Columbia Forest Products, North America’s largest manufacturer of hardwood, plywood, and hardwood veneer product, seeks an experienced Manager of OT/IT who will lead the development and execution of a unified OT/IT strategy across all operating locations, ensuring alignment with enterprise IT initiatives.
Columbia Forest Products is an employee-owned company with comprehensive benefits: Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401K, Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance.

Job Summary:

The Manager of OT (Operational Technology)/IT (Information Technology) Convergence will lead the development and execution of a unified OT/IT strategy across all operating locations, ensuring alignment with enterprise IT initiatives. This role will bridge the gap between OT and IT, standardizing systems, reducing risk while enhancing security, and supporting the continuous improvement of operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of information technology best practices with hands on experience in infrastructure & networking. They will possess knowledge of industrial control systems, automation technologies, IT/OT convergence, coupled with strong leadership and change management skills. This position reports directly to CIO.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic IT Leadership

• Develop and implement a common OT strategy that aligns with enterprise IT and business objectives.
• Identify opportunities for technology-driven innovation and improvement.
• Prepare the organization for future technological advancements and challenges, including our digital transformation initiatives.

• Build and mentor a high-performing OT team, fostering cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Infrastructure Management

• Inventory, catalog, and define risk framework around current state OT footprint.
• Identify and deploy standardized OT solutions across all operating locations to improve efficiency, security, and interoperability.
• Work closely with IT leadership to integrate OT systems with corporate IT infrastructure while ensuring security, compliance, and performance.

Cybersecurity and Compliance

• Establish and maintain OT cybersecurity policies, ensuring robust protection of industrial control systems and compliance with industry regulations.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
• Participiate in the selection and management of OT vendors and service providers.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

• Develop and implement business continuity and disaster recovery plans to ensure the company can respond to and recover from disruptions.
• Ensure top risks are appropriately mitigated and well understood by all stakeholders.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Partner with operations, engineering, and maintenance teams to ensure OT initiatives support business needs and drive continuous improvement.
• Manage relationships with key OT solution providers, ensuring effective service delivery and alignment with strategic goals.
• Communicate the value and impact of OT/IT initiatives.

Digital Transformation

• Drive digital transformation efforts to improve business processes, decision-making, and operational efficiency.
• Implement technologies that provide accurate and efficient information flow and presentation.
• Assess emerging technologies and trends in OT, making recommendations for improvements and investments that enhance operational performance.

Qualifications:

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in information / operational technology with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• In depth understanding of experience if cyber security, networking, and modern IT infrastructure practices (virtualization, cloud, etc.…)
• Strong leadership and change management experience in complex, multi-site organizations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and drive alignment across diverse teams.
• Experience leading IT/OT convergence initiatives, integrating industrial systems with enterprise IT.
• In-depth knowledge of cybersecurity standards (e.g., NIST, IEC 62443) and best practices.
• Understanding of industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA, PLCs, IIoT, and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
• Experience working in manufacturing or other industrial environments preferred.

Key Competencies:

• Visionary
• Collaborative Influence
• Exceptional Communicator
• Humble: Willing to Learn, be coachable and has a willingness to be curious
• Respect for Team Members - emotionally intelligent, ability to listen and work with diversity in/of people
• Willing to “go and see” for problem solving, learning, and improvement (not lead from an office-go to the gemba)
• Manage within the tension of conflicting goals (i.e. able to prioritize)

Bought into LEAN principles as the way of doing business: safety focus, waste reduction, champions of standard work, pull systems, learning & performance thru problem solving, customer focus.

Columbia Forest Products is an employee-owned company with comprehensive benefits: Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401K, Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Columbia Forest Products is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will make every effort to provide a reasonable accommodation in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act & ensure equal wages according to the Equal Pay Act (EPA). Veterans encouraged to apply.