Director of IT

We have been exclusively retained by a well-established, vertically integrated food manufacturing organization to hire a Director of IT who can lead a small internal team, modernize how IT supports the business, and raise the bar on execution across infrastructure, cybersecurity, ERP, and business-facing technology.

This is not a “corporate CIO” seat. The business needs a practical, hands-on IT leader who understands manufacturing environments, can translate real operational needs into workable technology solutions, and can partner effectively with cross-functional leaders who expect IT to be a true business enabler, not just a help desk.

This is a full-time, direct-hire position that is fully onsite in Lakeland, Florida.

The Role You’ll Play

This role owns the day-to-day and strategic direction of IT for a manufacturing site and its business operations. You will lead a team of four (including an IT Manager), manage vendors and partners, and ensure systems are stable, secure, and continuously improving. You will also be a key partner to leaders across Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Procurement, Logistics, Innovation, and Finance.

• Set and execute an IT strategy aligned to business goals, while right-sizing solutions for a mid-sized manufacturing environment

• Lead and develop the IT team through hiring, coaching, accountability, and performance management

• Own the IT budget (CapEx and OpEx), ensuring effective allocation of resources and measurable ROI

• Lead IT project delivery, ensuring projects are on time, on scope, on budget, and adopted by the business

• Oversee cybersecurity, including policies, monitoring, incident response, and disaster recovery planning

• Direct core infrastructure, including networks, servers, storage, and overall technology reliability for manufacturing operations

• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and service levels (including MSPs / partners as applicable)

• Build strong cross-functional relationships and bring structure to how business needs are defined, prioritized, and delivered (especially for ERP and business systems)

• Support and mature core business applications, including ERP and CRM initiatives, with a strong focus on business process improvement and practical outcomes

Background Profile:

The ideal candidate is a manufacturing-minded IT leader who can operate strategically, while still rolling up their sleeves when needed. They are confident, low ego, and capable of partnering with direct, high-expectation business leaders without getting defensive, disappearing into “IT speak,” or over-engineering solutions.

• 10+ years of IT leadership experience with a track record of leading, developing, and holding a team accountable (direct people management is essential)

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, or related field (MBA preferred)

• Manufacturing IT experience (food and beverage strongly preferred)

• Demonstrated cross-functional partnership across Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Sales, Logistics, Innovation, and Finance

• Strong project delivery discipline, able to prioritize, drive execution, and ensure adoption

• Solid technical foundation across infrastructure and cybersecurity, with the ability to lead through vendors and internal resources

• ERP leadership experience (Sage X3 is a strong plus, but deep ERP understanding is the key requirement)

• Experience improving decision-making and operational efficiency by leveraging existing systems, data, and resources (practical improvement over “shiny new toy”)