IT Operations Manager

Who We Are:
Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated IT Operations Manager to oversee and continuously improve IT operations across our multi-plant automotive manufacturing environment. Reporting to the Director of Information Technology, this individual ensures the stability, security, and performance of enterprise systems that directly support production and business functions.

The IT Operations Manager leads teams responsible for infrastructure, service desk, ERP (Plex), and, driving initiatives that enhance uptime, compliance, and digital transformation readiness in alignment with IATF 16949, ISO 27001, and NIST frameworks.

What You Will Do:

• Oversee enterprise and plant-level IT infrastructure, including servers, storage, virtualization (Hyper-V, Nutanix), networking, and backup systems.

• Ensure IT systems and data management practices comply with IATF 16949 and customer-specific audit requirements, including data retention and traceability.

• Direct ERP (Plex) operational support, including production reporting, label management, EDI transactions, and integration with Quality and Finance systems.

• Own business continuity and disaster-recovery planning; conduct semi-annual testing and validation.

• Develop, maintain, and track IT KPIs – system uptime, MTTR, incident closure rates, SLA adherence, and cost performance.

• Lead service-delivery operations using ITIL best practices: Incident, Problem, Change, and Configuration Management.

• Manage IT asset lifecycle, ensuring compliance with license renewals, warranties, and End-of-Life (EOL) schedules.

• Oversee vendor contracts, licensing, budgeting, and financial forecasting for IT operations.

• Support compliance and internal/external audits related to IATF 16949, SOX, cybersecurity, and data privacy.

• Maintain secure and reliable EDI and customer-portal connectivity with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.

• Drive IT process standardization, documentation, and continuous improvement across all facilities.

• Coach and mentor IT and Service Desk teams, fostering a high-performance, customer-focused culture.

When and Where:
This will be a M-F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI.

Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related discipline.

• 7–10 years of progressive IT experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership or managerial role supporting manufacturing operations.

• Proven expertise managing multi-plant networks, ERP systems (Plex preferred), and enterprise infrastructure.

• Strong understanding of Windows Server environments, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, and related administration.

• Demonstrated success in vendor management, project delivery, and IT budget control.

• Knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 27001, and NIST 800-171 compliance frameworks.

• Experience leading IT teams following ITIL service management principles.

• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills, with an emphasis on customer service.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume automotive manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in IT Management, Business Administration, or related technical discipline.

• Experience supporting Plex ERP or similar automotive ERP platforms.

• Familiarity with cybersecurity and infrastructure monitoring tools such as SentinelOne, Varonis, SolarWinds, Cisco ISE, or ManageEngine.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 administration, Azure AD, and Intune endpoint management.

• Exposure to TISAX, SOX, and data-privacy audit processes.

• Proven track record in multi-plant standardization initiatives and enterprise infrastructure upgrades.

• PMP, ITIL, or CISSP certification.

• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional IT projects that improved service delivery or reduced downtime.

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid Short-Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and Long-Term Disability options, an Employer 401k Match, ESOP shares, tuition reimbursement, a Referral Bonus Program, Challenge Incentive Program, and paid time off.

Please note, while these benefits are part of what we offer, they may not all apply to this specific role. The details shared in this job description are intended to give you a general idea, but duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, with or without notice. And of course, we’re happy to provide reasonable accommodations to help individuals with disabilities succeed in their role.