Associate Director of IT Operations (Architecture & Automation)

Role Summary

The Associate Director of IT Operations (Architecture & Automation) ensures the reliable operation, delivery, and management of IT/Operational Technology (IT/OT) infrastructure and services, with a focus on supporting a highly regulated GxP environment. This role provides strategic direction, operational management, and administrative oversight for the daily IT operational activities, including hardware, communications & WiFi infrastructure, and service delivery. The position also ensures integration and alignment with corporate IT systems and infrastructure while maintaining robust compliance, security, and service standards.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the reliable operation of IT/OT infrastructure, including but not limited to servers, hardware, communications and desktop support, plus oversight of daily operational activities.
• Define, implement, and lead IT/OT infrastructure architecture, with a focus on hyper-converged systems, advanced networking, and wireless technologies, to ensure robust connectivity and security.
• Build scalable and secure wireless networks to support industrial and enterprise needs.
• Provide operational management for data centre operations, network services, telecom, asset management, and security plus ensure systems and procedures are in place for effective monitoring and reporting.
• Maintain compliance with industry standards, including experience with automation systems such as DeltaV/Emerson and Rockwell/Allen-Bradley.
• Manage service providers to ensure high-quality service delivery and alignment to service level agreements (SLAs) and act as the escalation point for major incidents.
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards, including GxP, FDA and other global regulatory requirements.
• Maintain robust security measures to protect IT/OT infrastructure, including data integrity and disaster recovery planning.
• Lead and mentor a diverse technical team and run recruitment, training, performance evaluations, and target setting for the IT Operations team.
• Collaborate with partners to ensure seamless integration between IT and OT systems.
• Provide regular management reporting on service performance and IT operations.

Qualifications

• Required: Management and delivery experience including management of a diverse technical team, including Helpdesk, Desktop, Server and Network staff. Experience in managing vendors and managed services.
• Required: Experience in developing and deploying SLA's, Metrics and other best practices as well as having successfully implemented ITIL practices into an organization.
• Required: Experience with Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery planning.
• Required: Strong background in Microsoft OS in particular Server and GPO elements.
• Required: Strong understanding of Data Integrity and associated tools.
• Required: BS/BA in Information Technology or related field, plus 8+ years of progressively more responsible experience, including 8+ years of management experience and a minimum of 3 years’ experience in an FDA or similarly regulated environment or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Required: BS/BA in Information Technology or related field, plus 10 years of progressively more responsible experience, including 10 years of management experience and a minimum of 3 years’ experience in an FDA or similarly regulated environment or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Education

• BS/BA in Information Technology or related field.

Skills

• IT/OT infrastructure architecture
• Hyper-converged systems, advanced networking, and wireless technologies
• Data centre operations management, network services, telecom, asset management, and security
• Vendor management and service level agreements
• Disaster recovery planning and business continuity
• Microsoft Windows Server and Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
• Data integrity tools and data protection