Role purpose The IT Manager owns the day-to-day reliability, security, and performance of the company's IT operations and infrastructure, while also acting as a proactive, accountable partner in the planning and delivery of digital and technology projects. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who combines strong operational discipline with genuine initiative — someone who identifies risks and raises them early, drives decisions forward without waiting to be asked, and takes full ownership of outcomes rather than tasks. This role is deliberately built around a high bar for ownership and initiative. Candidates who wait for direction, escalate late, or default to indirect answers are not a fit for this position, regardless of technical depth. Key responsibilities — IT Operations & Infrastructure Own the availability, performance, and security of all IT infrastructure, systems, and networks across the company's locations. Lead and develop IT operations and support team; set clear standards for service quality and response times. Manage vendor and service-provider relationships (connectivity, hosting, licensing, hardware) and hold them accountable to SLAs. Own IT security posture, backup and disaster-recovery readiness, and incident response. Manage the IT operations budget and recommend infrastructure investments with clear business justification. Proactively flag operational risks (capacity, security, technical debt) before they become incidents — without being prompted. Key responsibilities — Project & Delivery support Act as the operational and technical anchor for digital transformation projects (e.g. CRM/Salesforce, system integrations, new platform rollouts), working alongside the Digital Transformation & IT Director and any assigned project managers or external consultants. Track project milestones, dependencies, and risks for initiatives that touch IT systems; surface delays or blockers immediately, with a recommended path forward — not just a status update. Coordinate internal IT resources and third-party vendors to keep project workstreams on schedule. Maintain clear, proactive reporting on project status to the Director — issues should reach the Director from this role before they reach the Director from elsewhere. Required qualifications & experience10+ years of progressive IT experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership role managing an IT team. Demonstrated experience owning infrastructure, security, and operations for a multi-site or multi-branch organization; car rental, retail, logistics, or similar operational businesses is a plus. Direct involvement in at least one significant technology or digital transformation project (e.g. CRM, ERP, or platform implementation), in a role with real accountability for outcomes, not just execution of tasks. Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or a related field. MBA is preferable. Relevant certifications are a plus (e.g. ITIL, PMP, or equivalent project-management credential) . Core competencies (hiring bar) Ownership and initiative — the single most important criterion for this role. Must proactively identify problems, escalate early, and drive resolution without waiting for instructions. Direct, clear communication — comfortable giving straight answers, flagging bad news early, and pushing back constructively when something is off track. Operational rigor — disciplined about uptime, security, documentation, and process. Working project-management literacy — able to read a project plan, understand dependencies and risk, and contribute meaningfully to delivery without necessarily running the full PMO discipline. Team leadership — able to build trust and get the best out of a technical team, while still holding people accountable to standards.