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Director of Information Technology

Summary:

Forge Battery is a rapidly growing company that is building a multi-GWh battery plant in Morrisville, NC, and is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Director of Information Technology (IT), to lead the IT resources and assets. The Director of Information Technology will lead the strategic planning, implementation, and management of all information technology systems supporting a high-volume battery manufacturing facility in North Carolina. This role is responsible for aligning IT strategy with operational and business objectives, with a critical focus on the integration and optimization of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform with a Manufacturing Execution System (MES).

The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, deep manufacturing IT experience, and hands-on expertise in ERP-MES integration to support operational excellence, scalability, cybersecurity, and data-driven decision-making in a regulated, safety-critical manufacturing environment.

The Director of Information Technology will report to the President of Forge Battery and Chief Financial Officer for corporate compliance and alignment.

Essential Functions:

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Develop and execute the IT strategy to support manufacturing operations, supply chain, quality, engineering, and corporate functions.
• Serve as a strategic partner to operations, engineering, quality, finance, and executive leadership.
• Establish IT governance, policies, standards, and best practices across the facility.
• Manage IT budgets, vendor relationships, and technology roadmaps.

ERP & MES Integration

• Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing integration of the ERP system with the MES to ensure seamless data flow across production, inventory, quality, maintenance, and financial systems.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, process engineering, and quality teams to define system requirements and workflows.
• Ensure real-time visibility into production performance, traceability, genealogy, and compliance data.
• Oversee system upgrades, enhancements, and scalability as production volumes increase.

Manufacturing & Operational Systems

• Support plant-floor systems including MES, SCADA, PLC interfaces, data historians, and industrial networks.
• Ensure high availability and reliability of manufacturing systems in a 24/7 production environment.
• Drive digital manufacturing initiatives such as automation, analytics, and Industry 4.0 capabilities.

Cybersecurity & Infrastructure

• Ensure robust cybersecurity practices across enterprise and operational technology (IT/OT) environments.
• Oversee infrastructure including networks, servers, cloud platforms, data centers, and endpoint devices.
• Implement disaster recovery, business continuity, and backup strategies.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing IT team, including internal staff and external partners.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure appropriate training and knowledge transfer for both IT staff and system users.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, quality, and data security requirements relevant to battery manufacturing.
• Manage IT risks and audits, including vendor and system risk assessments.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5-10 years of progressive IT experience, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or director-level role.
• Proven experience in manufacturing environments, preferably high-volume or process manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success in integrating ERP platforms with MES systems in a production setting in cloud and on-premise environments.
• Strong understanding of IT/OT convergence, manufacturing systems architecture, and plant-floor technologies.
• Experience managing vendors, system integrators, and cross-functional stakeholders.

• IT software and hardware systems associated with a Battery manufacturing plant.
• Demonstrated project and budget management skills
• Strong business acumen with a broad understanding of fundamental IT principles
• Analytical problem-solving skills with impeccable attention to detail
• Ability to set overall strategy and drive process improvement
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to collaborate and build a consensus in a high-pressure environment

Education

• Bachelor's degree
• MBA or equivalent graduate degree preferred

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Manufacturing systems integration
• ERP & MES expertise
• Cybersecurity and risk management
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Change management
• Team leadership and talent development

Working Conditions

• On-site presence required at the North Carolina manufacturing facility.
• Occasional travel to suppliers, partners, or corporate locations as needed.
• Availability to support critical manufacturing operations outside normal business hours when required.

Compensation/Benefits

• Annual 10% bonus based on the successful completion of individual KPIs and company's performance.
• Medical/dental/vision/disability and life insurance, holidays, PTO, Flexible Spending Account and 401(k) plan with company match and additional voluntary benefits.

Forge Battery is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.