Director, IT Operations & Business Systems

ILIA Beauty; Laguna Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

Flex Time Off

Parental Leave

401(k) Match

Remote work stipends

ILIA product stipend

Seasonal flex days

Job summary

ILIA Beauty in Laguna Beach, California, seeks a Director of IT Operations & Business Systems to lead our internal technology ecosystem, aligning IT strategy, security, and enterprise systems with growing business needs. This role blends strategic leadership with hands-on oversight in a high-growth, values-driven environment.

Hybrid role based in Los Angeles or Orange County, CA, responsible for IT strategy, vendor partnerships, data governance, and budget leadership.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of IT experience with 3–5+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven ownership of IT strategy and business systems in growing organizations (150+ employees).
• Experience with enterprise systems (ERP, HRIS, SaaS ecosystems) and systems integration.
• Deep understanding of IT infrastructure, device management (Mac & Windows), and cloud environments.
• Experience managing external vendors and MSPs with SLAs and metrics.
• Strong knowledge of security and compliance frameworks (SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA).
• Experience owning business continuity and disaster recovery, including backups and incident response.
• Demonstrated success managing budgets, roadmaps, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience establishing governance for AI tools and automation.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute multi-year IT and business systems roadmaps aligned with growth.
• Own internal business systems enabling scalability, efficiency, and data integrity.
• Advise executives on technology investments, risks, and opportunities.
• Establish governance for IT ops, security, and systems architecture.
• Develop IT policies, standards, and best practices across the organization.
• Drive governance for AI tools and automation to improve efficiency.
• Oversee selection, implementation, integration, and optimization of ERP, HRIS, CRM, and collaboration tools.
• Ensure systems are interconnected, scalable, and aligned with business processes.
• Manage wholesale and fulfillment system integrations (EDI, 3PL).
• Lead data governance to ensure accuracy and security of critical data.
• Own SaaS lifecycle and license management to control costs.

Skills

IT leadership

IT strategy

Security & compliance

Vendor management

Budgeting

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS

Tools

ERP systems

HRIS

CRM systems

SaaS ecosystem management

EDI/3PL integrations

Job description

Job Description

We’re a mission-driven brand committed to innovation, sustainability, and empowering our team to work smarter and more securely in today’s technology landscape. As we continue to grow, we’re seeking a Director, IT Operations & Business Systems to lead and scale our internal technology ecosystem.

This role will own the strategy, governance, and execution of IT operations and business systems across the organization. You will lead the evolution of our IT function from a primarily operational support model to a strategic enabler of business performance, ensuring our systems, data, and infrastructure are secure, scalable, and aligned with company growth. As a key cross-functional leader, you will oversee IT operations, vendor partnerships, and enterprise systems, while partnering closely with Finance, Operations, People, and Digital teams to drive efficiency and innovation. This role blends strategic leadership with hands-on oversight and is ideal for someone who thrives in a high-growth, values-driven environment. This role is hybrid and open to candidates based in Los Angeles or Orange County, CA.

Responsibilities

IT Strategy & Leadership

• Define and execute a multi-year IT and business systems roadmap aligned with company growth and strategic priorities
• Serve as the functional owner of internal business systems, ensuring they support scalability, efficiency, and data integrity
• Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on technology investments, risks, and opportunities
• Establish governance frameworks for IT operations, security, and systems architecture
• Build and evolve IT policies, standards, and best practices across the organization
• Define governance for AI tools and automation, and drive their adoption to improve operational efficiency across the business

Business Systems Ownership

• Oversee the selection, implementation, integration, and optimization of enterprise systems (ERP, HRIS, CRM, collaboration tools, etc.)
• Ensure systems are interconnected, scalable, and aligned with business processes
• Oversee wholesale and fulfillment system integrations, including EDI and 3PL
• Partner cross-functionally to identify system gaps and drive process improvements through technology
• Lead data governance initiatives to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and security of business-critical data
• Own SaaS lifecycle and license management to control costs and reduce risk from application sprawl

IT Operations & Infrastructure

• Oversee the lifecycle of company-owned devices, infrastructure, and core systems
• Ensure reliable, secure, and scalable IT environments that support a hybrid workforce
• Maintain oversight of identity and access management, including SSO and MFA
• Drive continuous improvement of IT service delivery and employee experience

Vendor & MSP Management

• Own relationships with external IT vendors, including the Managed Service Provider (MSP)
• Define and enforce SLAs, KPIs, and performance standards
• Evaluate vendor performance, optimize partnerships, and identify opportunities for consolidation or cost savings
• Ensure vendor-delivered work aligns with company standards, security requirements, and long-term strategy

Security, Compliance & Risk Management

• Establish and oversee IT security programs to protect company data and systems
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and frameworks (e.g., SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA)
• Implement and monitor controls related to data privacy, system access, and infrastructure security
• Lead risk assessments, audits, and remediation efforts
• Own business continuity and disaster recovery planning, including backups and incident response
• Foster a culture of security awareness across the organization

Project & Budget Leadership

• Own the IT budget, including forecasting, planning, and cost optimization
• Prioritize and lead cross-functional IT and systems projects (implementations, upgrades, integrations)
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies to enhance productivity, scalability, and security
• Balance short-term operational needs with long-term strategic investments

Process, Documentation & Enablement

• Establish scalable processes and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for IT and systems management
• Ensure high-quality documentation for systems, workflows, and policies
• Lead internal enablement efforts, including training and change management for new tools and systems
• Elevate IT from a support function to a proactive, service-oriented partner to the business

Job Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in IT, with 3–5+ years in a leadership or director-level role
• Proven experience owning IT strategy and business systems in a growing organization (150+ employees)
• Strong experience with enterprise systems (e.g. ERP, HRIS, SaaS ecosystems) and systems integration
• Deep understanding of IT infrastructure, device management (Mac & Windows), and cloud-based environments
• Experience managing external vendors and MSPs with accountability to SLAs and performance metrics
• Strong knowledge of security and compliance frameworks (SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA)
• Experience owning business continuity and disaster recovery, including backups and incident response
• Demonstrated success managing budgets, roadmaps, and cross-functional initiatives
• Experience establishing governance for AI tools and automation to improve operational efficiency
• Strategic thinker with the ability to operate at both executive and hands-on levels
• Excellent communication skills with a collaborative, service-oriented mindset
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, high-growth, values-driven environment

What We Would Like To Offer...

• $140,000-170,000 annually*
• Bonus Opportunity
• Health Benefits - 100% employer-paid medical, dental & vision coverage
• Flex Time Off - No cap on personal time off and paid company holidays
• Seasonal Flex Days - Flexible scheduling to enjoy extra time under the sun during the Spring & Summer season
• Parental Leave - Up to 18 weeks paid parental leave
• 401(k) - Save for your future with a 401(k) with a company match
• Flexibility & Wellness Stipends - Monthly stipends to support remote work & self-care
• ILIA Products - Quarterly stipend to replenish your favorite products and try new ones
• This is the anticipated salary range for this position. The actual salary offered will carefully consider a few factors including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

About ILIA

ILIA makes clean skin-centric beauty. We see skincare and makeup as one and believe that skin should look like skin. With transparency as our guide and color as our vehicle, we challenge the conventions of clean beauty to create something radically new, through safe, groundbreaking formulas that protect + revive the skin. Headquartered in Laguna Beach, California, ILIA brings together a strong group of innovative thinkers, rule-breakers and creative problem solvers. We pave the way forward as the leading clean makeup brand in what is being called the Clean Beauty Revolution. Fast paced growth provides constant learning, collaborative teamwork, and the desire to be the best at what you do. We celebrate taking risks and doing what hasn’t been done before.