Position Summary
The Vice President of Information Technology (VP of IT) is a senior business leader responsible for driving execution, stability, and modernization of Midland Industries’ technology environment in support of business growth, operational excellence, and risk reduction. This role is central to ensuring the company scales safely, efficiently, and intelligently, while building a modern IT foundation that supports the future of the business.
This role requires a nimble, hands-on leader who can operate as both strategist and operator—setting direction while actively engaging in delivery. The VP of IT will lead the evolution of Midland’s IT organization, technology stack, and operating model to enable scalable growth, new channel expansion, M&A integration, and improved data and analytics capabilities.
Core Objectives of the Role
The VP of IT is accountable for three outcomes:
1. Enable Business Growth Through Technology
- Support core business growth, new channel expansion, and customer experience initiatives through reliable, scalable technology
- Partner with commercial, operations, finance, and supply chain leaders to translate business needs into executable technology solutions
- Ensure IT enables—not impedes—growth initiatives such as eCommerce, pricing, vendor portals, integrations, and acquisitions
2. Modernize and Stabilize the Technology Foundation
- Reduce operational risk and technical debt across infrastructure, applications, and integrations
- Lead platform modernization efforts across ERP (Epicor P21), WMS, eCommerce, data, and analytics
- Improve system reliability, performance, security, and scalability
3. Build an Execution-Focused IT Organization
- Clarify roles, accountability, and operating model within IT
- Establish disciplined delivery, prioritization, and communication
- Balance speed with control, and innovation with stability
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own and lead Midland’s end-to-end IT strategy and execution roadmap
- Own the organization’s security strategy and posture, ensuring robust protection of data, systems, and operations.
- Own and drive the enterprise project delivery governance establishing clear tollgates, standards, and accountability to ensure consistent, predictable execution.
- Oversee MSPs and technology vendors, negotiating contracts, managing performance, and ensuring alignment with business priorities
COMPENTENCIES
Hands-On / Player-Coach Leadership
Operate as a hands-on leader during periods of transformation
Engage directly in solution design, prioritization, problem solving and vendor management
Remove obstacles and accelerate execution often by stepping in where needed to unblock team and move initiatives forward
IT Organization & People Leadership
Lead and develop IT leadership and staff
Establish clear accountability, operating rhythms, and performance standards
Build a culture of ownership, transparency, and execution
Technology Stack & Architecture
Maintain deep knowledge of Midland’s technology stack, including ERP, WMS, eCommerce platforms, integrations, APIs, data analytics, infrastructure, and security.
Make pragmatic architecture decisions that balance modernization with business continuity
Risk Management & Governance
Reduce technology and operational risk through simplification, standardization, and governance
Implement controls around security, access, data, and system changes
Align vendor, licensing, and cost structures with business value
Cross-Functional Partnership
Act as a trusted partner to executive leadership and functional teams
Communicate priorities, trade-offs, risks, and progress clearly
Align IT investments with strategic and financial objectives
Financial Discipline & Budget Management
Demonstrate strong financial acumen in managing IT budgets, forecasting, and cost optimization.
Align technology investments with business priorities and ROI expectations.
Establish clear processes for tracking spend, managing vendor costs, and ensuring financial accountability.
Balance innovation and modernization initiatives with disciplined cost control and risk management.
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
Success in this role will be measured by:
- Stability and reliability of core systems
- Progress against strategic IT roadmap
- Improved speed and quality of delivery
- Reduced risk and technical debt
- Clear alignment between IT initiatives and business outcomes
- Confidence and trust from business stakeholders
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related discipline required
- MBA or advanced degree preferred, particularly where paired with demonstrated commercial and operational impact
- Relevant professional certifications (e.g., ERP platforms, program management, security, cloud) a plus but secondary to demonstrated results
Experience
- 12+ years of progressive IT experience, with a meaningful portion spent in senior leadership roles accountable for enterprise outcomes
- 5+ years leading IT organizations with responsibility for both strategy and execution in complex, multi-system environments
- Proven success modernizing and stabilizing enterprise application ecosystems, including ERP platforms (Epicor P21 strongly preferred)
- Track record delivering large, cross-functional technology initiatives on time and within budget, with measurable business impact
- Experience enabling business growth through digital capabilities, analytics, and operational scale.
- Experience simplifying technology environments, reducing risk and technical debt, and improving reliability and cost discipline
- Prior experience in distribution, manufacturing, or industrial businesses strongly preferred
- Experience supporting M&A activity and working in private-equity-backed or high-growth environments preferred
Leadership Characteristics and Competencies
- Demonstrated ability to translate business strategy into a clear, prioritized, and executable technology roadmap
- Strong financial and operational acumen, with comfort discussing ROI, risk, tradeoffs, and timing at the executive and board level
- Proven capability to build trust with senior leadership by delivering results, communicating transparently, and managing expectations
- Respected partner across functions
- Ability to stabilize operations while simultaneously driving transformation
- Comfortable working in environments with ambiguity, change, and competing priorities
- Proven ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing IT teams
- Clear communicator with the ability to influence executive and cross-functional stakeholders
- Calm under pressure; able to stabilize while transforming
Physical Requirements:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
An Equal Opportunity Employer
We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants are given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.
