Job Description

At Cretex, manufacturing excellence is at the core of what we do. We are seeking an IT Applications Manager to drive strategy, delivery, and ongoing support of business applications across the organization. This role partners with business leaders and IT to optimize application performance, drive system improvements, ensure reliable business operations, and lead a team (and/or vendors) delivering application services. The IT Applications Manager is accountable for application lifecycle management, cross-functional project execution, and aligning application capabilities with business priorities.

Responsibilities

Essential Job Functions

Application Strategy & Ownership

• Implement and govern a formal business requirements gathering process, utilizing a mandatory intake workflow to ensure all business requests are clearly defined, documented, vetted, and approved prior to build-execution.
• Partner with Business SMEs to translate operational challenges into documented requirements and determine the most effective solution type, whether a form or report, an interface, configuration, customization enhancement, etc.
• Standardize documentation requirements by mandating formal functional and technical specifications for all system enhancement customizations, ensuring the approved changes are integrated into ongoing validation packages.
• Review validation requirements for all Epicor changes to ensure regression testing needs for the annual Kinetic upgrade cycle are clearly documented and understood.
• Define and assign testing ownership during the requirement phase to ensure every system change includes a clear path to validation and successful user acceptance.

Program Delivery & Leadership

• Drive standardized Epicor user support and best practices across business units and locations.
• Monitor application implementations, enhancements, support, upgrades, integrations, and process automation initiatives.
• Monitor project scope, resource requirement assignments, timelines, budgets, risk, and stakeholder communications.
• Ensure effective change management, training, and user adoption for application releases.

Operations Support

• Ensure stable, secure, and performant application operations; oversee incident, problem, and change management.
• Establish support intake prioritization process, KPIs, and monitoring to measure adherence performance and support responsiveness.
• Coordinate with Infrastructure/Security/Validation teams to ensure availability, backup/recovery, and compliance.

Documentation

• Create comprehensive documentation processes, including business requirements, functional design specifications, technical design specifications, and test protocols.
• Ensure training, process adoption, and adherence maintaining accurate records of system design changes.

People & Vendor Management

• Lead, coach, and develop application analysts and/or developers.
• Manage external partners, consultants, and software vendors; assist with contracts and renewals.
• Build an effective support model and drive continuous improvement.

Governance, Security, and Compliance

• Ensure applications comply with IT policies, security standards, data privacy requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Maintain documentation, application architecture standards, and audit readiness.
• Participate in cybersecurity and business continuity planning as it relates to applications.

License Management

• Review and recommend application licensing and renewals.
• Identify opportunities to reduce redundancy, optimize licensing, and improve ROI.
• Evaluate new tools and lead selection processes (RFP/RFQ), including business cases.

Organizational

• Champions our organizational values of integrity, respect, and commitment to excellence
• Support and comply with the company Quality System, ISO, and medical device requirements
• Read, understand, and follow work instructions and standard work
• Partner with other business segments: sales/marketing, customer service, engineering, quality, and finance
• Understand customer needs and the core business markets we serve
• Ensure business systems are implemented, maintained, and functioning accurately
• Participate in required company meetings
• Maintain an organized work area (5S)
• Participate in the Operational Excellence Program
• Complete all other work duties as assigned
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements, Education & Experience (incl. KSA’s and certifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, Computer Science, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8+ years of progressive IT experience with significant focus on enterprise/business applications.
• 3+ years in a leadership role managing teams, vendors, or major application programs.
• Experience leading application implementations and upgrades, including integrations and data migration.
• Strong understanding of IT service management practices (incident/change/problem) and SDLC.
• Strategic planning and roadmap development
• Stakeholder management and business partnership
• People leadership, coaching, development, and performance management
• Vendor management and contract negotiation
• Project/program management, prioritization, and delivery execution
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making
• Process improvement and change management mindset
• Microsoft Office proficiency (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher)
• Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organizational skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment
• Ability to prioritize and multitask

Desirable Criteria & Qualifications

• Experience with Epicor and/or HubSpot platforms.
• Familiarity with cloud/SaaS administration, identity/access management concepts, and security controls.
• Project management certifications and/or ITIL certification.
• Experience in regulated industries.
• Exposure to data/analytics platforms and reporting governance.
• Certificates
• Continuing Education; including participation in local chapters, associations, and/or organizations

#LI-JW1

Pay Range Details

This pay range reflects the base hourly rate or annual salary for positions within this job grade, based on our market-based pay structures. Actual compensation will depend on factors such as skills, relevant experience, education, internal equity, business needs, and local market conditions. While the full hiring range is shared for transparency, offers are rarely made at the minimum or maximum of the range

Company Benefits

All Employees:

Our 401k retirement savings plan with a company match contribution; onsite health clinics, discretionary holiday bonus program (based on years of service), Cretex University, 24/7 employee assistance program with access to five confidential visits with a licensed counselor at no cost, wellness program with incentives, an employee death benefit, and employee sick and safe leave are available to all Cretex employees.

20+hours:

Cretex’s medical benefit package includes: comprehensive medical insurance with access to virtual providers; dental insurance (Little Partners Dental benefit covers services 100 percent for children 12 and younger when seen by a Health Partners in network provider); vision insurance; a pre-tax health savings account, healthcare and dependent care pre-tax reimbursement accounts; paid holidays, paid time off; and our discretionary profit sharing program are available to employees working 20+ hours/week.

30+ hours:

Parental Leave, accident and critical illness benefits, optional employee, spouse, and child life; short and long term disability; company provided life insurance; and tuition assistance programs are available to employees working 30+ hours per week.

(Some benefits are subject to eligibility criteria.)

Applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, family status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other protected status as required by law.

Our company uses E-Verify to confirm the employment and eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.