Vice President of Information Technology (Head of IT)
About GlassRatner Executive Search
GlassRatner is a diversified financial services and professional services advisory company. GlassRatner partners with the leadership of primarily mid-market North American organizations, their boards of directors, investors, lenders and other professionals. With our reach across North America and internationally, and working with a highly collaborative approach, our diverse team of business-savvy professionals operate seamlessly to provide services across executive search, human capital & financial advisory, corporate finance, wealth management and restructuring.
Our Executive Search practice focuses on building and cultivating relationships with Private Equity firms, providing thought partnership while supporting high-profile, senior executive hiring across the portfolio, as well as firm-level hires and interim placements.
About our Client
Our client is a leading manufacturer serving the inland and coastal marine transportation industry, specializing in the engineering, design, and construction of mission-critical commercial vessels supporting the movement of bulk commodities, energy products, industrial materials, and construction resources throughout North America. The company operates a network of strategically located production facilities across key waterways and transportation corridors, supporting a broad and diversified customer base in highly operational and asset-intensive markets.
The organization has built a strong reputation for engineering quality, operational reliability, safety, and long-term customer partnership within a complex manufacturing environment. Previously a division of a larger, public company, our client was recently acquired by a prominent middle-market private equity sponsor via a carve-out transaction. As a result, the company must stand-up its information technology function from the ground up - including people, processes, technology and governance - while modernizing infrastructure, implementing business applications, ensuring a resilient cybersecurity posture, and building scalable systems and processes to support future growth.
As an independent company, the business is undertaking a significant capability-building initiative in technology, including the separation and stand-up of independent systems and infrastructure, modernization of core applications, the selection and implementation of a new/standalone ERP, enhancement of cybersecurity and governance processes, and development of a more scalable and strategically aligned IT operating model, which enables, not hinders, the value creation plan and broader business vision.
About the VP of IT (Head of IT) Role
The Vice President of Information Technology will be the company's seniormost information technology leader, responsible for building and leading the company’s standalone IT function while remaining closely involved in execution. This leader will oversee enterprise applications, infrastructure, cybersecurity, vendor management, and service delivery while driving a multi-year technology transformation roadmap aligned with the company’s operational and strategic objectives.
This role offers the opportunity to join a highly visible transformation at a pivotal point in the company’s evolution, with direct exposure to executive leadership and meaningful influence on operational and strategic outcomes.
Essential Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a multi-year IT roadmap aligned with business objectives;
- Lead the IT separation from the former parent organization;
- Lead ERP implementation and modernization initiatives;
- Oversee infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud environments, networks, and support;
- Build and lead a lean IT organization while managing external vendors and partners;
- Develop and manage IT operating and capital budgets;
- Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Finance, and HR leadership;
- Establish IT governance, cybersecurity controls, and disaster recovery processes;
Essential Qualifications
- Minimum of 8 years of progressive IT leadership experience within manufacturing, industrial, engineering, transportation, or other asset-intensive environments;
- Demonstrated experience supporting carve-outs, acquisition integrations, or large-scale transformations;
- Hands-on ERP implementation and modernization experience;
- Strong understanding of infrastructure, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, and systems integration;
- Proven ability to lead lean IT teams and manage external service providers;
- Strong written and verbal communication skills;
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field preferred;
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience in a private equity-backed environment;
- Experience supporting heavy manufacturing, shipyard, or industrial operations;
- Experience with Microsoft 365, Azure, Active Directory, cloud migrations, and cybersecurity tooling;
- Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, PMP, or ITIL;
Role Location & Working Arrangements
This role is expected to be based in the Nashville or New Orleans area and will require regular but moderate travel. Relocation assistance or a commuter arrangement may be considered for an exceptional candidate.
