Information Technology Ops Manager

About the role

The IT Operations Manager leads day-to-day IT operations across a multi-site, manufacturing-focused environment supporting the Kenosha and Chicago sales and order management functions, manufacturing operations, and core business applications. Operating within a matrixed support model, this role partners closely with decentralized IT teams while maintaining accountability for local execution, service quality, and business alignment.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day IT operations in Kenosha and Chicago manufacturing environments.
• Manage service desk operations, escalations, and end-user experience.
• Establish and maintain visibility into local IT assets, applications, integrations, and endpoints.
• Identify, document, and rationalize undocumented or non-standard systems in partnership with Group IT.
• Own and operate the IT intake, prioritization, and demand management process.
• Partner with business leaders to set expectations around scope, timing, and delivery.
• Cook up and coordinate ERP and application support to ensure operational stability and continuous improvement.
• Provide dotted-line leadership to Software Development Managers to align support and sprint delivery.
• Reinforce disciplined execution, communication, and accountability across IT work.

Qualifications

• Strong operational leadership in a matrixed or partially centralized IT model.
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure, visibility, and order to complex environments.
• Prior experience supporting manufacturing operations and plant environments.
• Hands-on experience with IT service management (ITSM) ticketing platforms (e.g., ServiceNow) including incident, request, problem, and change workflows; SLA tracking, prioritization, and escalation management; and knowledge base / self-service enablement.
• Working knowledge of network infrastructure (switching, VLANs, Wi-Fi, basic routing/WAN concepts) sufficient to partner with Group IT on network design improvements and to troubleshoot user-reported issues logically and methodically when incidents may be related to outages, configuration changes, or performance degradation.
• Proven experience managing and developing a help desk / service desk team in a manufacturing or plant environment, including scheduling/coverage, coaching, quality control, and driving consistent ticket handling and customer communication standards.
• Endpoint & identity management: strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365, Entra ID (Azure AD), Intune, device lifecycle, patching.
• Cybersecurity & compliance: local enforcement of security controls (MFA, least privilege, vulnerability remediation), plus coordination during security incidents.
• Asset lifecycle & procurement: inventory accuracy, refresh planning, standardization, and budget input for site IT needs.
• Project delivery: lead/coordinate site rollouts (network refreshes, line expansions) with clear scope, schedule, risk management, and cutover plans.
• OT/plant-floor awareness: familiarity working around production systems (shop-floor PCs, scanners, label printers) and understanding uptime/safety constraints—even if OT is owned by another team.
• Clear, consistent communicator who follows through on commitments.