Manager, Information Technology

Title: Manager, Information Technology

Location: Chicago, IL; Des Moines, IA; Fargo, ND or Sioux Falls, SD

Job Summary: Oversee and coordinate the solution design, project execution and implementation of various operational activities and production support of the IT department, as well as provide direction and support for IT solutions that enhance mission-critical business strategies and operations.

Essential Functions:

• Collaborate with IT leaders to provide leadership for planning, developing, and implementation and production support of Information Technology initiatives across all areas of the organization.
• Partner with business decision makers to ensure scoping, requirements and design of technology solutions and ongoing support is in alignment with needs.
• Collaborate directly with the IT leadership team to design, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions to business problems.
• Exercise leadership influence and direction with her/his team to develop, optimize and manage application and/or infrastructure to attain all IT service level agreements for the user community within the organization.
• Make recommendations regarding ideas on building a strong IT capability through people, process and technology changes.
• Contribute ideas to future state technology roadmap definitions and makes recommendations to ensure effective investments are made to enable scale, quality, and maintenance and overall cost effectiveness.
• Manage a strong operational support team, tools and processes to ensure quality, availability and performance targets are achieved.
• Effectively manage detailed technical resources, forecast expertise needs of internal and external resources to support project requirements; contribute to planning of strategic skill mix decisions as needed.
• Direct teams, projects and individuals and both participate and provide leadership guidance in the troubleshooting and analysis of operational problems, support issues and production defects, in order to seek prompt and permanent resolutions.
• Assist in the management of vendors on an operational/project level.
• Ensure effective technology support and maintenance strategies are in places and actions are taken to address gaps and measure outcomes.
• Support and contribute to success of the overall technology transformation through committed quality delivery and continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain Model Audit Rule compliant procedures for all departmental processing; establish, maintain, and ensure departmental compliance with Record Information Management (RIM) requirements.
• Lead by example, coaching and mentoring to help individuals and teams develop and grow, helping to ensure overall organizational success.
• Budget and manage financial plans as directed.
• Commitment to embrace Sammons Financial Group Companies shared values (Respect, Accountability, Integrity, and Openness)
• As stated within the Company Attendance and Punctuality policy, regular attendance is required and expected in order to meet the business service levels and workflow demands.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in the field of Computer Science, Information Systems, or Business Administration or equivalent work experience preferred
• Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or Business Administration with technology as a core component or equivalent work experiences preferred
• Minimum 5 years' applicable experience leading and/or directing a representative IT planning, application development, support and/or infrastructure organization preferred
• Demonstrated consistent leadership effectiveness in technology planning, operations, implementation delivery and development
• Working knowledge of business processes, management, budgeting, and business office operations and end to end integration models; Must be aware of industry recognized best practices
• Knowledge of systems management, hardware platforms, enterprise software applications, and outsourced systems, vendor management, including management of offshore/near shore resources with some awareness of technology and related business trends; Experience and ability in managing systems complexity with positive outcomes
• Demonstrated, proven understanding and track record of high quality project management and execution
• Working knowledge of applicable industry laws and regulations as they relate to IT
• Established leadership track record of effective people management skills and practices
• Understands negotiating and influencing leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to present and adapt ideas in business-friendly and user-friendly language
• Due to the financial nature and level of accountability of this position, a credit and criminal background check is required - The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires Sammons Financial Group Companies to notify you that, as a routine part of processing this application for employment, Sammons Financial Group may request a consumer report on you to verify all information contained in this application. Such report may include information about work-related behaviors, performance, character, general reputation, and personal characteristics, in addition to information about your previous employment, education, credit history and criminal records

At this time, we’re not considering candidates that need any type of immigration sponsorship now or in the future or those needing work authorization for this role (This includes, but is not limited to students on F1-OPT, F1-CPT, J-1, etc.)