Senior Manager – IT ERP Applications

Valmont Industries, Inc. • Omaha, NE

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Manager – IT ERP Applications leads Valmont Industries' Tower 1 (ERP & Core Operations) team within the Global IT Application Services organization. This position is responsible for the full lifecycle management of enterprise ERP platforms — including IFS, QAD, SAP S/4HANA, Sage, Epicor, Dynamics GP, and related applications — spanning more than 40 ERP instances across Valmont's global business units. The role serves as the primary IT liaison and trusted advisor for business stakeholders across multiple segments, driving ERP adoption, rationalization, and alignment with Valmont's digital program strategy. A defining characteristic of this role is the ability to educate, influence, and build trust across business segments. The candidate must be a skilled communicator who can listen actively to business needs, adapt recommendations based on that input, and build strong relationships with leaders at all organizational levels. This leader must be able to persuade and guide business units — using clear, compelling communication — toward ERP solutions that are aligned with enterprise digital initiatives, while always remaining open to business feedback and suggestions. This Sr. Manager will lead multiple IT Managers and their teams of functional and technical staff, overseeing ERP instance rationalization and consolidation toward a target of 3–4 strategic platforms, driving major ERP migrations (IFS Cloud, QAD Adaptive), and managing vendor partnerships with IFS, QAD, SAP, Sage, and others. This position reports to the Application Leader (Sr. Director – IT COE Application Services) and has multiple direct reports at the Manager level.

Requirements

• Preferred Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or related field with 7+ years of relevant experience; or Associate’s degree with 9+ years; or 11+ years of progressive ERP and IT leadership experience.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in ERP implementation, upgrade, or operational support in a mid-to-large enterprise manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Direct experience with one or more of Valmont’s core ERP platforms: IFS, QAD, SAP, or Sage; working knowledge of IFS and QAD is strongly preferred.
• Experience with or working knowledge of IFS Cloud and/or QAD Adaptive ERP is preferred.
• Deep understanding of major business processes including procure-to-pay, quote-to-cash, record-to-report, manufacturing and operations, and supply and demand planning.
• Proven ability to build strong business relationships and communicate complex IT concepts persuasively to non-technical business stakeholders and executives.
• Demonstrated active listening skills and genuine openness to incorporating business feedback, suggestions, and requirements into IT strategy and ERP roadmaps.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build connections across multiple layers of business and IT leadership and to influence without direct authority.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, including the ability to craft and deliver compelling narratives that drive ERP adoption and stakeholder alignment.
• Experience managing multiple direct reports at the Manager level, including performance management, team development, and capability building.
• Must be available for U.S. and international travel periodically up to 25–50%.
• Flexible schedule with ability to report into the office as needed; working schedule that provides overlap with core US team hours between 7 am and 5 pm CST.
• Experience working in an Agile team environment using tools such as Azure DevOps or JIRA.
• High level of initiative, self-motivation, and ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Ability to influence at all levels of the organization.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or related field.
• Hands-on implementation or project leadership experience with IFS Cloud and/or QAD Adaptive ERP.
• Experience managing ERP platform rationalization and consolidation in a multi-site, multi-ERP global environment.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to present ERP strategy, business cases, and roadmaps to VP and C-suite leaders.
• Experience leading ERP change management programs, including business readiness, training design, and adoption measurement.
• Advanced knowledge of ERP integration patterns and middleware tools (e.g., SAP CPI, IFS Connect, Boomi, MuleSoft).
• Familiarity with additional Valmont ERP platforms such as Epicor, Dynamics GP, Sage 100, Deltek Vision, Online Advantage, or Visual Manufacturing.
• Experience with global ERP deployments spanning North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and/or Latin America.
• Business analysis or project management certifications (IIBA, PMI-PBA, PMP or equivalent).
• Hands-on experience with Valmont products and/or manufacturing processes.
• Ability to effectively work with people at all levels, resolve interpersonal conflicts, and diagnose causes of change resistance.
• Willingness to reside in or relocate to Omaha, Nebraska (strongly preferred but not required).
• Supervisory experience in a matrixed, multi-site global IT organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead Tower 1 — ERP & Core Operations — owning the full lifecycle of Valmont's enterprise ERP portfolio, including IFS (migrating to IFS Cloud), QAD (migrating to QAD Adaptive), SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Sage 100, Epicor, Dynamics GP, and additional ERP platforms across 40+ global instances.
• Serve as Trusted Advisor and primary IT business partner to business segment leaders, plant managers, and functional stakeholders across all Valmont divisions, proactively communicating ERP capabilities and driving alignment with the digital program roadmap.
• Educate, influence, and convince business stakeholders to adopt appropriate ERP solutions aligned with Valmont's enterprise digital strategy; build compelling business cases that translate technology value into business outcomes.
• Demonstrate active listening skills and genuine openness to business feedback, incorporating stakeholder input into ERP strategy, prioritization, and implementation approaches.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across multiple layers of business leadership — from frontline operational users to senior executives — and across multiple geographies and segments.
• Directly manage multiple IT Managers and their respective teams of functional analysts, business analysts, and technical resources supporting ERP platforms globally.
• Drive ERP instance rationalization and consolidation toward a strategic target of 3–4 platforms aligned with Valmont's long-term technology strategy.
• Lead ERP implementation and upgrade projects including IFS Cloud migration and QAD Adaptive migration; oversee discovery, configuration, training, conference room pilots, issue resolution, and go-live support.
• Coordinate closely with Tower 4 (Application Platform & Administration) for ERP system administration, BASIS support, and platform provisioning; and with Tower 5 (Application Experience & Support) for functional BA support and end-user enablement.
• Identify, manage, and align on all overlaps, integration touchpoints, and shared dependencies between Tower 1 (ERP & Core Operations) and Tower 2 (Industrial Operations & Engineering) and Tower 3 (Customer & Commercial Platform) ensuring seamless end-to-end process coverage and avoiding duplication of ownership across ERP and adjacent platforms.
• Collaborate closely with the IT Software Engineering & HR/FIN on shared integration development, custom application dependencies on ERP platforms, and technical architecture decisions that span ERP domains.
• Partner with Head of Office of the CIO on governance, portfolio management, enterprise architecture alignment, IT strategy, and project prioritization that intersects with the ERP & Core Operations portfolio.
• Work in close coordination with Infrastructure team to ensure ERP infrastructure readiness, hosting environments, network connectivity, and operational stability across all Tower 1 platforms.
• Collaborate with Data Management team to ensure ERP data integrity, data integration pipelines, and reporting/analytics alignment across the Tower 1 ERP landscape.
• Manage vendor relationships with IFS, QAD, SAP, Sage, and other ERP vendors, drive accountability to delivery, product roadmap alignment, and contract performance through Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Monitor ERP industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices; evaluate new capabilities and recommend adoption aligned to Valmont business needs.
• Lead or directly manage IT projects not overseen by the PMO; manage effort estimation, functional/technical testing, and coordinate user acceptance testing.
• Support development and management of department OPEX and PMO CAPEX budgets for Tower 1.
• Provide mentoring and career development to direct reports through 1:1s, stretch assignments, certification programs, and Valmont University offerings.
• Ensure the team earns and maintains Trusted Advisor status through exceptional, consistent customer service to business stakeholders.
• Review, recommend, and enforce company policies, procedures, and best practices to protect company data and ensure compliance.
• Develop and maintain functional documentation including standard operating procedures, troubleshooting guides, and runbooks for all Tower 1 ERP platforms.
• Participate in IT strategy development and contribute ERP domain expertise to Application Services planning.
• Demonstrate Valmont core values: Passion, Integrity, Continuous Improvement, Deliver Results.

Benefits

• Healthcare (medical, prescription drugs, dental and vision)
• 401k retirement plan with company match
• Paid time off
• Employer paid life insurance
• Employer paid short-term and long-term disability including maternity leave
• Work Life Support
• Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,250 per year
• Voluntary programs like tobacco cessation, Type 2 diabetes reversal, one-on-one health coaching, mortgage services and more

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior