Manager, Manufacturing Systems

The Manager of Manufacturing Systems leads the alignment of Business and IT within the Manufacturing organization to ensure technology effectively enables business strategy and operational excellence. This role serves as a liaison primarily between plant operations and the corporate IT department, translating business needs into technology solutions.

This position is accountable for business systems strategy, requirements definition, IT project delivery, system enhancements, and ongoing support across manufacturing and supply chain functions. The Manager plays a key role in continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring information systems are fully leveraged to drive efficiency, quality, and cost effectiveness.

This position is located in Alpharetta, GA, and requires on-site daily.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy

• Serve as a member of IT Leadership, contributing to enterprise-wide technology and business strategy.

• Lead and mentor Business Analysts as direct reports, as well as contribute hands-on where needed.

• Develop, evaluate, and defend business cases for new initiatives; prioritizing investments with the greatest return.

• Align Manufacturing IT initiatives with business strategy and operational goals.

• Business Partnership

• Represent IT as the primary partner to Manufacturing and related functions, including Operations, Distribution, Warehouse Management, Inventory, Product Development, and Engineering.

• Function as an internal relationship manager, partnering with business leaders to prioritize initiatives within resource constraints.

• Serve as the primary liaison to corporate IT shared services, including infrastructure, applications, and support teams.

Business Systems & Analysis

• Lead business system requirements analysis by working directly with stakeholders to gather, document, and validate functional and technical requirements.

• Collaborate with IT teams to translate business requirements into effective system design and solutions.

• Provide internal consulting and subject matter expertise on core business applications.

Project & Program Management

• Manage Business-IT projects end-to-end, including scope, schedule, cost, risk, and stakeholder communication.

• Coordinate project teams, conduct project kickoffs, facilitate status meetings, and deliver executive-level reporting.

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned to business objectives.

Continuous Improvement

• Participate in and support business-driven continuous improvement initiatives, such as Lean and VA/VE, to ensure that business systems are fully utilized in driving cost-effective and efficient business processes.

• Provide employee training, process documentation, and ongoing support for new and existing systems.

• Lead post-implementation reviews to validate business outcomes, document lessons learned, and establish best practices.

Governance, Compliance & Vendors

• Support IT governance, regulatory compliance, and internal controls.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required.

• A bachelor’s degree from a four-year College is required, preferably in Information Systems or a related business field.

• 10+ years of IT experience, with a minimum of 5 years in an IT leadership or management role.

• Demonstrated experience supporting manufacturing and distribution organizations, with strong business acumen and technical skills.

• Proven success in delivering large-scale Business-IT projects on time and within budget.

• Hands-on experience implementing, upgrading, and supporting enterprise ERP platforms.

• Experience with complementary business systems such as Business Intelligence (BI), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Preventive Maintenance (CMMS), Enterprise Portal / Collaboration, etc.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to function as a change agent.

• Results-oriented leader with strong team-building, coaching, and stakeholder management capabilities.

• Project management certification, such as Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute (PMI), is preferred.

• Certifications in manufacturing operations and supply chain management are a plus.

• Ability to travel as required.