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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # IT Senior Director, Strategy & Operations (Elkhart, Indiana, US, 46516) - **Company:** Patrick Industries - **Location:** Elkhart, IN, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Cyber Security, Data Governance, IT Management, Information Technology - **Published:** July 30, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=6c264e6751784455 ## About the Role * Bachelor's degree in IT, Business, or related field (Master's preferred) * 12+ years of relevant IT experience * 8+ years of leadership experience in IT strategy, portfolio management, M&A integration, or vendor management * Demonstrated experience standing up or leading a Vendor Management OfficeProven track record leading IT due diligence and integration for mergers and acquisitions * Experience in decentralized, multi-site, or acquisition-driven environments preferred * Manufacturing or industrial sector experience is a plus ## Description The Senior Director, IT Strategy & Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for driving the strategic direction, operational discipline, and organizational maturity of Patrick Industries' IT function. This is a critical role in landing new enterprise ways of working and accelerating the maturation of internal IT operating practices, including portfolio governance, mergers and acquisitions integration, vendor and third-party management, and organizational change management., IT Strategy & Ways of Working * Lead the design, rollout, and continuous maturation of IT ways of working, operating rhythms, and governance frameworks across the enterprise * Translate the four IT strategic pillars - Innovative Advantage, Value Optimization, Agility & Efficiency, and Resilient Operations - into practical operating models and team-level behaviors * Serve as the primary steward for embedding strategic pillar alignment into planning, prioritization, and decision-making processes * Partner with IT leadership to identify maturity gaps and drive structured improvement roadmaps * Establish metrics and maturity models to track progress in IT ways-of-working adoption over time Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) IT Leadership * Lead end-to-end IT strategy for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, including pre-deal due diligence, Day 1 readiness, and post-close integration * Own the Patrick IT M&A playbook, integration methodology, and standard toolkits used consistently across all transactions * Direct IT due diligence activities, assessing target company technology stacks, contracts, licensing, cybersecurity posture, data practices, and organizational readiness * Develop and manage integration workstreams spanning infrastructure, applications, data, cybersecurity, vendor contracts, and organizational alignment * Define and drive Day 1, Day 100, and long-term integration milestones, ensuring business continuity and minimal disruption to acquired entities * Drive synergy identification and capture through system consolidation, license rationalization, and vendor contract harmonization * Partner with Corporate Development, Legal, Finance, Cybersecurity, and business unit leaders to align integration plans with deal thesis and value creation targets * Lead carve-out and divestiture planning where applicable, ensuring clean separation of systems, data, and services * Build repeatable, scalable integration processes and governance to support a high-frequency, recurring acquisition pipeline * Report integration progress, risks, dependencies, and synergy realization to executive leadership and deal governance forums Vendor Management Office (VMO) Leadership * Design and stand up Patrick Industries' enterprise Vendor Management Office, including charter, operating model, governance structure, and staffing plan * Establish enterprise vendor management policies, standards, and lifecycle processes covering sourcing, contracting, onboarding, performance management, and offboarding * Build a centralized vendor inventory and segmentation model (strategic, tactical, transactional) to prioritize oversight and engagement effort * Define and implement vendor performance scorecards, SLAs, and cadence of business reviews for critical and strategic suppliers * Lead vendor negotiations and contract structuring in partnership with Legal and Procurement, ensuring favorable commercial terms and risk mitigation * Establish vendor risk management processes, including financial health monitoring, cybersecurity risk assessment, and business continuity planning * Drive vendor consolidation and rationalization initiatives to reduce cost, complexity, and redundant capability * Serve as the executive escalation point for critical vendor relationships, performance issues, and contract disputes * Partner with Finance to track and report vendor spend, savings, and contract compliance across the enterprise * Integrate VMO practices into the M&A playbook to streamline harmonization of acquired vendor contracts Portfolio Management & Governance * Own Patrick IT portfolio management, including intake, prioritization, sequencing, and governance of programs and projects * Establish portfolio governance forums, decision rights, and stage-gate processes to ensure disciplined investment decisions * Ensure portfolio composition reflects and advances the four IT strategic pillars * Implement benefit realization tracking, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable business value * Provide transparent, real-time visibility into portfolio health, risk, dependencies, and resourcing * Partner with business and IT leaders to resolve portfolio conflicts and resourcing constraints Financial Management * Own IT financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting for the strategy and operations function, including M&A integration and vendor management costs * Drive cost transparency, chargeback/showback models, and financial accountability across the IT organization * Identify and execute cost optimization opportunities across vendor contracts, licensing, and portfolio investments * Partner with Finance to track ROI, synergy capture, and total cost of ownership across IT initiatives * Ensure accurate financial reporting and forecasting to support enterprise planning cycles * Implement and drive adoption of a total cost of ownership (TCO) model across Patrick IT Organizational Change Management & Communication * Lead organizational change management strategy for major IT transformation initiatives, ways-of-working rollouts, and M&A integrations * Develop and execute enterprise communication plans that build awareness, understanding, and adoption of new operating models * Design and deliver training, enablement, and readiness programs to support adoption of new processes and tools * Establish change impact assessments, stakeholder analysis, and readiness metrics for major initiatives * Serve as a trusted change advisor to IT and business leadership, helping navigate resistance and build momentum for transformation * Build a sustainable change management capability and community of practice within IT Leadership & Organizational Development * Build and lead a high-performing team across portfolio management, vendor management, M&A integration, and change management disciplines * Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement * Develop talent, succession plans, and career pathways aligned with enterprise needs Alignment to IT Strategic Pillars Innovative Advantage * Ensure the IT portfolio and vendor ecosystem enable adoption of emerging technologies and innovative solutions * Structure M&A integration approaches that preserve and scale innovative capabilities from acquired entities Value Optimization * Drive disciplined portfolio governance, vendor rationalization, and benefit realization to maximize ROI * Capture M&A synergies through consolidation, standardization, and cost optimization Agility & Efficiency * Streamline ways of working, governance processes, and vendor engagement models for speed and flexibility * Build repeatable M&A integration playbooks that accelerate onboarding of acquired entities Resilient Operations * Ensure vendor risk management, contract governance, and change management practices support stable, secure operations * Embed organizational change management to ensure new ways of working are sustainably adopted ## Related Videos - [What makes Cybersecurity different for critical infrastructure?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/571-what-makes-cybersecurity-different-for-critical-infrastructure) - [Thinking Differently - How to Make Money from Cyber Attacks & Cheats](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/745-thinking-differently-how-to-make-money-from-cyber-attacks-cheats) - [Data Governance in the Era of AI](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1622-data-governance-in-the-era-of-ai) - [Your Manager Doesn’t Come with a User Manual (But You Can Totally Write One)](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1495-your-manager-doesn-t-come-with-a-user-manual-but-you-can-totally-write-one) - [Inside Mercedes-Benz: How CIO Katrin Lehmann is Empowering 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