IT Manager Custom Aluminum Products, Inc.

• South Elgin & Genoa, IL
• Onsite
• Full-time, 1st shift $85,000 - $105,000 per year Custom Aluminum Products is an aluminum extrusion manufacturer with roughly 550 employees across two Illinois plants — South Elgin and Genoa.

We are creating a new position for an IT Manager position. This hire will build the position function and run it. You'll lead a two-person team of Systems Analyst / Network Administrators. This is a hands-on leadership position; half leadership, half hands-on technical work. If you want a role where you delegate everything and live in meetings, this isn't it. If you want to own a manufacturing IT environment end to end and actually fix it, keep reading. Why this job Most IT manager openings are backfills — you inherit someone else's decisions and spend two years unwinding them. This one is a blank sheet. The systems are here, the team is here, and the budget authority comes with the seat. What's missing is someone to lead it. You'll report directly to the VP of Operations, which means IT decisions get made quickly and you won't be three layers from the people who set the priorities. First 18 month immediate priorities Two priorities, in this order: 1. Security and disaster recovery. Harden our posture, get backups and DR genuinely tested rather than assumed, mature identity and patching, and stand behind our answers on cyber-insurance and customer security questionnaires. 2. Infrastructure modernization. Server and network refresh, plant wireless coverage, end-of-life hardware, and real resilience for the systems that keep two plants running. Everything else is important. These two are the mandate. Job tasks

• The team. Lead, develop, and set priorities for two Systems Analyst / Network Administrators. Make sure both plants are covered.
• Infrastructure and network. Windows Server, virtualization, Fortinet firewalls, switching, VLANs, wireless, Microsoft 365 and Entra ID, and the endpoint fleet.
• Security, backup, and DR. Owned, tested, and documented — not inherited and hoped for.
• ERP and IBM i (AS/400). You keep the platform healthy — hardware, software, patching, access, and the vendor relationship. You do not need to write RPG or program the AS/400.
• Data and reporting. SQL Server, Microsoft Fabric, and the Power BI reporting the business runs on.
• The plant floor. Machine networks, shop-floor terminals and printers, PLC/HMI connectivity, and the IT/OT boundary at both sites.
• Telecom and building systems. Phone system, time clocks, badge access, cameras.
• Budget and vendors. The IT budget, capital requests, contract negotiation, and vendor relationships.
• AI adoption. Partner on our company-wide AI initiative — tooling, governance, and helping people actually use it. Position requirements
• 7+ years of progressive IT and infrastructure experience, including 2+ years supervising staff or leading projects and vendors.
• A bachelor's degree in IT/Computer Science or current, relevant certifications — one or the other. We care that you've formally learned this, not where.
• Manufacturing or industrial IT experience. You understand that a line down is a different emergency than a laptop down, and that IT serves the shop floor as much as the office.
• Hands-on networking and firewall administration. Real LAN/WAN, routing, switching, VLANs, and firewall work — not desktop support with "networking" listed as a skill.
• Personal ownership of backup, DR, and security posture at a previous employer. Not following someone else's runbook — owning the thing.
• Ability to work onsite and split your time between the South Elgin and Genoa plants.
• Availability as the escalation point for after-hours issues affecting production. Your team handles first-line; you're the call when it's serious. Nice to have
• Fortinet experience (it's what we run)
• IBM i / AS-400 or comparable legacy ERP exposure
• MSP (managed service provider) background
• VMware or Hyper-V, Azure/M365 administration
• SQL Server, Power BI, or Microsoft Fabric

Certifications:

CCNA, Fortinet NSE/FCP, CompTIA Network+/Security+, Azure, ITIL $85,000 - $105,000 per year , depending on experience and qualifications. Benefits include Blue Cross Blue Shield medical HM or PPO, Blue Cross dental, and Eyemed vision coverage;short term disability; company-provided life and long-term disability insurance; a 401(k) with company match; and paid time off including vacation, personal days plus paid holidays.

Recruiters and staffing agencies:

Please do not contact us regarding this posting. Custom Aluminum Products does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from recruiters, staffing firms, or placement agencies. Calls and emails from agencies will not be returned.

Pay:

$85,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Referral program Retirement plan Tuition reimbursement Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person