Manager, Information Technology Infrastructure and Operations

MANAGER, IT INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONSChicago, Illinois | Full-Time | Hybrid (2–3 Days per Week On-Site)Base Salary: $150,000–$170,000Reports To Senior Director, Information TechnologyWork Schedule Hybrid; 2–3 days in officeTravel Approximately 10%–15%

About the Company

Medical Device Manufacturing Holding organization through its portfolio of companies, designs, develops, and distributes innovative specialty medical devices worldwide to improve patient care, medical treatment, and clinical outcomes.

Its people, facilities, research and development capabilities, patented technologies, products, and educational programs are focused on helping healthcare professionals achieve the best possible outcomes for patients.

Position Overview

The Manager, Infrastructure and Operations will establish and lead a scalable, standardized, and cost-efficient IT operating model across a group of medical technology companies.

This position will own the follow-the-sun operating model and lead a combination of on-site and offshore resources while driving consolidation, governance, service improvement, and optimization across infrastructure and related IT operations.

The manager will balance group-wide standards and centralized services with the flexibility required by individual companies. This role partners closely with business and technology leaders to align IT services with organizational priorities and will own key elements of enterprise infrastructure strategy, M&A integration, technology rationalization, shared-services development, and consistent service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, implement, and manage a group-level IT operating model while providing flexible support for individual companies.
• Establish standards for infrastructure, operations, security, service delivery, documentation, and technology governance.
• Lead the development of shared-services capabilities where appropriate, including service desk, cloud, network, infrastructure, and end-user computing services.
• Partner with company leaders and IT management to align local business needs with group-wide priorities.
• Govern IT decision-making through steering committees, cross-company collaboration forums, and structured decision-making processes.
• Standardization and Consolidation
• Lead platform standardization across cloud, hardware, identity, endpoint management, collaboration tools, productivity platforms, and related infrastructure services.
• Rationalize legacy environments, reduce duplication, and identify opportunities to consolidate technologies and vendor relationships.
• Lead data center and hosting migrations to cloud or hybrid environments.
• Improve network architecture, connectivity, and resilience in partnership with cybersecurity and Zero Trust initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement of ITSM tools, operational support processes, and infrastructure monitoring.
• Support consolidation of infrastructure and end-user computing environments, including Microsoft 365 tenant migration where appropriate.
• Establish and govern reference architectures and approved technology-stack standards.
• Infrastructure and Service Delivery
• Oversee multi-cloud, hybrid, and on-premises infrastructure environments.
• Support corporate and site networks across multiple companies and locations.
• Provide leadership for end-user computing platforms serving diverse user populations.
• Ensure consistent service levels, service-level agreements (SLAs), and experience-level agreements (XLAs) across all companies.
• Implement mature IT service management practices, including incident, problem, change, asset, and configuration management.
• Introduce monitoring, observability, automation, and reporting to improve reliability, performance, and efficiency.M&A Integration and Separation
• Assist with IT due diligence and infrastructure integration planning for acquisitions.
• Support the onboarding of acquired companies into shared infrastructure platforms and services.
• Identify and capture synergies through consolidation, standardization, and technology rationalization.
• Participate in separation or transition activities when business needs require them.
• Security, Risk and Compliance
• Partner with cybersecurity leadership to implement consistent infrastructure security controls and baseline standards.
• Manage infrastructure risks associated with decentralized and multi-company environments.
• Support compliance with regulatory, contractual, and internal requirements across applicable jurisdictions.
• Ensure infrastructure decisions incorporate security, resiliency, business continuity, and disaster recovery considerations.
• Financial Management and Value Realization
• Develop and manage a multi-company infrastructure and operations budget in partnership with IT leadership.
• Develop and manage cost-allocation models and financial planning for shared services.
• Drive cost efficiencies through vendor consolidation, strategic sourcing, standardization, and leveraged purchasing.
• Track and report value realization, cost synergies, cost savings, and operational improvements resulting from standardization, integration, and consolidation initiatives.
• Vendor and Partner Management
• Consolidate and manage vendor relationships across the group.
• Negotiate and manage enterprise agreements to reduce cost, risk, and complexity.
• Manage managed service providers, cloud providers, telecommunications vendors, and offshore teams at scale.
• Monitor vendor performance, service levels, renewals, and contract obligations.
• Team Leadership and Stakeholder Management
• Lead, coach, and develop on-site and offshore infrastructure and operations resources.
• Build strong relationships and trust with leaders and IT teams across the group’s companies.
• Influence stakeholders without relying solely on direct authority.
• Communicate clearly with technical teams, business leaders, vendors, and executive stakeholders.
• Balance centralized standards with company-specific requirements and varying levels of IT maturity.
• Provide program and project oversight and drive progress in fast-paced or ambiguous environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 8 years of progressive IT experience, including at least 2 years of management or team-leadership experience.
• Experience supporting enterprise infrastructure, cloud and on-premises platforms, networks, identity, end-user computing, and IT operations.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, enterprise networking, virtualization, backup, disaster recovery, and infrastructure monitoring.
• Experience with IT service management frameworks and operational processes, including incident, problem, change, asset, and configuration management.
• Experience with enterprise standardization, consolidation, cost optimization, or technology transformation initiatives.
• Experience with M&A integration, multi-company environments, holding companies, or private-equity-backed organizations is preferred.
• Experience managing vendors, managed service providers, or offshore resources is preferred.
• IT certifications such as ITIL, PMP, CISSP, or relevant cloud certifications are encouraged.
• Leadership

Competencies

• Friendly, approachable, and able to build rapport and trust quickly.
• Persuasive and able to gain support for group-level initiatives across independently operated companies.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and comfort working with varied personalities, priorities, and levels of IT maturity.
• Strong financial and operational judgment, including cost containment and vendor-management skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Strong program and project management oversight.
• Travel and Office

Requirements

• This position is based in Chicago, Illinois and requires on-site presence approximately two to three days per week.
• Travel of approximately 10%–15% may be required to support company locations, integration activities, and key initiatives.

Compensation

The base salary range for this position is $150,000–$170,000. Actual compensation will depend on the selected candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and internal equity considerations.

DisclaimerThis job description provides only a summary of the typical functions of the position and is not intended to represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, or duties. Additional duties may be assigned as needed, and duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

SmartHire is not legally responsible for any changes to the jobholder’s responsibilities or activities implemented by our clients that differ from those described in this job description.

SmartHire is posting this position on behalf of its client, and the salary range provided is determined by the client. Actual compensation offered will depend on the selected candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and internal equity considerations. SmartHire is not legally responsible for any changes in salary, benefits, or bonuses made by its clients.