.
• Experience managing vendors, system integrators, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• IT software and hardware systems associated with a Battery manufacturing plant.
• Demonstrated project and budget management skills
• Strong business acumen with a broad understanding of fundamental IT principles
• Analytical problem-solving skills with impeccable attention to detail
• Ability to set overall strategy and drive process improvement
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to collaborate and build a consensus in a high-pressure environment

Education

• Bachelor’s degree
• MBA or equivalent graduate degree preferred

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Making manufacturing systems integration a priority
• ERP & MES expertise
• Cybersecurity and risk management
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Change management
• Team leadership and talent development

Working Conditions

• On-site presence required at the North Carolina manufacturing facility.
• Occasional travel to suppliers, partners, or corporate locations as needed.
• Availability to support critical manufacturing operations outside normal business hours when required.

Compensation/Benefits

• Annual 10% bonus based on the successful completion of individual KPIs and company’s performance.
• Medical/dental/vision/disability and life insurance, holidays, PTO, Flexible Spending Account and 401(k) plan with company match and additional voluntary benefits.