Director, Information Technology

Oil Dri•Chicago, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Information Technology oversees ODC’s IT department and technical operations, including the technology side of the company’s artificial intelligence strategy, governance, and responsible-use efforts. The role leads IT Technical Services across IT and OT networks, help desk functions, cybersecurity, and production support. It also leads IT General Controls for a publicly traded company and develops the IT team while partnering closely with the business. The position is hybrid and based out of the Chicago office, with onsite work required Monday through Wednesday. Regular in-person attendance consistent with the company’s established work schedule is an essential function of the position. The Director identifies technology needs and aligns them with business objectives; develops and updates a rolling five-year technology roadmap; and advises senior management on technology investments, upgrades, and enhancements using data and analysis. In partnership with the Enterprise AI Guru and cross-functional stakeholders, the role develops and executes the enterprise AI strategy and roadmap, establishes AI governance, maintains AI policies and procedures, evaluates AI tools and use cases, and leads AI awareness, training, and change management. The role defines and manages the cybersecurity plan, implements security measures, and monitors emerging threats and best practices. It leads IT infrastructure projects, manages budgets, timelines, and resources, and oversees IT/OT production support in a 24/7/365 environment. It works with Operations to schedule production outages, leads root-cause analysis of downtime, and ensures sustainable, documented solutions. The Director also oversees OT projects and integration with IT infrastructure, audits IT processes and controls, maintains regulatory and standards compliance, leads and mentors employees and third-party providers, communicates IT considerations to non-technical audiences, provides periodic Board updates, and develops the IT Technical Services budget and vendor relationships.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
At least 8 years of experience working in IT operations, supervising technology infrastructure teams, and overseeing IT projects.
Experience integrating acquired businesses and working in a high-growth organization.
Knowledge of IT General Controls and appropriate audit processes.
Deep experience in sustainable problem-solving.
Strong knowledge of ICS, SCADA systems, and third-party vendor management.
Excellent understanding of computer systems, security, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, business continuity, network administration, and databases.
Demonstrated experience leading enterprise AI strategy, AI governance, responsible-use policies, vendor and tool evaluation, risk assessment, and cross-functional adoption initiatives.
Ability to maintain confidential information and work under pressure.
Project management skills and attention to detail.
Ability to grow into a Chief Information Officer.
Ability to partner effectively with the business and communicate technical considerations to non-technical audiences.
Regular in-person attendance and onsite work Monday through Wednesday at the Chicago office.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Microsoft 365 products.
Knowledge of Oracle’s JD Edwards platform.

Responsibilities

Identify information and operations technology needs and align them with business objectives.
Develop and update a rolling five-year technology roadmap supporting business strategies.
Recommend technology investments, upgrades, and enhancements to senior management, using data and analysis to explain alignment and returns or business-plan needs.
Partner with the Enterprise AI Guru to develop and execute the enterprise AI strategy and roadmap.
Identify and train the organization on appropriate tools for AI initiatives.
Own and maintain AI and generative AI policies, standards, and procedures, including responsible use, data protection, human oversight, transparency, and acceptable-use requirements.
Establish and lead an AI governance framework with Cybersecurity, Legal, Human Resources, Internal Audit & Compliance, and business leaders.
Oversee AI tool and use-case intake, risk assessment, approval, provisioning, monitoring, retirement, approved-tool records, and technical safeguards.
Evaluate AI opportunities across corporate, manufacturing, and operational environments while balancing innovation and productivity with security, intellectual property, privacy, safety, and regulatory considerations.
Define human review and accountability requirements for AI-generated content, code, recommendations, automated decisions, and agentic or autonomous capabilities.
Lead AI awareness, training, and change-management efforts.
Monitor AI risks, incidents, adoption, vendor capabilities, and emerging technologies, and report material developments and recommendations to senior leadership and appropriate governance committees.
Evaluate adherence to technology security requirements, implement cybersecurity measures, stay informed about threats and best practices, and define and manage the ODC Cybersecurity Plan and threats.
Lead IT infrastructure projects from initiation through completion, collaborating across functions and managing budgets, timelines, and resources.
Lead the IT Tech Services team in delivering IT/OT production support in a 24/7/365 environment.
Work with cross-functional partners, particularly Operations, to determine appropriate timing for production outages needed to support and upgrade the environment.
Lead root-cause analysis for downtime events and ensure sustainable, documented solutions are implemented.
Research, plan, and manage OT projects; understand ICS and SCADA systems; and ensure OT systems integrate with IT infrastructure.
Conduct regular audits of IT processes, systems, and controls; assess outcomes and recommend improvements; and maintain compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
Lead and mentor IT employees, including security analysts and network and help desk support technicians, as well as third-party service providers.
Foster a collaborative and innovative work environment; communicate expectations; coach employees; and conduct performance appraisals.
Explain IT needs and considerations in non-technical terms so leadership and teammates understand concerns and impact.
Provide periodic updates to the Board of Directors.
Develop the IT Technical Services budget, pursue cost-effectiveness and continuous improvement in cost position, and allocate resources to strategic goals.
Partner with Indirect Procurement to negotiate service-provider contracts.