IT Infrastructure & Operations Manager

Description

Job Summary:

The IT Infrastructure & Operations, Manager is responsible for the execution, reliability, security, and performance of Jonathan Louis' technology infrastructure and IT operations across all company locations. This hands-on leadership role manages enterprise networks, servers, cloud environments, systems, and related infrastructure supporting manufacturing, distribution, and corporate operations.

The Manager is accountable for execution across infrastructure delivered by the internal IT team and services delivered through managed and hosted providers, and for the standards, documentation, and access controls that keep systems supportable by more than one person. Overall technology strategy, direction, governance, and prioritization remain with the Director of Information Technology.

The Manager leads and develops IT team members, manages vendors and key infrastructure initiatives, and partners with the Director of IT to execute the company's technology strategy and roadmap while contributing recommendations for future infrastructure, security, and operational needs.

Job Responsibilities

Infrastructure & Operations

• Ensure the reliability, availability, performance, and security of IT infrastructure and operations across all Jonathan Louis locations, including corporate offices, manufacturing plants, distribution facilities, and hosted or co-located environments.

• Lead the day-to-day administration and continuous improvement of enterprise networks, servers, virtualization, cloud environments, storage, databases, directory and identity services, and site connectivity.

• Manage backup, recovery, and Disaster Recovery across all systems, including those delivered by third parties, with documented recovery objectives, verified coverage, and periodic testing.

• Maintain a hands-on technical role, providing advanced troubleshooting and escalation support while proactively identifying and resolving infrastructure issues that could impact business operations.

Security, Access & Compliance

• Implement and maintain infrastructure security controls, including patching, vulnerability management, monitoring, endpoint protection, and access controls, in accordance with company and industry standards.

• Manage privileged and administrative access under least-privilege and separation-of-duties principles, and oversee the IT user lifecycle so that access provisioning and revocation is timely, evidenced, and auditable.

• Support compliance, audit, and cybersecurity incident response activities, including control documentation, evidence collection, remediation, and coordination with managed security providers.

Vendor & Managed Services

• Manage technology vendors, managed service providers, and service partners, including performance, service levels, contracts, licensing, renewals, and cost effectiveness.

• Ensure services delivered by managed providers meet agreed service levels and cover the full environment, and lead the transition of services between provider and internal team as scope changes.

Service Delivery & Business Support

• Oversee IT service delivery and service desk operations across all sites — ensuring appropriate response, escalation, and prioritization of issues affecting manufacturing and critical business operations, including after-hours and on-call escalation coverage — and manage endpoint and device management, operating system and patch lifecycle, standard builds, asset inventory, licensing, and technology refresh planning.

• Ensure infrastructure support for manufacturing, engineering, and business systems, including plant-floor and facility technology, engineering and design environments, and ERP and related business applications.

• Maintain effective relationships with manufacturing and business leadership to understand operational requirements and ensure technology solutions appropriately support the needs of the organization.

Leadership, Planning & Governance

• Lead, coach, and develop IT employees and contractors across multiple locations, establishing clear priorities, accountability, performance expectations, and cross-training, and ensuring a named primary and backup for critical systems.

• Establish and maintain consistent infrastructure standards, configurations, procedures, and documentation across all company locations, and lead knowledge transfer when responsibilities change.

• Lead infrastructure projects, upgrades, implementations, and migrations under a defined change-management process, including risk assessment, approval, testing, rollback planning, and communication to affected business areas.

• Support the development and management of the IT infrastructure and operations budget, including operating expenses, capital requirements, technology replacements, and lifecycle planning.

• Monitor infrastructure and service performance metrics, communicate significant risks, issues, and project status to the Director of IT and other business leaders, evaluate emerging technologies, and partner with the Director to execute the company's technology strategy and infrastructure roadmap.

• Travel periodically to Jonathan Louis facilities in the United States and Mexico (approximately 15–25%) to support projects, assess infrastructure requirements, and ensure consistent technology standards and service levels across the organization.

Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience considered.

• 7+ years of progressive IT infrastructure and operations experience, including at least 2 years leading and developing technical teams.

• Strong hands-on experience with enterprise networks, servers, virtualization, storage, backup and recovery, and infrastructure monitoring.

• Experience with identity and access management, directory services, and Microsoft 365.

• Working knowledge of cybersecurity practices, including infrastructure security, patching, vulnerability management, and incident response.

• Experience supporting multi-site operations; manufacturing, distribution, or warehouse environments required.

• Experience with IT service management, disaster recovery, and technology project implementation.

• Demonstrated experience managing technology vendors, service providers, budgets, and multiple projects and priorities.

• Strong leadership, problem-solving, communication, and customer-service skills with the ability to work effectively across technical and business teams.

• Professional proficiency in English and Spanish.

• Ability to travel periodically to company facilities in Mexico and the United States (approximately 15–25%).

• Availability for after-hours and weekend maintenance windows and on-call escalation in support of continuous manufacturing operations.

Preferred

• Experience with ERP environments; Infor Syteline / CloudSuite a plus.

• Database administration experience, including Microsoft SQL Server.

• Experience supporting engineering or design environments such as CAD and PDM.

• Experience with co-location or hosted data center environments, and with co-managed or outsourced security models.

• Experience supporting audited compliance programs such as ISO, C-TPAT, or SOC 2.

• Experience supporting plant-floor or facility systems such as telephony, surveillance, door access, or industrial printing.