This is an exciting position as a Director of IT, of a beloved brand that is known as one of the footwear industry’s most respected products. As an IT Director of Infrastructure, you will report to the Chief Information Officer at our parent company, Xtep, and serve as an instrumental component of a vital team in the organization. In this role, you will: Manage and secure the network, cloud infrastructure as a service, telecom, help desk and IT and building security | Manage project lifecycle and reporting of all infrastructure initiatives to the Senior Director if IT | Enable cloud service providers to meet KPI’s outlined in Service Level Agreements (SLAs) | Negotiate infrastructure related software licenses, other business contracts and assist the Senior IT Director with the budget| Develop and maintain comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans to minimize downtime and data loss in case of emergencies.

Who we are:

Founded in California in 1966, we are proud of our legacy as being the innovators of the first leather tennis shoe – the K-Swiss Classic. More than 50 years later, K-Swiss’ modern brand mission is to outfit and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. These young leaders are at the forefront of today’s culture, influencing and inspiring young people around the world.

Our culture is rooted in the principles of INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, PASSION, PERFORMANCE and FAIRNESS.

We empower our team members to embrace their creativity, knowledge, skills and to push forward and deliver excellent results. By joining our family, you will be immersed in an environment of incredibly supportive and collaborative people. We work hard across a multitude of initiatives to bring the passion of K-Swiss to life.

How you make a difference:

Implementation of Infrastructure Initiatives – Project Management

• Responsible for overall execution and delivery of multiple projects targeted at improving and maintaining the KSGB IT Infrastructure.
• Identify risks and issues and work with stakeholders to manage the resolution or mitigation of these risks and issues.
• Ensure that all project deliverables and stakeholders’ expectations have been met.
• Facilitate continuous project management process improvement.
• Plan and implement disaster recovery testing.

Manage and maintain servers, networks, applications, Active Directory, SAN storage, phone system and backup processes

• Manage Cloud Infrastructure as a service.
• Maintain a network strategy for continued migration to the cloud.
• Research, recommend, design and implement network and infrastructure enhancements, equipment, services and vendors.
• Maintain and obtain PCI compliance and all network security to protect the data of the company.
• Performance tuning for LAN, WAN and servers.

Supervision and Staff Coordination

• Obtain and manage resources including direct reports, indirect reports from any office/department of the company, and external resources including Eland outsourced resources.
• Develop documentation to effectively manage internal and external resources and to facilitate transparency and optimal execution of all projects.
• Oversee and/or conduct training on new and existing processes to internal and external business associates.
• Supervise direct and indirect reports by providing them with direction, prioritizing their work, developing their skills by assigning them tasks and guiding them through implementations.

What you bring to the table:

• Develop and execute a strategic vision for the organization’s IT infrastructure to support current and future business needs.
• A successful track record demonstrating proficiency with SAP
• Lead and manage a team of IT professionals, including infrastructure architects, engineers, and support staff.
• Collaborate with other IT leaders and business stakeholders to identify infrastructure requirements and plan for capacity, scalability, and disaster recovery.
• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and assess their potential benefits and applicability to the organization’s infrastructure.
• Develop and manage the IT infrastructure budget, ensuring cost-effectiveness and resource optimization.
• Oversee relationships with infrastructure vendors and service providers, negotiate contracts, and ensure service level agreements (SLAs) are met.
• Ensure that IT infrastructure is secure and compliant with relevant regulations and industry standards. Implement security best practices and disaster recovery plans.
• Oversee the deployment and configuration of hardware, software, networks, and cloud services. Ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Implement monitoring tools and processes to continuously assess the performance of the infrastructure. Take proactive measures to optimize performance and resolve issues.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans to minimize downtime and data loss in case of emergencies.
• Foster the professional growth of the IT infrastructure team through training, mentorship, and skill development programs.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree computer science, information technology, or a related field; Master’s Degree is preferred
• Minimum of 8 – 10 years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure management, including leadership roles. Experience in a similar industry is a plus
• Hands-on experience with system administration, server build and server troubleshooting
• Experience with intrusion detection and network security systems

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Aptitude:

• Strong knowledge of server hardware, software and related technologies including SAN, switches, routers, firewalls, exchange mail systems and active directory
• Solid understanding of hardware and software security
• Understanding of LAN/WAN technologies and software tools for performance monitoring and troubleshooting
• Solid knowledge of Virtual Private Networks, Web Servers, Application Servers, Database Servers, Amazon Web Services and DNS
• Knowledge of Voice over IP technology and Avaya phone systems
• CISSP, CCNP/CCDP and PMP preferred
• Strong leadership, team management, and interpersonal skills; ability to motivate and mentor staff
• Excellent project management skills to oversee complex infrastructure projects from inception to completion
• Effective communication skills to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders and to collaborate with other departments.

Physical Demands:

• Sitting for extended periods of time
• Walking, standing for brief periods of time
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard
• Prolonged visual acuity necessary to view video display terminal, VDT
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds

Work Environment:

• Office and Warehouse

K-Swiss Global Brands provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.