Director of IT & Industrial Systems

Location: Northeast Arkansas (Greater Memphis region) — on-site, split between the office and the plant floor

Pay Rate: $120,000–$180,000 base salary, based on experience, plus an annual performance bonus

Overview

Our client is a North American steel processing and supply company handling sourcing, coil processing, and multi-modal logistics for manufacturers and distributors. This role supports a new flat-rolled coil processing plant that began production in 2026, with phased expansion already planned.

The Director of IT & Industrial Systems is the first IT leader for the plant and owns both IT and OT. This is not a full-time PLC programming role, but the Director must understand industrial controls, manufacturing networks, and systems integration well enough to troubleshoot issues and hold automation and equipment vendors accountable. The role reports to the General Manager.

Systems environment:

• ERP, MES, and line automation/controls systems (vendors disclosed during the interview process)
• PLC, HMI, and SCADA environments, including an automated overhead crane and other automated processing equipment
• Microsoft 365 and Windows; SQL databases; REST APIs and web services
• Industrial protocols: OPC-UA and MQTT
• VoIP, IP cameras and NVR, access control, VPN, firewalls, and managed switching

What the Director will own:

Systems integration

• Integration between ERP, MES, automation, and processing equipment, including production orders, coil and material data, inventory transactions, and production results
• Troubleshooting APIs, databases, network communications, and system interfaces
• Diagnostic procedures for system and communication failures
• Documentation of interfaces, data flows, IP addressing, network architecture, and system dependencies

Infrastructure

• Plant and corporate network design and maintenance: switches, routers, firewalls, wireless, fiber, cabling, and redundancy
• Segmentation between corporate IT and industrial OT networks
• Corporate IT: computers, servers, Microsoft 365, email, printers, user accounts, permissions, licensing, and hardware inventory
• VoIP telephone systems

Security and continuity

• Manufacturing-appropriate cybersecurity policies and controls
• Secure VPN and remote access for approved vendors
• Backup, recovery, and business continuity procedures
• IP cameras, NVR/cloud recording, remote viewing, and access control, including retention and access standards

Vendors, budget, and planning

• Coordinating software vendors, controls integrators, and equipment manufacturers through implementation and troubleshooting, and enforcing specs, testing, and documentation
• IT budgets and capital technology projects, including evaluation of vendor proposals
• A technology roadmap for future automation, equipment, and software expansion
• End-user support for employees and management

Software: ERP, MES, and automation platforms; Microsoft 365 and Windows; SQL; REST APIs; OPC-UA and MQTT; PLC/HMI/SCADA; VoIP; IP camera/NVR; VPN, firewall, and managed switching platforms

Compensation & Perks

• $120,000–$180,000 base salary, based on experience; the top of the range is reserved for candidates who can work hands-on at the server and network level
• Annual performance bonus paid as a percentage of salary, tied to defined KPIs
• Full-time, on-site
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, eligible after 90 days; the company covers COBRA premiums until coverage begins
• 401(k) with a 3% company match, eligible after one year
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid holidays
• Leadership that prioritizes automation and AI-driven tools over manual data entry, and backs the tools needed to get there
• A direct reporting line to the General Manager and a defined mandate to build the plant's technology foundation from the start

Requirements

• 7+ years of progressively responsible IT experience
• Manufacturing, distribution, steel processing, or industrial automation background strongly preferred
• Experience supporting ERP and/or MES environments
• Microsoft 365 and Windows administration
• Working knowledge of SQL databases
• Networking: TCP/IP, managed switches, VLANs, firewalls, VPNs, Wi-Fi, and fiber
• Working understanding of PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems
• REST APIs and system-to-system integration
• IT/OT network segmentation and manufacturing cybersecurity
• IP surveillance cameras and VoIP systems
• Experience managing technology and automation vendors
• Comfortable working both in the office and on the plant floor
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field preferred; significant manufacturing technology experience may substitute

Titles that translate: IT Manager, IT Director, Manufacturing Systems Manager, OT Systems Manager, Systems Integration Manager, Infrastructure Manager, Plant IT Manager.

Nice to have:

• OPC-UA, MQTT, or similar industrial communication protocols
• Automated crane systems or other automated plant equipment

Background check required.

This is not a remote position — this role is fully on-site at our client's plant in Northeast Arkansas. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Our client is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.