IT - Head (Manager/Sr. Manager)

Department: Information Technology (IT)

Industry: Manufacturing / Steel Industry

Experience: 15–20 Years

Designation: Manager / Senior Manager – IT

Location: Gudur, Andhra Pradesh

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and result-oriented IT professional for the position of Manager / Senior Manager – IT to lead IT operations, infrastructure, enterprise applications, and manufacturing automation systems at our manufacturing unit. The ideal candidate must have extensive experience in manufacturing plant IT environments, with strong expertise in SAP, Level 1 and Level 2 automation systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and IT-OT integration. The candidate will be responsible for ensuring seamless integration between business applications and shop-floor operations, system reliability, cybersecurity, and continuous improvement of manufacturing IT systems.

Key Responsibilities:

1. IT Infrastructure & Operations

• Lead and manage IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, storage, end-user computing, data centres, and communication systems.
• Ensure high availability, reliability, and security of plant IT systems and applications.
• Manage IT service delivery, incident management, and troubleshooting in accordance with established SLAs.
• Oversee L1 and L2 automation systems and their integration with plant operations and production systems.

2. SAP & Enterprise Applications

• Manage SAP systems and related business applications supporting manufacturing, supply chain, inventory, procurement, production planning, finance, and maintenance.
• Coordinate SAP implementation, upgrades, integrations, enhancements, and ongoing support.
• Ensure effective integration between SAP, MES, and shop-floor systems.
• Work closely with business users, functional teams, and external implementation partners to resolve system issues and improve operational efficiency.

3. Manufacturing Automation & MES

• Lead and support Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) implementation, integration, and maintenance.
• Ensure seamless data exchange between Level 1 automation (PLC, HMI, sensors, drives, and control systems), Level 2 automation (process control, supervisory systems, and production data management), MES, and SAP.
• Support production monitoring, process traceability, quality management, production reporting, and real-time data collection.
• Collaborate with production, electrical, instrumentation, automation, and process teams to improve system performance and plant productivity.

4. IT-OT Integration & Cybersecurity

• Develop and implement IT-OT integration strategies for manufacturing operations.
• Ensure cybersecurity of plant networks, industrial control systems, servers, and business applications.
• Establish access controls, backup and recovery procedures, disaster recovery plans, and business continuity measures.
• Implement appropriate network segmentation, system monitoring, and information security practices.

5. Vendor & Project Management

• Manage IT vendors, system integrators, consultants, and technology service providers.
• Plan and execute IT projects, system implementations, upgrades, and infrastructure expansion within approved budgets and timelines.
• Monitor vendor performance, service quality, and adherence to contractual obligations.
• Drive technology standardization and cost optimization across plant IT operations.

6. Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead and develop IT support and application teams.
• Establish SOPs, IT policies, documentation, audit controls, and performance metrics.
• Identify opportunities for digital transformation, process automation, and data-driven decision-making.
• Provide regular updates to management on IT performance, project progress, risks, and improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

• B.E./B.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Relevant postgraduate qualifications or IT certifications will be an added advantage.

Required Experience & Technical Skills:

• 15–20 years of overall experience in IT operations, enterprise applications, and manufacturing IT environments.
• Mandatory experience working in manufacturing plants, preferably in the steel, metals, automotive, heavy engineering, or process manufacturing industries.
• Strong hands-on or leadership experience with SAP, Level 1 and Level 2 automation systems, and MES platforms .
• Good understanding of PLC, SCADA/HMI, industrial communication networks, production data acquisition, and plant-floor integration.
• Experience integrating SAP with MES and manufacturing automation systems.
• Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, networking, servers, databases, cybersecurity, backup, disaster recovery, and IT service management.
• Proven experience in managing IT projects, vendors, budgets, and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, and Corporate IT teams.

Preferred Candidate Profile:

• Candidates currently working in IT leadership roles within manufacturing plants.
• Experience managing plant-wide IT systems and supporting continuous production operations.
• Exposure to digital manufacturing, Industry 4.0, industrial data analytics, and smart factory initiatives.
• Strong leadership, analytical, communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage critical IT incidents and ensure minimum disruption to plant operations.

Key Selection Criteria: Manufacturing plant IT experience, SAP expertise, L1/L2 automation exposure, MES implementation and support, and proven IT-OT integration experience.