Job DescriptionLocation: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (primary)
Travel: ~10% to Monett, MO and Lewisburg, TN
Employment Type: Full-time
Environment: Manufacturing Multi-plant MSP-supported
OverviewWe are seeking a hands-on Infrastructure Leader (player-coach) to stabilize and modernize our IT infrastructure across a multi-plant manufacturing environment. This role owns on-premises and hybrid Microsoft platforms, partners closely with multiple MSPs/MSSPs, and drives measurable reduction of technical debt and operational risk-while setting a pragmatic, scalable infrastructure strategy.
Key outcomesThe successful candidate will:
- Take a hands-on approach early to stabilize and improve core infrastructure operations.
- Own and operate on-premises and hybrid Microsoft infrastructure (including governance, reliability, and performance).
- Manage and partner with multiple MSPs/MSSPs, ensuring clear escalation paths and strong SLA delivery.
- Reduce technical debt and operational risk through disciplined remediation and standards.
- Define and execute infrastructure strategy with a practical, phased roadmap (avoiding unnecessary complexity).
This role is not- A pure cloud architect position
- A network-only role
- A helpdesk management role
RequirementsRequirementsInfrastructure & PlatformsHands-on experience with:
- Windows Server / Wintel environments (including legacy system remediation)
- VMware (VM lifecycle, performance tuning, patching, tooling hygiene)
- Backup & Recovery with Veeam
- Enterprise storage (SAN/NAS - HPE Nimble, StoreOnce, QNAP, or similar)
- Active Directory & Group Policy (identity hygiene)
- Operational ownership of Microsoft 365 / Exchange / SharePoint
- Azure infrastructure
Operating Model- Experience working with MSPs / MSSPs (governance, escalation, SLAs)
- Multi-location infrastructure ownership (plants + HQ)
- Hands-on troubleshooting, plus leadership accountability
Nice to haveThese matter, but do not require elite specialization.
- Networking (Cisco, WAN, SD-WAN) - operational leadership, vendor management
- Firewalls, VPN, security tooling - coordination with SOC/XDR/SIEM partners
- SQL Server administration (non-DBA) - able to collaborate with a DBA MSP
- Cloud exposure (Azure, Microsoft 365) - hybrid-first mindset
- BCDR strategy - planning, testing, confidence building
