Director of Supply Chain Applications (Manufacturing Plants)

As the Director of Supply Chain Applications (Manufacturing Plants), your primary responsibility will be to provide the vision and strategic direction on technology and systems for Jostens’ plant, manufacturing, and supply chain functions; you’ll also provide end-to-end application scoping, planning, development, implementation and post-implementation maintenance and support activities covering business functionality for those areas. You’ll work with the Supply Chain Management (sales and operation planning), RD&E groups, GSS, COO and the operation Directors in our two other business units, and you’ll work with the Director of Customer and eBusiness-facing applications to deliver the necessary capabilities to support customer-facing applications needs through back-end systems requirements.In this very important role you’ll prepare program and project requests, establish priorities and plans for assigned areas of applications, and initiate approved programs and projects based on IT procedures and guidelines. You’ll ensure the development of technical solution designs, manage the programming/configuration of application solutions, and manage the implementation application solutions and the maintenance of application solutions. You’ll use your strong skills in effective people development and management, and manage the relationship with external applications development vendors. You’ll work with business managers to define and monitor service level agreements, and negotiate appropriate support commitments for third party products. As part of an applications life cycle management process, you’ll collaborate with IT Operations, business staff and IT liaisons to plan, assess, prioritize, and schedule applications development and enhancement requests, and you’ll provide overall direction and guidance to applications development project teams. You’ll also review all systems development project plans, coordinate schedules and related departmental activity, and ensure that committed projects are completed on time, within budget, free of defects, and as planned, by reviewing and evaluating the work of subordinate staff. You’ll be responsible for the development cost center within the IS budget and developing the annual budget, approving actual spending against it and ensuring that it remains within approved spending limits. You’ll also track project spend, and correctly identifying capital work for depreciation.To be successful in this role you must have demonstrated leadership, initiative and innovation, and experience in digital printing manufacturing technologies and systems. We’ll call on your very strong project management discipline and the ability to develop a project based work environment, and your proven ability to establish and maintain a five year plan that’s in line with Josten’s business plan and vision. It’s important that you be current in new technologies and alternative approaches to traditional ERP systems, and that you have experience implementing back-end systems, including ERP system conversions. Additional skills that are important to this position include:•Ability to work with employees at all levels of the organization•Knowledgeable in mainframe systems and conversions•Proven ability to keep ahead of technology as it relates to information technology in manufacturing and supply chain management •Experienced in agile development methodologies•Skilled at working with executive management in understanding business needs, creating technology vision, and developing project roadmaps•Ability to work within timelines and in pressure situations•Strong problem-solving, negotiating, and decision-making skills•Ability to handle multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities•A broad understanding of general business and management practices and system design techniques and controls•Knowledge and experience in Application Software - Custom Built and Packages, Database Software, E-Business Software, Business Warehouse Software and Web Portals•Able to work extended work hours and shifts as necessary, and available for periodic travel to our various plantsRequirements for this position include a BS in Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related analytical field, and a minimum of eight years IT application development and large IT Project Management experience. You must have a thorough understanding and an implementation of application design, development and implementation work processes, deliverables, and tools, and a proven ability and relevant experience in business work process design and application design and development. You must have strong written and verbal communication skills, and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) and computers in general. Certifications in Project Management and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Framework are preferred.Come work for a progressive and vibrant organization! We take pride in helping students celebrate their academic achievements!Minneapolis-based Jostens, founded in 1897, is a leading provider of products, programs and services that help people celebrate important moments, recognize achievements and build affiliations. The company's products include yearbooks, class rings, graduation products and products for athletic champions and their fans.Our aim is to be the world leader in providing achievement and affiliation products and to constantly deliver exceptional performance. Through tradition and technology, innovation and partnerships, Jostens continues to create powerful new ways for people to express their pride, and mark life's biggest moments. Jostens is a team of employees and independent business partners.For immediate consideration, please click on the APPLY button.To learn more about our organization go to: http://www.jostens.comJostens supports and embraces a diverse workforce as an EEO/AA employer.