Director of Information Technology

Germain Motor Co.; Columbus (OH); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) employer match

Paid vacation/company holidays

Professional development

Company outings

Employee discounts

Job summary

Germain Motor Company in Columbus, OH seeks a Director of Information Technology to lead technology strategy and operations across its multi-state footprint. This hands-on executive role oversees IT infrastructure, security, DMS/CRM integrations, and partnerships with major automotive tech providers.

You will balance strategic planning with day-to-day leadership, ensuring scalable, secure, and efficient technology to support dealerships and corporate objectives.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive IT experience with leadership responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise networking, cybersecurity, MS 365, identity management, and IT infra.
• Experience managing vendors, budgets, and service delivery.
• Hands-on mindset with ability to supervise while remaining hands-on when needed.
• Excellent communication and ability to translate technical challenges for non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and support our IT team across multiple states.
• Ensure responsive, consistent local market support through field resources.
• Oversee daily IT ops, helpdesk, incident response and escalation management.
• Establish standardized service standards, processes, and accountability.
• Develop budgets, vendor relations, purchases, and technology investments.
• Oversee dealership systems, CRM, DMS integrations and OEM applications.

Skills

IT leadership

Vendor management

Budget management

Cybersecurity

Networking

Microsoft 365

Communication

Hands-on

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS

Tools

Reynolds & Reynolds

CDK Global

Tekion

Cisco

Ubiquiti

SonicWall

Job description

Germain Motor Company

Director of Information Technology

Columbus, OH

Full-time

Multi-state Operations

At Germain, our mission is to attract, develop and retain exceptional people to deliver an outstanding experience that creates loyalty beyond reason, one customer at a time.

As the Director of Information Technologies, you will play a pivotal role in driving technological initiatives, managing IT operations, and ensuring the alignment of technology strategies with business goals.

The Director of Information Technology will oversee the technology systems, infrastructure, security, and support operations that keep our businesses running.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a balance of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and strong people skills. You'll lead an established team of IT professionals already on the ground in each of our markets, providing local support to our dealerships and businesses. You'll also collaborate with dealership and corporate leadership, manage key technology partners, and drive improvements in how we support our people and operations.

We're looking for someone who can solve today's challenges while building a more scalable, secure, and efficient technology environment for tomorrow.

Responsibilities

IT Leadership & Operations

• Lead, develop, and support our existing team of IT professionals across multiple states.
• Work closely with local IT resources to ensure responsive, consistent support in every market.
• Oversee daily IT operations, help desk support, incident response, and escalation management.
• Establish consistent service standards, accountability, and processes across all locations.
• Partner with dealership General Managers and corporate leadership to understand operational needs and priorities.
• Develop and manage IT budgets, vendor relationships, purchasing, and technology investments.

Infrastructure & Cybersecurity

• Oversee enterprise networking, wireless infrastructure, firewalls, VPNs, and connectivity across all locations.
• Manage Microsoft 365, identity and access management, endpoint security, and remote support platforms.
• Strengthen cybersecurity practices, access controls, monitoring, backup strategies, and disaster recovery planning.
• Maintain accurate documentation of systems, credentials, network configurations, and administrative access.
• Establish standardized onboarding, offboarding, equipment management, and technology lifecycle processes.

Dealership Systems & Technology

• Oversee technology operations and integrations involving dealership management systems (DMS), customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and OEM applications.
• Work closely with dealership teams and vendors to troubleshoot issues, improve system reliability, and support business-critical applications.
• Manage relationships with major automotive technology providers and OEM technology teams.
• Support new dealership acquisitions, facility expansions, renovations, and technology deployments.
• Identify opportunities to simplify and standardize technology across the organization.

Strategy & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and execute a long-term IT roadmap aligned with business objectives.
• Evaluate new technologies and opportunities to improve operational efficiency, security, and the employee experience.
• Lead technology implementations and projects from planning through completion.
• Establish meaningful reporting around service performance, project progress, system health, and technology investments.
• Build a culture of proactive support, collaboration, continuous improvement, and accountability.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive IT experience, including experience leading teams or managing multi-location technology operations.
• Strong working knowledge of enterprise networking, cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, identity management, and IT infrastructure.
• Demonstrated experience managing technology vendors, projects, budgets, and service delivery.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and the willingness to remain hands-on when needed.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain technical challenges to nontechnical stakeholders.
• Experience developing scalable IT processes, documentation, and security standards.
• Ability to travel periodically to company locations.

Preferred

• Experience in automotive retail, dealership groups, or similarly distributed retail operations.
• Familiarity with dealership management systems such as Reynolds & Reynolds, CDK Global, and Tekion.
• Experience supporting dealership CRM platforms, OEM systems, and automotive technology integrations.
• Knowledge of Cisco, Ubiquiti, SonicWall, and enterprise security platforms.
• Experience with IT service management, vendor-managed infrastructure, and multi-location technology deployments.
• Relevant technical certifications or a bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.

Germain Offers

• Comprehensive Coverage & Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Savings Plan with Employer Match
• Paid Vacation/Company Holidays
• Competitive Wage Plans
• Ongoing Professional Development and Internal Promotions
• Company Outings and Activities
• Employee Discounts

Whether you’re an industry veteran or looking to begin your career in the exciting, fast-paced world of automotive retail, we’ll provide you with the tools, training, and opportunities to help you succeed.

We are an equal opportunity employer and prohibit discrimination/harassment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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