Search Jobs

Senior IT Manager, Manufacturing Operations

Little Rock, AR | Full-Time | On-site

This manufacturing organization operates large-scale production, coating, logistics, workshop, and yard facilities and is actively expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint. The IT Manager leads the complete IT function for the Little Rock site, overseeing infrastructure, end-user support, cybersecurity, ERP support, and plant technology readiness. The position reports into site leadership and works in close partnership with corporate IT, and leads a small on-site technical team.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, standard business hours, with availability as needed to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment. The role is fully on-site in Little Rock, AR.

Compensation: $120,000 - $150,000 Per Year

What You'll Do

As the IT Manager for this manufacturing site, you will own the full scope of site IT: infrastructure performance and reliability, help desk operations, ERP and business application support coordination, cybersecurity controls, vendor management, asset governance, and IT project execution. You will set priorities across infrastructure, applications, and help desk resources based on production needs, service levels, and project commitments, and will serve as the primary escalation point for plant-floor and office IT issues.

On the infrastructure side, you will be responsible for the availability and security of the site's LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi, VPN, switches, routers, firewalls, servers, storage, backup systems, virtualization, and cloud or hybrid environments. You will oversee Microsoft 365, Active Directory, email, Teams, SharePoint, endpoint management, and end-user devices, and will ensure that server rooms, racks, cabling, and UPS systems are maintained to the standard required for continuous manufacturing operations.

You will manage the site help desk function, establishing service-level expectations, monitoring ticket performance, and developing standard operating procedures for recurring issues. Employee onboarding and offboarding, device assignment and recovery, and access provisioning fall within this scope as well.

For ERP and business applications, you will provide first-level site support and coordinate with corporate IT teams or external consultants for escalations. You will support user access, role administration, reporting, and process issue resolution across finance, procurement, inventory, production planning, quality, maintenance, HR, and logistics functions.

Working closely with operations, engineering, automation, and OT teams, you will ensure IT systems support shop-floor connectivity, quality systems, maintenance and engineering platforms, yard and logistics connectivity, and site security systems. You will also ensure IT requirements are incorporated early in new line startups, facility expansions, and commissioning projects.

On the cybersecurity side, you will maintain site-level controls including endpoint protection, patch compliance, firewall and VPN access, multi-factor authentication, user access reviews, and vendor access management. You will coordinate incident escalation and response with corporate IT and external partners, and will promote practical security awareness across the site.

You will lead or coordinate IT projects including network upgrades, Wi-Fi expansion, server and backup improvements, cybersecurity initiatives, ERP rollouts, hardware refresh cycles, cabling and fiber work, and new facility readiness efforts. Vendor management is also part of the role, covering telecom providers, hardware and software suppliers, managed service providers, cabling contractors, and cloud or data center partners.

Finally, you will lead, coach, and develop the local IT team, building technical depth, cross-training coverage, and a service-oriented culture centered on responsiveness, documentation, and accountability.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
• 8 to 12 years of progressive IT experience, including at least 4 to 5 years in an IT leadership or supervisory role
• Demonstrated experience managing IT infrastructure, help desk operations, networking, servers, cybersecurity, and business applications
• Experience working within manufacturing, industrial, heavy equipment, automotive, energy, or similar plant environments
• Experience supporting ERP systems in a manufacturing or operations context
• Strong working knowledge of networking, firewalls, VPNs, servers, backup systems, endpoint management, and Microsoft environments
• Experience managing technical teams and vendor relationships

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting 24/7 manufacturing or continuous production operations
• Exposure to IT/OT environments and plant-floor connectivity systems
• Experience supporting plant expansions, facility startups, or major infrastructure upgrade projects
• Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST CSF or CIS Controls
• Professional certifications such as ITIL, CCNA, Microsoft (any current track), CompTIA Security+, CISSP, CISM, or PMP

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 
• 401(k) retirement plan 
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Professional development and certification support

To apply, submit your resume along with a brief overview of your IT leadership experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.