Network Operations Lead

About the Company

We are a global organization within the food and beverage ingredients industry, operating at the forefront of innovation and consumer trends. Our focus is on delivering high-quality, sustainable ingredients while maintaining strong partnerships across our supply chain. With a commitment to transparency, reliability, and continuous improvement, we support manufacturers in creating products that meet evolving consumer expectations.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Senior Director of IT, the Network Operations Lead is responsible for overseeing infrastructure strategy, architecture, and daily operations. This role ensures the reliability, security, and scalability of core IT systems while supporting business objectives.

This individual will collaborate closely with cross-functional IT teams to assess, design, and implement infrastructure solutions. The role requires a balance of hands-on technical expertise, leadership, and strategic thinking to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction on infrastructure architecture and solutions aligned with business needs
• Oversee daily operations of core infrastructure, including networks, firewalls, and connectivity platforms
• Partner with IT Security to address vulnerabilities, manage patching, and maintain system integrity
• Lead and contribute to IT projects, ensuring delivery within scope, budget, and governance standards
• Develop and maintain technical standards and documentation for infrastructure and complex systems
• Collaborate with managed service providers to support operations and drive continuous improvement
• Monitor system performance and ensure timely response to incidents to maintain high user satisfaction
• Serve as an escalation point for infrastructure-related issues across regions
• Partner with business and IT stakeholders to gather requirements and identify opportunities for improvement
• Evaluate emerging technologies and vendors to enhance performance and optimize costs
• Support budgeting activities and manage expenses within approved guidelines
• Ensure timely patching and maintenance of servers, routers, firewalls, and network devices
• Facilitate regular meetings to review priorities, progress, and strategic initiatives
• Promote effective communication across IT teams and business units

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or related experience
• 10+ years of IT experience, including leadership roles within large, complex organizations
• Strong experience managing and supporting enterprise network infrastructure in fast-paced environments
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms such as Azure and AWS
• Deep knowledge of networking technologies (TCP/IP, VLANs, VPN, VoIP, LAN/WAN) and related hardware
• Experience with core IT services including DNS, DHCP, file services, group policy, and routing protocols
• Familiarity with security technologies such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems
• Experience with SASE and secure access solutions (e.g., Zscaler or similar platforms)
• Knowledge of SD-WAN, MPLS, and VPN technologies
• Experience with IT/OT segmentation strategies is a plus
• Familiarity with virtualization technologies such as VMware or Nutanix
• Background supporting IT environments within manufacturing or industrial settings preferred
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage priorities, and drive results in a dynamic environment
• Willingness to travel as needed

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