Vice President of Technology

Job Title: Vice-President of TechnologyLocation: Hattiesburg, Mississippi (viable candidates must be local, in commutable distance, or open to a full relocation)Recruiter: Charles Herman, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Executive SearchAbout the Opportunity:Our firm represents a highly respected leader in the manufacturing and distribution industry, renowned for quality, innovation, and sustainability. With a significant national footprint and our client is poised for continued growth, driven by a strong commitment to technological advancement, particularly within their manufacturing operations.We are seeking an exceptional and visionary Vice President of Technology to join their executive leadership team. Reporting directly to the President, this role is critical in defining and executing the technology strategy that will underpin the companys future success and solidify its position as an industry innovator. This is a unique chance to lead significant digital transformation initiatives within a well-established company heavily investing in its technological capabilities.Your Impact & Responsibilities:Executive Leadership & Strategy: Serve as a key member of the executive team, developing and implementing a comprehensive technology roadmap aligned with overarching business goals. Drive digital transformation across both manufacturing and distribution divisions.Team Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop a talented IT team (~15 professionals including system administration, network, security, data analysis, BI, and user support), fostering a culture of collaboration, high performance, and continuous learning.Infrastructure Oversight: Manage and evolve the companys technology infrastructure, encompassing on-premise and virtualized servers, a disaster recovery facility, network systems, IIoT deployments, and robust cybersecurity measures across corporate, distribution, and manufacturing environments. Evaluate and potentially lead migration paths toward cloud solutions (AWS/Azure experience highly valued).Manufacturing & Automation Focus: Provide strategic direction for all technology impacting manufacturing operations, including automation systems (robotics, PLCs like Allen Bradley), process control, quality management systems, and reliability systems. Oversee ITs role in major capital projects, such as robotics implementations and fiber infrastructure.Enterprise Systems Management: Oversee core business systems, including ERP (currently Epicor BisTrack), financial systems (Great Plains), and explore opportunities for optimization and potential cloud migration.Project Portfolio Management: Lead the execution of a significant portfolio of technology projects, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery. Current initiatives include Warehouse Management System (WMS) implementations across multiple distribution centers and major automation projects in manufacturing.Data Analytics & BI Leadership: Drive the development and utilization of data analytics and business intelligence capabilities (leveraging an internal BI leadership resource) to provide actionable insights for operational improvements, predictive maintenance, and strategic decision-making.Innovation & Emerging Tech: Stay ahead of industry trends, identifying and championing opportunities for innovation, such as the use of RPA (UIPath) for process efficiency and potentially exploring AI/ML applications (e.g., chatbots).Security & Compliance: Implement and maintain rigorous cybersecurity protocols to safeguard company assets and ensure compliance with relevant standards, particularly within OT/manufacturing environments.Vendor & Budget Management: Skillfully manage relationships and negotiate contracts with technology vendors and service providers (e.g., Windstream for communications/VOIP). Develop and manage the technology budget, optimizing ROI and TCO, and contribute to divisional capital budget planning, reflecting the recent tripling of technology spend.Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate effectively with peers across manufacturing, supply chain, sales, finance, and HR, ensuring technology solutions robustly support all business functions.What You Bring to the Table:Experience: Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (Masters preferred) coupled with 10+ years of progressive technology leadership experience, within the manufacturing, industrial, or distribution sectors.Technical Acumen: Strong understanding of IT infrastructure (on-prem, virtual, cloud - AWS/Azure), networking, cybersecurity principles, ERP systems (Epicor exposure a plus), BI tools, and industrial automation/control systems/OT environments.Leadership: Proven ability to lead, inspire, and manage technical teams. Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills are paramount for extensive internal collaboration and vendor management.Strategic Vision: Demonstrated ability to translate complex business needs into effective, scalable technology strategies and solutions that deliver measurable results.Project & Change Management: Track record of successfully managing large, complex project portfolios, budgets, and driving significant technological change, including system implementations (WMS, Automation) and potentially cloud migrations.Cybersecurity Focus: Deep understanding of cybersecurity best practices, particularly relevant to securing manufacturing and operational technology (OT) environments.Why Consider This Role?Join a stable, successful company committed to significant investment in technology and automation.Opportunity to make a substantial strategic impact as part of the executive leadership team.Lead transformative projects in areas like cloud adoption, manufacturing automation, and data analytics.Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits package (healthcare, retirement, wellness), and career development opportunities.If you are a strategic technology leader with a passion for driving innovation in a dynamic industrial setting, we encourage you to apply or reach out for a confidential discussion. *Please complete the survey questions for consideration of your candidacy.No C2C

Created: 2025-06-27