Global Director, IT Infrastructure & Operations

Job Title:        Global Director, IT Infrastructure & Operations

Function:        Infrastructure services & security

Reports to:     Head of Infrastructure services and CISO

Location:        Dublin - Hybred, 3 days on site

_____________________________________________________________________

WHY THIS ROLE IS VALUABLE: 

The Global Director, IT Infrastructure & Operations is a critical leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering the technology foundation that enables Ornua’s Transforming for Growth 2030 strategy. Reporting to the Head of Infrastructure Services & CISO and working closely with the CTO Leadership Team, this role will ensure Ornua’s global infrastructure services are secure, resilient, scalable, cost-effective, and aligned to the needs of a growing international business.

This role has end-to-end responsibility for Ornua’s global IT-OT infrastructure estate, including cloud platforms, global networks, data centres, manufacturing site infrastructure, workplace technologies, end-user devices, monitoring, and infrastructure operations. It will drive the modernisation, standardisation, and optimisation of infrastructure services across Europe, the United States, and MEA, ensuring consistent service quality, operational reliability, and a strong employee technology experience across all locations.

A key focus of the role is translating business and technology strategy into clear, executable infrastructure roadmaps. The Global Director, IT Infrastructure & Operations will lead cloud and hybrid infrastructure evolution, global network modernisation, automation, service performance improvement, resilience planning, and cost optimisation, while embedding security, compliance, segmentation, and operational controls by design.

As a senior leader, this role will build and lead high-performing global teams, while also leveraging local IT resources, managed service providers, and strategic technology partners. The role will establish clear standards, KPIs, SLAs, governance, and accountability across infrastructure services to ensure Ornua can operate reliably, respond effectively to incidents, and scale with confidence.

Ultimately, this role is valuable because it enables Ornua to run securely, grow efficiently, and deliver reliable digital services that support business performance, manufacturing operations, customer trust, and employee productivity worldwide.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Global Infrastructure Strategy & Roadmap

Lead the development and execution of Ornua’s global IT infrastructure strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities, the CTO technology roadmap, and the Transforming for Growth 2030 agenda.

• Define and maintain a clear global IT and OT infrastructure roadmap across cloud, networks, data centres, manufacturing sites, workplace technologies, monitoring, identity, and core platforms.
• Translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and cost-effective infrastructure capabilities that support growth, resilience, and operational performance.
• Drive standardisation, simplification, and modernisation of infrastructure services across all regions.

Infrastructure Operations & Service Reliability

Own the performance, availability, and operational management of Ornua’s global infrastructure services, ensuring reliable technology services for corporate, commercial, and manufacturing operations.

• Oversee day-to-day operations across cloud platforms, networks, data centres, end-user technologies, and infrastructure support services.
• Establish and manage SLAs, KPIs, service dashboards, and operational reporting to drive transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective monitoring, incident response, problem management, and service recovery processes are in place for business-critical services.

Cloud, Platforms & Automation

Lead the evolution of Ornua’s cloud and platform capabilities, with a focus on scalability, automation, operational efficiency, and secure-by-design delivery.

• Drive adoption and optimisation of Microsoft Azure, hybrid infrastructure, automation, and infrastructure-as-code where appropriate.
• Ensure cloud and platform services are designed for resilience, performance, security, and cost efficiency.
• Partner with application, digital, and business teams to enable secure and scalable technology platforms for current and future business needs.

Global Network, Connectivity, Workplace & End-User Experience

Provide leadership across global network, connectivity, workplace, and end-user technology services to enable a consistent and productive employee experience.

• Own the strategy, roadmap, and performance of global connectivity, LAN/WAN, SD-WAN, SASE, VPN, Wi-Fi, internet resilience, and site network services across corporate and manufacturing locations.
• Lead future global network modernisation programmes, including SASE, SD-WAN, diverse internet connectivity, site resilience, and secure connectivity between IT, OT, cloud, and third-party environments.
• Lead the end-user computing roadmap, including devices, endpoint management, collaboration tools, mobility, and workplace technology standards.
• Improve the employee technology experience through reliable services, effective support models, and proactive service improvement.

Security, Resilience & Compliance

Embed security, resilience, and compliance into IT and OT infrastructure design and operations, working closely with IT Security, OT, Engineering, site leadership, and the wider IT leadership team.

• Ensure infrastructure services are aligned with cybersecurity policies, IT/OT segmentation requirements, identity controls, vulnerability management, data protection, and regulatory requirements.
• Support the delivery of Ornua’s IT-OT Cybersecurity Strategy through accountable ownership of the underlying infrastructure, network, identity and resilience capabilities.
• Lead infrastructure resilience planning, including backup, disaster recovery, business continuity, and cyber incident readiness.
• Support audit, assurance, and risk management activities through strong controls, documentation, and evidence-based reporting.

Vendor, Managed Service & Commercial Governance

Manage strategic infrastructure partners, service providers, and technology vendors to ensure strong commercial outcomes and high-quality service delivery.

• Govern managed service providers through clear contracts, SLAs, KPIs, service reviews, and performance improvement plans.
• Lead vendor selection, contract input, supplier performance management, and escalation where required.
• Own infrastructure budget planning, cost optimisation, asset lifecycle management, and cloud cost governance / FinOps practices.

Architecture, Standards & Global Consistency

Establish global infrastructure standards and governance to reduce complexity, improve resilience, and ensure consistent service delivery across Ornua’s global estate.

• Define and maintain standards for compute, storage, cloud, networks, endpoints, monitoring, backup, identity, OT infrastructure connectivity, and core infrastructure services.
• Establish consistent network and infrastructure standards for manufacturing sites, including segmentation patterns, resilient connectivity, monitoring, and supportability requirements.
• Ensure infrastructure architecture aligns with enterprise architecture principles, security requirements, and CTO direction.
• Drive consolidation and rationalisation of legacy platforms, tools, and services where this improves performance, cost, or risk posture.

Leadership, Talent & Operating Model

Build, lead, and develop a high-performing global infrastructure and operations function, creating clear accountability across central teams, local IT resources, and managed service partners.

• Lead globally distributed infrastructure teams across Europe, the United States, and MEA, including direct and matrixed resources.
• Set clear objectives, performance expectations, development plans, and succession pipelines for infrastructure and operations talent.
• Foster a culture of service excellence, ownership, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement & Transformation Delivery

Act as a trusted technology partner to senior stakeholders, ensuring infrastructure priorities are clearly understood and aligned with business outcomes.

• Work closely with the CTO Leadership Team, IT Security, Digital and Applications, Data and Analytics, Business Engagement, and business leaders to align infrastructure plans with enterprise priorities.
• Provide clear executive-level updates on service performance, risks, investment priorities, transformation milestones, and major incidents.
• Lead infrastructure workstreams within major transformation programmes, ensuring services are transitioned into stable, supportable, and scalable operations.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Continuously improve the maturity, efficiency, and resilience of Ornua’s infrastructure services by applying modern practices, automation, and data-driven decision-making.

• Evaluate emerging technologies such as AIOps, automation, observability, edge connectivity, and modern workplace capabilities.
• Use operational data, service trends, and user feedback to identify improvement opportunities.
• Drive measurable improvements in service quality, cost efficiency, user experience, and operational resilience.

KEY REQUIREMENTS: 

• Proven senior leadership experience leading global IT Infrastructure & Operations functions within complex, multi-site organisations.
• Strong expertise in enterprise infrastructure services, including cloud, networks, workplace technologies, identity, resilience, and operational support.
• Demonstrated success delivering cloud transformation, infrastructure modernisation, automation, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Proven experience in vendor governance, budgeting, cost optimisation, FinOps, and KPI-driven service performance management.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure security, cyber resilience, disaster recovery, business continuity, and risk management.
• Excellent executive communication, stakeholder engagement, and people leadership skills, with the ability to lead through transformation and major incidents.
• Experience supporting manufacturing and OT environments (including IT-OT integration, segmentation, and operational resilience) is highly desirable. Occasional travel to Ornua sites may be required.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS - Tuesday 21st July