IT & Technology Manager

Build the IT organisation and technology landscape that will enable our growth

Why this role is emerging now

Scandia Gear is an international family-run business specialising in maritime PPE and workwear, with four warehouses (the Netherlands, Singapore, Dubai, the United States) and a branch in Suriname. We are growing rapidly and investing heavily in our digital transformation: a new B2B portal, HubSpot as our commercial platform, PIM, the modernisation of our ERP environment and a cloud-native, low-code integration platform. Specialised partners are carrying out the technical implementation. 

We have made a conscious choice to adopt a composable architecture: best-of-breed systems, connected via an API-first integration layer, rather than a monolith that does a bit of everything. In this way, we are building a modern, event-driven technology landscape: thematic APIs, fed from centralised sources where the data is well-organised. In doing so, we are laying the groundwork for integration and automation, and creating the relationships and context in which intelligence adds value. European developments such as the Digital Product Passport will also make product data and technology strategic in our sector in the coming years – regulation-driven innovation at the very heart of this role. Here, you won’t be maintaining legacy systems, but helping to build the new architecture. What is currently missing is a single person to orchestrate this ecosystem, help shape the landscape and take the IT organisation to the next level of maturity. That is what this role is all about.

What you will do

You will have overall responsibility for IT implementation at Scandia Gear. You will lead the in-house IT team, manage our external partners and ensure that transformation projects are delivered on time, within budget and whilst safeguarding in-house expertise. In addition, you will contribute to the high-level designs of the technology landscape and help shape the roadmap, advising on feasibility, sequencing and partner selection. In practical terms, this means:

• Technology and innovation as the driving force. Together with our integration partner, you will develop the event-driven integration platform and ensure that new solutions are built on this foundation – scalable, automated and ready for intelligent applications, starting with intelligent order processing.
• High-level design and roadmap. You’ll contribute ideas on architectural choices and high-level designs, and translate our ambitions into a realistic, achievable roadmap. You’ll help establish the standards and principles that will guide our development over the next ten years.
• Partner management with a mandate. You will manage the entire partner ecosystem (managed services, ERP, integration, PIM, e-commerce, CRM) with a focus on results, costs and quality, whilst having full control over the IT budget.
• The MSP transition as a standalone process. You will lead the selection and transition to a new managed services partner, from the shortlist through to a fully operational partnership.
• A team that you put together yourself. You’ll coach the in-house IT team, advise on future hires and expand the team.
• From backlog to delivery. You will translate the transformation backlog into capacity and planning, working closely with the Product Manager.

Where you’ll be in three years’ time

The MSP transition has been completed and collaboration with partners is proceeding as expected. The IT team has grown and is working 
independently. The major transformation projects are running live on the integration platform, and the first intelligent 
Automation is proving its worth. You have established the IT organisation and technology landscape that will support growth 
You’ll represent the company and be the face of IT at Scandia Gear.

Who you are

• HBO+/university level of working and thinking (IT, information management or business administration).
• 5+ years’ experience in IT management, project management or service delivery, including several years managing both an in-house team and external suppliers.
• An affinity for modern architectures (APIs, event-driven, low-code integration): you contribute ideas at the level of high-level design and roadmap, with a keen eye for what automation and AI can and cannot do.
• Proven experience with outsourcing, MSP contracts and SLA management: you negotiate firmly without damaging the relationship.
• At your best in an environment that’s still taking shape: you bring structure that you’re free to design yourself, and you step in before a deadline slips, with an understanding of the dynamics of a growing family business.

What we offer

• A key role in organisational transformation.
• A broad remit and direct influence on the design, the roadmap and the choice of partners.
• A modern technology landscape to work with: cloud-native, low-code and API-first.
• A competitive salary commensurate with the level of responsibility involved in the role.
• An international working environment with offices on four continents, combined with the close-knit structure of a family business
• Opportunities to develop in the role as the organisation grows.

Do you recognise yourself in this profile and would you like to play a key role in professionalising IT within an organisation undergoing digital transformation? If so, we’d love to hear from you. jeroen.bax@sourcemonks.nl or 06-10303810.