IT Head - Manufacturing Industry

Key Responsibilities:

IT Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute a 3-5-year IT roadmap aligned with business goals (manufacturing efficiency, traceability, customer responsiveness).
• Lead and mentor a small IT team; manage external vendors and service providers.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives such as automation, cloud adoption, and data analytics and AI adoption.

Infrastructure & Systems Management

• Oversee all core IT infrastructure: networks, servers, cloud services, end-user devices, backup systems.
• Ensure high availability of critical systems supporting production, R&D, and commercial teams.
• Manage ERP ensuring smooth integration with production, QA, and supply chain workflows.
• Oversee implementation and maintenance and other specialized flavour industry tools.

Data Governance & Analytics

• Define data standards, master data governance, and data quality processes.
• Enable dashboards and analytics for Sales, Operations, Finance, and R&D.
• Ensure secure and compliant data storage, retention, and retrieval.

Vendor & Budget Management

• Manage IT budgets, procurement, and cost optimization.
• Evaluate and negotiate with technology vendors, consultants, and service partners.
• Ensure SLAs are met for uptime, support, and project delivery.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 15 years of IT experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience in manufacturing, FMCG, food ingredients, or flavours/fragrance industry preferred.
• Strong understanding of ERP systems, cybersecurity frameworks, and cloud technologies.
• Proven track record of leading digital transformation in mid-sized organizations.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability.
• Strong stakeholder management across Operations, R&D, QA, Sales, and Finance.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• High integrity, reliability, and commitment to data security.

Success Indicators (KPIs)

• ERP uptime and user adoption.
• Reduction in IT incidents and resolution time.
• Cybersecurity posture (audit scores, incident prevention).
• On-time delivery of digital transformation projects.
• Cost optimization and vendor performance.
• Improved data accuracy and reporting quality.