IT Operations Lead

Barrett Petfood•Little Falls, MN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Join Barrett Petfood as an IT Operations Lead and elevate your career in the heart of Minnesota! This exciting onsite role offers you the opportunity to drive innovation within a dynamic manufacturing environment. Collaborate with a passionate team to solve problems and enhance our customer-centric operations, all while upholding our core value of integrity. With a competitive salary ranging from $85,000 to $100,000, you’ll be rewarded for your high-performance contributions. Full-time, salaried position with a typical schedule of Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Flexibility is expected based on business needs, including occasional after-hours support. Travel between company locations is required to support operations, troubleshoot issues, and assist with projects.

Requirements

Strong technical troubleshooting skills across IT operations, systems, networking, cloud, security, and end-user environments
Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment
Proactive mindset focused on improving reliability, documentation, and repeatable processes
Ability to think beyond immediate fixes and help build structure across IT operations
Adaptability and willingness to support changing operational needs across multiple facilities
Strong communication skills with both technical and non-technical staff
Customer-service mindset and ability to work effectively with plant, warehouse, and business personnel
Ability to coordinate with site IT staff, vendors, and department leaders to support consistent IT practices

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, network administration, or related field preferred, or equivalent work experience
Minimum 5 years of hands-on IT operations, infrastructure, systems administration, or technical support experience preferred
Experience in an MSP, manufacturing, multi-site, or infrastructure-focused environment strongly preferred
Experience supporting Microsoft 365, Azure, Active Directory, Windows Server, networking, virtualization, backup, and disaster recovery systems
Experience with MFA, identity management, security controls, and infrastructure standardization preferred
Prior experience leading, mentoring, coordinating, or supervising others is preferred

Responsibilities

Provide advanced support for IT infrastructure, systems, networks, cloud platforms, and business-critical technologies
Install, configure, maintain, and monitor servers, systems, network components, and cloud services
Manage Microsoft 365, Azure, Active Directory, identity/access controls, and security configurations
Support Windows/Linux environments, virtualization platforms, and core infrastructure services
Troubleshoot and resolve system, network, and performance issues across multiple locations
Respond to incidents and escalations to ensure minimal disruption to operations
Maintain and support networking (LAN/WAN, wireless, firewalls, remote access, segmentation)
Oversee backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity processes
Strengthen security posture through MFA, system hardening, and risk mitigation initiatives
Serve as escalation point for complex technical issues and coordinate support across sites
Collaborate with internal teams, vendors, and MSPs to ensure effective service delivery
Support site technology including endpoints, printers, scanners, wireless, and shop-floor systems
Assist with system upgrades, deployments, and infrastructure improvements
Maintain technical documentation, runbooks, and standardized support procedures
Identify operational gaps and drive improvements in efficiency and consistency
Support asset management, procurement, and lifecycle planning
Travel locally as needed; occasional after-hours support required
Perform physical tasks such as lifting equipment and working on ladders. Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs. safely.