Vice President Information Technology

The RDI Group; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The RDI Group in Minneapolis is searching for a Vice President of Information Technology. This strategic role requires an experienced IT leader to develop and implement the IT strategy aligned with business objectives, while transforming the IT function to meet modern demands.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in IT leadership, particularly within manufacturing or distribution sectors, and should excel at building teams and fostering a culture of improvement.

The position fosters collaboration at all levels and contributes to a dynamic growth strategy through effective technology adoption.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of progressive IT leadership, with meaningful time in senior roles.
• Experience in PE-backed companies and industrial sectors preferred.
• Demonstrated IT function building or transformation experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop formal IT strategy and multi-year roadmap linking tech investment to growth.
• Build IT integration playbook to support mergers and acquisitions.
• Report to CFO with strong collaboration across leadership.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership and change management

Cybersecurity literacy

Excellent communication skills

Tools

NetSuite

Oracle database experience

Job description

Overview

Vice President of Information Technology. This is a well-established, PE-backed manufacturer and distributor with six operating locations and a growing footprint through organic growth and acquisitions. The company is making focused investments in operational infrastructure and technology to support that trajectory. The IT function has historically been operationally focused. The incoming CIO inherits a capable team and a solid core system, and is charged with bringing strategic vision, modern practices, and customer-centric thinking to a function ready for its next chapter. This is not a seat-warming assignment. The right candidate will bring a point of view on how IT should serve the business, not just run it.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Roadmap
  • Develop the company’s formal IT strategy and multi-year roadmap, aligning technology investment with business growth objectives.
  • Define how IT connects to sales, customer experience, and operational performance.
  • Establish KPIs and governance frameworks where few currently exist.
  • Lead the evaluation and potential replacement of applications.
  • Solve a persistent data accessibility problem across the organization — users struggle to find and use data effectively.
  • Drive cybersecurity posture improvements in collaboration with existing consultants.
• Acquisition Integration
  • Build a repeatable IT integration playbook to support ongoing M&A activity.
  • Lead technology integration for newly acquired entities as the company scales from six to additional locations.
  • Inherit and develop a team of 10–12, including six developers, an infrastructure lead, a helpdesk, and administrative staff.
  • This leader will be a coach and a mentor, not just a manager.
  • Build a culture of continuous improvement and accountability within the team.
• Stakeholder Partnership
  • Report to the CFO with strong engagement with the CEO, EVP of Operations, and commercial leadership.
  • Translate business needs into technology solutions.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Experience
  • 10–15 years of progressive IT leadership, with meaningful time in a senior leadership role.
  • PE-backed company experience is preferred.
  • Background in manufacturing, industrial, or distribution is preferred; industrial business experience is strongly valued.
  • Demonstrated experience building or transforming an IT function that lacked strategic direction — builder mentality is essential.
  • Oracle database experience is a plus.
  • M&A integration experience, particularly in technology consolidation across acquired entities.
  • Cybersecurity literacy.
• Leadership Profile
  • A strategic thinker who can also roll up their sleeves — this team needs both vision and operational follow-through.
  • Strong change management capability; able to shift culture and mindset, not just systems.
  • Excellent communicator and business partner — able to translate technical decisions into business outcomes for a non-technical executive team.
  • A genuine developer of people — patient with a green team and committed to building internal capability.
  • Customer-oriented perspective; sees technology as a tool for competitive differentiation, not just operational efficiency.
• Technical Orientation
  • Familiarity with NetSuite or comparable ERP platforms and migration experience.
  • Cloud-first thinking and comfort with modernization within a resource-constrained environment.
  • Cybersecurity frameworks and risk management.
  • Preferred certifications: CISSP, PMP, or ITIL.