IT Operations Lead – Manufacturing Technology

Cleveland, Ohio | Onsite
$115,000–$130,000 + 10%–15% Target Bonus + Benefits

Ashton North is conducting a confidential search for experienced IT Operations Leads to join a growing global manufacturing organization in the Cleveland area.

We are looking for broad technology professionals who can operate across both the technical and business sides of IT. These are not traditional help desk management positions, nor are we looking for people who have become so specialized or management-focused that they are no longer comfortable getting hands-on.

The individuals selected will help own the technology environment supporting the business, working across infrastructure, networking, enterprise applications, ERP, data, integrations, end-user technology, and manufacturing operations.

You may bring deeper expertise in infrastructure and systems, or your background may lean more heavily toward ERP, applications and data. Either can be successful.

What matters most is having the technical breadth, curiosity, business understanding and ownership mentality to solve problems wherever they occur.

What You''ll Do

• Serve as a senior technology resource and point of contact for the business

• Support and improve infrastructure, networks, servers, endpoints, enterprise applications, ERP systems and other business-critical technologies

• Partner directly with Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, Sales and other business functions to understand needs and identify technology solutions

• Support ERP and enterprise applications, including implementations, upgrades, integrations and continuous improvement

• Use data, reporting, analytics and business intelligence to improve visibility and decision making

• Support networking, Microsoft technologies, virtualization, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, backup and disaster recovery

• Identify opportunities to automate processes, integrate systems and improve how information moves throughout the organization

• Support manufacturing and plant-floor technology, including the connection between business systems and operational environments

• Troubleshoot complex technical and application issues and personally drive problems through resolution

• Coordinate technology projects across local operations, global IT resources, vendors and business teams

• Support multiple sites while balancing local business requirements with broader enterprise technology standards

• Improve documentation, processes, system reliability and overall technology maturity

• Lead and influence technical resources within a matrix organization

• Participate in occasional after-hours or weekend work when technology changes need to occur during planned manufacturing downtime

What We''re Looking For

Approximately 8+ years of progressive IT experience with broad exposure across enterprise technology.

We''re particularly interested in candidates who have experience with several of the following:

ERP | Business Applications | Microsoft 365 | Windows Server | Active Directory / Entra ID | VMware / Hyper-V | Networking | Cybersecurity | SQL | Power BI | Data & Analytics | APIs | System Integrations | E-Commerce | Cloud Technology | Endpoint Management | Automation | Manufacturing Systems | OT / IoT

Experience with ERP platforms such as SAP, Epicor, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Infor, NetSuite or comparable enterprise systems is valuable, but expertise in one particular technology is not required.

We would strongly prefer candidates who have worked within manufacturing, industrial, production, distribution or another business-critical operating environment.

Experience supporting multiple locations or global operations is also highly desirable.

Candidates coming from small to midsized organizations where they have been required to wear multiple hats may be particularly well suited for these positions.

Experience supporting government contractors or working with Facility Security Officer (FSO), CMMC, NIST 800-171, DCSA or related regulated environments would be valuable.

A bachelor''s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent professional IT experience will also be considered.

Who Will Thrive Here

We''re looking for someone who:

• Takes ownership rather than waiting for direction
• Still enjoys working hands-on with technology
• Can move comfortably between infrastructure, applications and business problems
• Understands how technology impacts manufacturing and operations
• Can communicate with everyone from end users and production employees to senior executives
• Knows when to solve something personally and when to bring in other resources
• Can prioritize multiple competing issues without losing accountability
• Has helped technology keep pace with a growing organization
• Continues learning and experimenting with new technology
• Is comfortable operating without a large team of specialists for every technical discipline
• Wants to improve an environment rather than simply maintain it

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This organization is growing and continuing to build a broader, more business-aligned technology function.

You''ll have the opportunity to work directly with leadership, influence technology decisions, solve meaningful business problems, and help shape how technology supports a modern manufacturing organization.

Most importantly, this is a place for someone who wants to make an impact and still enjoys doing the work.

Location: Cleveland, Ohio, Onsite
Base Salary: $115,000–$130,000
Target Bonus: Approximately 10%–15%
Benefits: Comprehensive health, retirement and paid time off programs

Ashton North is conducting this search confidentially on behalf of our client.