Description
American Equipment Systems is one of the leading material handling and industrial solutions providers in the United States. Over the years, our ability to grow and set ourselves apart from the competition is the result of a tried and true philosophy - take care of our customers and take care of our people.ย
We believe that our people matter, which is why we are committed to providing our team members with competitive wages, attractive benefit offerings, and abundant training opportunities. As one of the fastest growing companies in our industry, new opportunities are regularly available that enable our team members to develop, grow, and pursue their career passions.ย
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director, IT Operations and Security to lead our IT Operations and Cybersecurity functions. This senior leader will be responsible for both the day-to-day reliability of our IT infrastructure and the long-term strategic direction of our technology and security programs. The Director will oversee teams that develop and implement enabling technology solutions, respond to service desk needs, ensure system stability and performance, and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of AES corporate data and information systems.ย
This role bridges strategic leadership with significant hands-on operational oversight, partnering closely with executive leadership to align IT capabilities with business objectives and drive digital transformation across the organization.ย
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Technology Directionย
- Lead IT strategy, infrastructure initiatives, and digital transformation efforts in alignment with organizational goalsย
- Partner with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure technology investments support business growth and operational efficiencyย
- Develop, implement, and maintain IT policies, procedures, and standards in alignment with industry best practices and regulatory requirementsย
- Stay current with emerging technologies, cybersecurity trends, and best practices to continuously enhance the organization's technology postureย
IT Operations & Infrastructureย
- Oversee day-to-day IT operations, ensuring the availability, performance, and security of enterprise networks, systems, and dataย
- Ensure endpoint compliance with security standards; enforce policies using Microsoft Intune in coordination with application and security teamsย
- Manage IT inventory (laptops, phones, and related hardware) and coordinate hardware procurement for users across all locationsย
- Monitor support trends, identify automation opportunities, and optimize workflows and documentation; extend self-service options to cover common business system requestsย
- Oversee end-user software licensing, including evaluating tools, auditing usage, and managing vendor renewals and complianceย
Cybersecurity & Risk Managementย
- Develop and execute a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy to protect corporate data, systems, and infrastructureย
- Identify, assess, and manage IT risks including cybersecurity threats, system vulnerabilities, and compliance gaps; implement mitigation strategies and controlsย
- Maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability of AES information systems and data assetsย
- Enforce safety policies and security practices to cultivate a culture of security awareness across the organizationย
Team Leadership & Developmentย
- Lead, manage, and hold accountable the IT Operations and Security team members across all functionsย
- Train and mentor IT Operations, Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity staff; foster a collaborative and high-performance team cultureย
- Prepare documentation, guidelines, and solution articles that standardize processes and empower team membersย
Vendor & MSP Managementย
- Serve as the primary owner of the relationship with AES's Managed Service Provider (MSP), ensuring contractual obligations are met and service levels align with business needsย
- Direct, assign, and manage the day-to-day work of MSP resources, providing clear priorities, escalation paths, and performance expectationsย
- Conduct regular business reviews with the MSP to evaluate performance against SLAs, address service gaps, and identify opportunities for continuous improvementย
- Ensure MSP resources operate in accordance with AES policies, security standards, and internal processes; hold the MSP accountable for compliance and quality of workย
- Manage and optimize relationships with all IT vendors and third-party technology partners, including contract negotiations, renewals, and performance managementย
- Evaluate vendor and MSP capabilities on an ongoing basis; recommend changes to sourcing strategy where appropriate to improve quality, cost, or coverageย
Budget & Financial Managementย
- Manage IT budgets, optimize technology expenditures, and ensure cost-effective delivery of IT services and projectsย
- Allocate and manage resources and personnel for IT Operations in alignment with organizational prioritiesย
Qualifications
Education & Experienceย
- Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field from an accredited institution; equivalent experience consideredย
- Minimum 10+ years of progressive IT experience, including 5+ years in IT leadership or management rolesย
- Previous experience in Service Desk, NOC, SOC, or multi-branch/multi-location IT support environmentsย
- Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or similarly distributed operational environments a plusย
Technical Skillsย
- Deep knowledge of IT systems, cloud computing (Microsoft Azure preferred), cybersecurity, and enterprise networkingย
- LAN/WAN design, configuration, and support experience; Cisco Meraki preferred; solid understanding of DNS, DHCP, and VPNย
- Experience with Microsoft Azure services including compute, storage, networking, and Entra IDย
- Proficiency with Microsoft tools including Intune and Defenderย
- Familiarity with ITSM/ticketing platforms such as ServiceNow, Freshservice, or Atlassian Jiraย
- Experience with IT project management methodologies including Agile and ITIL/ITSM frameworksย
- General knowledge of database concepts, MS SQL, and/or ERP solutionsย
Leadership & Soft Skillsย
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively at all organizational levelsย
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to develop innovative technology solutionsย
- Ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage high-stakes situations, and resolve conflicts effectivelyย
- Strong financial management and budgeting acumenย
- Strong written and oral communication skills with exceptional attention to detailย
Certifications (Preferred)ย
- IT certifications such as CISSP, CISM, ITIL, CCNP, or equivalent cybersecurity/management credentials strongly preferredย
This is a full-time, onsite position with standard business hours Monday through Friday. Occasional travel to branch locations may be required. The role may require after-hours availability to address critical system issues or security incidents. ย
What We Offer
- Competitive salary commensurate with experienceย
- Health Insuranceย
- Company contributed FSA & HSA healthcare optionsย
- Critical Illness, Accidental, and Hospital Indemnity Plansย
- Dental and Vision plansย
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (STD & LTD)ย
- Basic & Voluntary Life AD&Dย
- 4% Matching 401(k)ย
- PTO and 56 hours front-loaded PTO upon hireย
- Opportunities for professional development and career growthย
- A supportive and collaborative work environmentย
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.ย
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.ย