Director I&O Architecture and Engineering - Quaker Houghton

Company Overview:

At Quaker Houghton, we are experts in the development, production and application of chemical specialties, process fluids, lubricants, and coatings for the manufacturing industry. We have been an integral part in the growth of the world’s largest industrial companies and to this day our experience and expertise show in the actions and dedication of our Associates worldwide. Today, we have a global presence, with our corporate headquarters located in Conshohocken, PA. Quaker Houghton is a global publicly traded company with a unique collaborative culture that supports career growth for its associates and offers competitive compensation and benefit programs.

Position Summary:

The Director of I&O Architecture and Engineering will be pivotal in designing, implementing, and executing the company’s DIT infrastructure and operations, ensuring alignment with the overall (DIT) business strategy and mapping the relationships between IT platform and infrastructure components, and identifying the critical technology interactions and dependencies across systems and platforms. This position requires a deep understanding of modern IT architectures, cloud solutions, and operational excellence to support the company’s growth. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with other (DIT) departments to deliver robust and scalable IT solutions, manage innovation projects, oversee the adoption of new technologies, and manage a team of Architecture and Engineering colleagues.

Accountabilities:

DIT Infrastructure and Operations Architecture:

• Develop, document, and maintain the overall DIT infrastructure architecture, ensuring scalability, security, and resilience. This includes data centers, cloud solutions, network infrastructure, and disaster recovery plans.

Document and Design:

• Write and review Infrastructure Architecture designs for existing and new services and products. Create and maintain the global infrastructure documented overview.

Strategy & Planning:

• Work with senior DIT leadership and the Enterprise Architect (EA) to define the DIT infrastructure strategy, aligning it with overall DIT goals. Identify opportunities for innovation and efficiency improvements in infrastructure and operations. Defines high-level migration plans and roadmap to address the gaps between the future and current state, typically in sync with the IT budgeting or other capital planning processes

Cloud Strategy:

• Support the company's cloud strategy, overseeing the migration of services and infrastructure to cloud platforms and managing hybrid cloud environments. Ensure seamless integration with existing systems and processes.

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity:

• Design and support the implementation of disaster recovery and business continuity plans to ensure the availability and resilience of critical IT systems and data.

Security & Compliance:

• Ensure the IT infrastructure is secure and compliant with industry regulations, including cybersecurity frameworks and data protection laws. Implement security best practices and support initiatives to mitigate risks.

Operational Excellence:

• Supports implementing best practices for DIT operations, including monitoring, performance tuning, and incident management. Drive continuous improvement in service delivery and operational efficiency.

Innovating:

• Drives digital innovation by leveraging innovative technologies and approaches to renovate, extend, and transform the existing core technology base and IT estate.

Collaboration:

• Work closely with the DIT Global Infrastructure and DC Ops team and the DIT EUC and Regional Ops Teams. Collaborate with the broader DIT Team on projects and provide architecture advice where possible.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in IT infrastructure and operations, with at least five years in a leadership or architectural role.
• Proven experience designing and managing complex IT infrastructure, including cloud environments (OCI, Azure, etc.), on-premises data centers, and hybrid architectures.
• Strong knowledge of networking, server architecture, virtualization, storage solutions, and cybersecurity practices.
• Experience with industry-standard frameworks such as ITIL, COBIT, or TOGAF.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a diverse team of IT professionals.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders, translating complex concepts into clear, actionable plans.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.

What's in it for you:

• Competitive pay programs with excellent career growth trajectory
• Opportunities to see your efforts contribute toward the success of the business
• Work for a global leader in the industrial process fluids industry

Quaker Houghton is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. Quaker Houghton provides equal employment opportunity for all qualified candidates. Quaker Houghton does not discriminate against any candidate for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, veteran’s status, physical/mental disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by U.S federal, state, and/or local employment law. Furthermore, Quaker Houghton is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates with physical and/or mental disabilities. Applicants with a disability who need assistance applying for a position may email OneHR@quakerhoughton.com.