Sr. Director, Business and Data Platforms

Key Responsibilities

Execution & Operational Excellence

• Own end-to-end delivery for a portfolio of applications (Palantir, Oracle, Salesforce, Custom Manufacturing Applications based on AS400/Mainframe).
• Lead application lifecycle management: roadmap, demand intake, prioritization, delivery, run support, and continuous improvement.
• Establish and run disciplined operating rhythms (quarterly planning, delivery governance, change control, incident/problem management, release management).
• Ensure high availability and performance of mission-critical manufacturing applications; drive root-cause resolution and reliability improvements.

Modernization & Digital Transformation

• Drive modernization of legacy systems and technical debt reduction through platform upgrades, cloud/SaaS adoption, re-architecture, and rationalization.
• Lead process standardization and harmonization across sites while balancing local needs and enterprise scale.
• Improve integration and data flow across systems using modern integration patterns (APIs, iPaaS, event-driven architectures where applicable).

Innovation, AI, and Automation

• Identify and deliver use cases for AI and intelligent automation that improve throughput, quality, yield, service levels, and cost (e.g., predictive maintenance, production planning, quality & claims management, CX improvements, logistics insights).
• Partner with Security teams to implement AI responsibly (governance, controls, monitoring, and value realization).
• Champion experimentation and rapid iteration while maintaining strong delivery discipline and change management.

Stakeholder Alignment & Business Partnership

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders; translate business problems into an actionable applications roadmap with a clear 12--18-month ROI.
• Lead cross-functional steering committees and governance forums to align priorities, manage tradeoffs, and ensure transparency.
• Drive organizational change management: communications, training, adoption, and measurable realization of benefits.

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead and develop a team of ~15-20 (leaders, analysts, delivery/support resources).
• Build a high-accountability culture with clear goals, ownership, and outcomes; be scrappy and innovative to create succession depth.
• develop, and retain top talent; select and build strong vendor/partner ecosystems to augment capabilities.

Success Measures (First 12--24 Months)

• Delivery performance improves (predictable throughput, reduced missed commitments, improved stakeholder satisfaction).
• Legacy modernization milestones achieved (reduced technical debt, improved stability, lower run costs).
• Demonstrated business value from AI/automation use cases (measurable productivity & efficiency, measurable value realization through quality, inventory, or service metrics).
• Mature governance and operating model established (clear intake/prioritization, project and platform ownership, roadmap transparency).
• Talent Transformation (Capacity utilization, reduced key-person dependency, develop talent transformation roadmap tied to legacy modernization roadmap).

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years in IT business applications leadership with increasing responsibility; experience supporting a manufacturing and/or industrial environment.
• Proven track record modernizing legacy systems and leading digital transformation programs (ERP and adjacent manufacturing systems).
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizations of ~15-20 resources including leaders, internal teams, and external contractors & partners.
• Strong execution discipline: program delivery, operational excellence, financial/budget accountability, and vendor management.
• Experience working across multiple stakeholders with competing priorities; strong influencing and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with manufacturing application ecosystems (ERP + MES/WMS/PLM) and plant-floor enablement.
• Practical experience delivering AI/ML, analytics, or automation initiatives in an enterprise setting (with governance and measurable outcomes).
• Experience with cloud/SaaS adoption, integration platforms (iPaaS/API management), and data architecture patterns.

Leadership Competencies

• Accountability & Ownership: Delivers outcomes; doesn't outsource responsibility.
• Self-starter: Proactive problem-solver who thrives with ambiguity and pace.
• Execution Excellence: Sets priorities, manages risk, and drives predictable delivery.
• Innovation Mindset: Identifies new approaches, uses AI/automation effectively, and scales what works.
• Business Partnership: Aligns technology to business value; communicates clearly at all levels.
• People Leadership: Builds strong teams, develops talent, and creates a high-performance culture.

Working Environment

• Fast-paced manufacturing environment with multi-site complexity and mission-critical operational requirements.
• Hybrid or on-site expectations may include periodic travel to plants/sites to support key initiatives and stakeholder alignment.