Sr. IT Manager

The Senior IT Manager provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Kuraray America technology capabilities, including enterprise applications, infrastructure, IT operations, cybersecurity, data management, ERP systems, end-user support, and digitalization. The role translates global IT and digitalization strategy into locally executable plans, ensuring secure, reliable, scalable, and cost-effective technology services that support business growth and manufacturing performance.

This role serves as the link between global IT governance and local business outcomes. The Senior IT Manager partners with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), business stakeholders, global technology counterparts, peer regional IT leaders, and central advisory teams to prioritize initiatives, validate local requirements, optimize business processes, and deliver measurable value. The role operates with calibrated autonomy, applying enterprise standards while advocating for justified local differentiation where regional business needs, regulatory requirements, risk, or manufacturing realities require adaptation.

The Senior IT Manager leads multiple IT disciplines through managers, supervisors, technical leads, internal team members, vendors, and service providers. The role is accountable for technology decision quality, operational service delivery, change adoption, local capability development, and contribution to global standards and shared platforms, including ServiceNow, ERP, Microsoft Power BI, cybersecurity frameworks, and enterprise infrastructure.

Lead the development and execution of the organization's IT strategy, technology roadmap, and investment plans to support business objectives , global IT direction, and long-term growth.

Actively contributes to global IT and digitalization strategy by sharing regional requirements, business priorities, implementation learnings, and operational constraints.

Partner with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to identify technology opportunities, prioritize initiatives, and align IT investments with organizational goals and value realization .

Develop and maintain enterprise architecture standards, governance frameworks, technology policies , and decision rights that balance global standardization with local responsiveness.

Collaborate with global technology counterparts and peer regional leaders to align standards, leverage shared platforms, reuse best practices, and prevent regional silos.

Evaluate emerging technologies, industry trends, and digital transformation opportunities to improve business performance , cyber security posture, and manufacturing outcomes.

Serve as the strategic leader for the ServiceNow platform, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives , global standards, and IT Service Management (ITSM) best practices.

Drive continuous improvement of IT service delivery processes, including incident, problem, change, request, asset , knowledge, and service level management.

Lead the implementation of ServiceNow workflows, automation initiatives, reporting capabilities, governance standards , and service catalog improvements.

Utilize ServiceNow analytics and reporting to measure service performance, identify trends, improve operational effectiveness , and increase transparency with business stakeholders.

Partner with business stakeholders to expand platform capabilities and maximize organizational value where ServiceNow can streamline work beyond IT.

Provide strategic direction and governance for ERP systems, ensuring alignment with business priorities , global process standards, and enterprise technology strategy.

Collaborate with business leaders and global counterparts to identify opportunities for process improvement, system optimization, integration , automation, and data quality opportunities.

Partner with the ERP Manager to establish priorities, oversee major initiatives, and support long-term ERP roadmap planning.

Lead or sponsor ERP upgrades, enhancements, integrations, and transformation initiatives that improve operational effectiveness and user adoption.

Maintain strong knowledge of manufacturing company business processes, including operations, quality, maintenance, supply chain, procurement, sales, finance, and regulatory needs as applicable.

Implement a business partner concept that connects IT capabilities to local business value, capability development, and digitalization priorities.

Establish and oversee enterprise data governance practices to ensure data quality, security, accessibility, ownership, and compliance.

Promote the use of business intelligence and analytics platforms, including Microsoft Power BI, to support data-driven decision making , operational visibility, and KPI management.

Partner with business leaders to develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting solutions that provide actionable insights , and support value realization.

Ensure compliance with cybersecurity standards, internal controls, data protection requirements, governance practices, and risk management practices.

Lead technology risk assessments, cybersecurity awareness initiatives, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning efforts.

Continuously optimize IT security and governance in line with global frameworks and local risk conditions.

Lead, coach, and develop managers, supervisors, technical leads, and IT professionals across multiple technology disciplines.

Create an inspiring, modern, accountable, and collaborative working environment that supports innovation, customer service, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Assess current IT and digitalization capabilities, identify capability gaps, and prioritize development activities that support the mid-term plan and business priorities.

Support workforce planning, succession planning, employee development, and technical training initiatives.

Promote strong partnerships between IT, ERP, business functions, and global technology teams.

Establish performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and performance management.

Inspire the team to generate ideas and concepts that support local execution, global strategy, and value-adding activities.

Develop, manage, and administer departmental operating and capital budgets in alignment with organizational priorities and global guidance.

Forecast technology expenditures and ensure effective allocation of resources across operational, strategic, and transformational initiatives.

Evaluate technology investments, develop business cases, and recommend solutions that maximize business value , align with global standards, risk reduction, and return on investment.

Present budget forecasts, project status updates, risk tradeoffs, and investment recommendations to senior leadership.

Establish and manage strategic relationships with technology vendors, consultants, outsourcing partners, and service providers.

Lead vendor selection, contract negotiations, renewals, and performance management activities.

Coordinate with global procurement and technology teams to leverage enterprise agreements , shared service models, and vendor partnerships.

Monitor project and service performance to ensure externally delivered solutions meet business objectives, service levels, timelines, security expectations, and budget requirements.

Customer Focus Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.

Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.

Business Insight Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals.

Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals.

Cultivates Innovation Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

Action Oriented Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.

Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.

Ensures Accountability Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

Drives Results Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstance

Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstance

Collaborates Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

Values Difference Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization

Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization

Communicates Effectively Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

Courage Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.

Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.

Instills Trust Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

Situational Adaptability Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.

Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.

We offer a competitive compensation package that includes base pay and an annual incentive. This program is designed to reward individual performance and align overall rewards with corporate and team performance.

Our employees benefit from a robust healthcare package that includes wellness reimbursements, along with generous perks such as three weeks of paid time off, ten company holidays, paid parental leave, education reimbursement, and a matching 401k plan, among other offerings.

Learn more at kuraray.us.com/careers/

Kuraray America, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity/disability/protected veteran status

No third-party candidates accepted.