Director, IT Operations

Finding the right place to grow your career isn’t (over) easy, so we’re here to help by sharing a few reasons why the grass is greener at Vital Farms. We think you’ll appreciate our focus on Conscious Capitalism, which drives business decisions that benefit all our stakeholders (leading to even better business results). You might be drawn to our innovative approach and refusal to settle for the “way things have always been done.” Or you could find it exciting to grow your skills while working for an industry-leading brand. Whether you’re into our values, our brand, or our egg-cellent puns, we hope you’ll join our Crew and help us change the world 108 square feet at a time!

At Vital Farms, we are proud of our incredible stakeholders, and the diversity they represent from all areas and communities in which we operate and serve. We view this as a source of strength for us and your job is to help us make it even better.

Your Role:

The Director of IT Operations will lead efforts building and overseeing our company’s IT infrastructure and ensure the smooth operation of all IT systems and services. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in IT management, a strategic mindset, and excellent leadership skills to drive the IT operations team towards achieving company goals. This role will involve leading a team of IT professionals, developing strategic plans, and implementing best practices to optimize IT operations and support the company’s growth and innovation initiatives. 

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and implement IT strategies, policies, and procedures to support the company’s objectives and improve overall efficiency
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the IT department, including network operations, systems administration, help desk support, device management, and infrastructure maintenance 
• Lead a team of IT professionals, providing guidance, mentoring, and performance management to ensure high levels of productivity and effectiveness
• Manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts for IT services and products, ensuring cost-effectiveness and high quality
• Monitor IT systems and infrastructure to identify and address issues proactively, minimizing downtime and disruptions to business operations
• Develop and maintain IT security policies and procedures to protect company data and information assets from unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber threats.
• Develop and implement widespread IT strategic plans that align with the organization’s overall business objectives and long-term vision.
• Stay informed about emerging technologies and industry trends to make recommendations for upgrades and improvements to enhance the company’s IT capabilities and maintain a near zero technical debt posture.
• Prepare and manage the IT budget related to infrastructure and end user support systems to include tracking expenses and ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately to support business needs.
• Provide regular reports and updates to senior management on the performance of the IT department, including key metrics, accomplishments, and challenges.
• Manage vendor relationships and service contracts, including negotiating agreements, evaluating vendor performance, and ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) are met. 

What You Bring to the Table:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field
• 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure management, with a proven track record of success in leading, managing, and developing IT infrastructure teams.
• Relevant industry experience with designing and deploying technology in Consumer Goods facilities adhering to Good Manufacturing Principles (GMP) in 24/7/365 manufacturing environments.
• Experience in running and operating network and computing technologies at Service Provider levels.
• You have a relevant degree paired with certifications in IT management (ITIL Certified) and technology certifications (Microsoft Certified Professional / Systems Engineer).
• Demonstrated Strong technical background in network infrastructure, systems administration, and IT security
• Ability to travel 20-30% for company onboarding, team meetings and other business needs
• Ability to quickly build strong community relationships and foster strong partnerships to support the business
• Proven experience building and developing high performing teams that achieve performance targets
• You demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with all stakeholders from crew to farmers to executives
• You are a highly autonomous leader that is performance driven and personally committed to ensuring all milestones are met on time
• You are highly organized and self-directed with the ability to manage multiple, time sensitive, priorities and deadlines at once
• Experience in building and managing IT platforms that align and boost key business drivers
• Strong knowledge of organization architecture and experience in implementing technology frameworks. 
• Excellent leadership capabilities, Project Management expertise, and dedication to keep up with industry and developing technologies 
• Proficient in MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• You’re no hero – You know the power of teamwork and celebrate the work of others before your own
• You give a sh*t – You believe in acting like an owner and making Vital Farms a place to be proud of
• You raise the standards – You know growth can be hard, but you strive to improve yourself and others each day
• You can walk in someone else’s boots – You seek to understand other’s viewpoints and think that you get to better answers by sitting on the same side of the table
• You don’t walk on eggshells – You’re not afraid to leave the bullsh*t behind and have honest conversations. 

What We Bring to the Table:

• A fast-paced, energetic, remote environment with passionate people who are leading a movement to bring ethically produced food to the table.
• Competitive pay and benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Paid Parental Leave, just to name a few).
• Generous retirement contributions: 401(k) + 3% Contribution from Day 1.
• Free eggs and butter, along with friends and family discounts.
• Fun team SWAG that will make you the talk of the town.
• Professional development opportunities and an amazing team dedicated to your growth.

Who We Are: 

Vital Farms, a Certified B Corporation, offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide. Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms became a national consumer brand that works with 350 family farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs by retail dollar sales. Vital Farms’ products, including shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, and liquid whole eggs, are sold in over 24,000 stores nationwide. Vital Farms’ ethics are exemplified by its focus on the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable farming practices. In addition, as a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, Vital Farms prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of its stakeholders, including farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, crew members, and stockholders. In short, we exist to improve the lives of people, animals, and our planet through food. 

Next Steps:

Shortly after you complete your application, you’ll receive a follow-up email elaborating on any potential next steps in our process. If you don’t immediately receive said follow-up email, we would highly encourage you to check your spam filter!

In order to fulfill Vital Farms mission to “bring ethically produced food to the table,” we seek to build teams that leverage diverse perspectives to create a welcoming and innovative environment that is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities. 

To that end, we make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Vital Farms does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, citizenship status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Notification to Agencies:

• Vital Farms is not accepting unsolicited third-party recruitment agencies in the hiring process for this role. If you are a potential candidate interested in a role with Vital Farms, please submit an application directly. If you have any questions about the application process or the role itself, please reach out to a member of our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected] .

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