IT Manager (Manufacturing)

About the role

The IT Manager will oversee IT operations, coordinate project activities, address technical issues, and communicate effectively with upper management and global counterparts.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise IT team members to ensure timely, effective task execution and high-quality service delivery.
• Define and manage the team’s vision, objectives, and goals.
• Manage team performance through coaching, feedback, and professional development planning, including career path guidance and training.
• Foster a positive and ethical team environment that promotes collaboration, accountability, and high morale.
• Encourage active participation in continuous improvement (Kaizen) and professional development initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.
• Serve as the primary IT contact for manufacturing site operations, ensuring alignment with business priorities and technical standards.
• Monitor system performance and implement proactive solutions and lead root cause analysis to prevent recurring issues.
• Develop and execute operational strategies that enhance system reliability, scalability, and efficiency.
• Cook up and escalate complex issues and outages across team and to upper management.
• Lead the development and implementation of operational strategies and team objectives that support business growth and performance.
• Absorb delegated tasks from senior IT leadership.
• Support application development efforts and advocate best practices to enhance delivery quality and maintainability.
• Collaborate with global counterparts, including teams in Japan, to align on development goals and share innovations.
• Drive continuous improvement (Kaizen) initiatives to enhance system efficiency, team workflows, and overall user experience; foster teamwide participation in improvement activities.
• Share best practices and collaborate with peer managers and cross-functional teams to promote consistency and innovation.
• Oversee budget activities, including planning, forecasting, and monthly financial reviews.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities and implement initiatives to improve financial efficiency.
• Support strategic financial decision-making through regular reporting and alignment with department objectives.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships by understanding business needs and delivering quality support.
• Proactively identify opportunities to expand business value through IT services.
• Ensure high standards of customer satisfaction through responsive and solution-oriented service delivery.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Information Technology, including roles involving team leadership and on-site IT support.
• Background in a manufacturing environment and/or knowledge of manufacturing operations systems (e.g., MOM, MES).
• Excellent communication and reporting abilities, with a demonstrated capacity to translate complex technical concepts into clear, business-relevant language.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proven ability to identify root causes and implement effective solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and maintain oversight across multiple initiatives.
• Effective negotiation skills and experience managing expectations with internal and external partners.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and web-based business tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience or solid understanding of application development methodologies and related technologies.
• Experience working in global or cross-cultural team environments.
• Familiarity with IT service management (ITSM) frameworks and ticketing systems.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Japanese.