IT Operations Lead

Would you like to shape the IT direction of an international group and work with your team to turn that vision into reality? Altenova brings together the expertise of Altebra and Pyronova in active fire protection. Across several European locations, more than 500 colleagues work on solutions that protect people and property. To support our continued growth and international collaboration, we are looking for an IT Operations Lead to join our headquarters in Ophasselt (Geraardsbergen). Your role As IT Operations Lead, you hold group-wide responsibility for both the IT strategy and its operational delivery. You define the IT roadmap and architecture, set priorities and safeguard continuity, security, standardisation and reliable IT services across all Altenova entities. This is not a purely strategic management role: you are a hands-on leader who provides direction, makes decisions and organises their implementation. You work closely with management, local IT colleagues and specialised external partners. You also lead a team of seven IT professionals, setting priorities, assigning responsibilities, monitoring progress and supporting your team through clear feedback and coaching. What will you be responsible for? You lead a team of seven IT professionals and create the structure they need to collaborate effectively. You set clear priorities, ensure a balanced distribution of work and foster a constructive team dynamic through regular feedback and clear expectations. You define the IT strategy, architecture and roadmap for the entire group and translate this vision into a phased and realistic implementation plan. You map the existing application landscape, reduce overlap between systems and lead the selection, standardisation and migration of tools. You also determine the direction for infrastructure, networking, cloud solutions and endpoint management, coordinating implementation with your team and external partners. You safeguard a secure and consistent IT environment. This includes optimising identity and access management through SSO, MFA, standardised role models and secure onboarding and offboarding processes. You establish group-wide cybersecurity and compliance standards, with a focus on ISO 27001, Zero Trust and GDPR, and engage specialised expertise where required. You harmonise SharePoint and document management by developing clear structures, metadata, workflows and access permissions. At the same time, you further develop the IT service organisation through well-defined processes, a shared service desk, high-quality documentation, transparent reporting and strong agreements with suppliers. Finally, you support the further standardisation of data and reporting, including Power BI and applications for engineering and field service. You guide the organisation through the introduction of new tools and ensure employees understand, adopt and use them effectively.

You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in IT or a related field, or have equivalent relevant experience. You have at least seven years of experience in a broad IT environment and have taken responsibility for infrastructure, projects or group-wide improvements. Experience in a multi-site or international environment is a strong advantage. You have strong hands-on knowledge of Microsoft 365, Azure, networking, endpoint management, identity and access management, and cybersecurity. You move comfortably between strategy and operations and can translate technical decisions into realistic business priorities. You communicate convincingly with senior management, users, IT colleagues and external partners, and you work in a structured, decisive and pragmatic way. You communicate fluently in Dutch and English. English is the working language within our international collaboration. You thrive in an international working environment and are willing to travel occasionally to other European locations.

A responsible, hands-on IT leadership role, managing a team of seven and making an impact across the entire group. The opportunity to shape Altenova’s IT direction and turn it into reality together with your team and specialised partners. A permanent employment contract, clear decision-making authority and direct communication with management. Entrepreneurial colleagues, short decision-making lines and ample opportunities for professional development.