Be part of something bigger!
As the world and the way people live is changing, we at Bekaert believe it's our responsibility to contribute to finding new solutions for the future. With a 140+ year old heritage of excellence, innovation, and a future-focused mindset, we strive to create value for our customers and society. We aim to do this through innovative solutions and sustainable practices. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of steel wire transformation and coatings whilst also leveraging our expertise to develop innovative solutions with new materials and services in a safe, smart, and sustainable way. Our focus extends to markets such as new mobility, low-carbon construction, and green energy.
As a dynamic and growing company with over 19 000 employees worldwide, 75 nationalities, a retention rate above 90% and € 3,7 billion in combined revenue in 2025, we are looking for someone like you to join our team as we continue to shape a safer, more efficient, and connected world!
Purpose and Mission
The Local IT Regional Manager is responsible for leading and managing IT Infrastructure and IT Operations across multiple locations within the assigned region. The role ensures high availability, security, reliability, and continuous improvement of IT services while aligning regional IT operations with global standards and business objectives.
The successful candidate will provide technical leadership, manage regional IT teams and vendors, oversee infrastructure projects, drive operational excellence, and ensure compliance with organizational security and governance requirements.
Key Activities and Responsibilities
IT Infrastructure Management
- Manage regional IT infrastructure including servers, storage, virtualization, networking, Wi-Fi, endpoint devices, printers, and meeting room technologies.
- Ensure high availability and optimal performance of infrastructure services.
- Coordinate infrastructure upgrades, lifecycle management, and technology refresh programs.
- Branch office, and remote site infrastructure.
- Ensure backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity readiness.
IT Operations
- Lead day-to-day IT operations across regional offices and manufacturing/business locations.
- Ensure SLA compliance for incidents, service requests, and problem management.
- Drive continual service improvement initiatives.
- Monitor operational KPIs and service performance.
- Manage IT asset lifecycle, inventory accuracy, and CMDB updates.
- Coordinate change, release, and maintenance activities.
- Support business-critical applications from an infrastructure perspective.
Team Leadership
- Lead and mentor Local IT Engineers and regional support teams.
- Define goals, conduct performance reviews, and develop technical capabilities.
- Foster a customer-focused and collaborative culture.
- Coordinate activities with global IT teams and regional business stakeholders.
Vendor & Service Management
- Manage relationships with managed service providers, OEMs, and external vendors.
- Review vendor performance against SLAs and KPIs.
- Coordinate hardware procurement, warranty management, and third-party support.
- Optimize service quality and operational costs.
Cybersecurity & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with global cybersecurity policies and standards.
Support vulnerability remediation, patch management, endpoint protection, and privileged access management.
- Coordinate security audits and compliance assessments.
- Maintain secure infrastructure configurations and implement remediation actions.
- Partner with Information Security teams to reduce operational risk.
Project Management
- Deliver regional infrastructure projects on time and within budget.
- Lead office expansions, IT relocations, infrastructure upgrades, cloud migrations, and technology rollouts.
- Manage project plans, risks, budgets, and stakeholder communications.
- Ensure successful transition of projects into operational support.
Business Relationship Management
- Act as the primary IT contact for regional business leaders.
- Understand business priorities and translate them into technology solutions.
- Communicate IT strategy, service updates, and project status to stakeholders.
- Build strong partnerships across business functions.
Governance & Reporting
- Prepare executive dashboards and operational reports.
- Track KPIs, SLA performance, service availability, and operational risks.
- Participate in governance meetings, operational reviews, and strategic planning.
- Ensure adherence to ITIL processes and corporate policies.
Skills
IT Asset Management
- IT Service Management (ITIL)
- Patch & Vulnerability Management
- Endpoint Security
- Collaboration Platforms (Microsoft Teams, SharePoint)
- Infrastructure Monitoring Tools
Leadership Competencies
- Strong people leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Decision-making
- Stakeholder management
- Vendor management
- Financial and budget management
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Customer-focused mindset
- Problem-solving and analytical thinking
- Continuous improvement orientation
Previous Experience
- Minimum 10 years of experience in IT Infrastructure and IT Operations.
- Minimum 3-5 years in a leadership or regional IT management role.
- Experience supporting multiple sites and geographically distributed teams.
- Experience working in multinational environments.
- Proven track record in infrastructure operations, vendor management, service delivery, and project execution.
Qualifications and Education
Bachelors degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- Masters degree (preferred).
Preferred Certifications
- ITIL Foundation / ITIL 4 Managing Professional
- PRINCE2 or PMP (preferred)
- ISO 27001 Foundation (preferred)
Be bold and take the leap!
Were looking for individuals who are not afraid to take risks and explore new ideas. If you are passionate about personal growth and bringing your authentic self to work, we want you on our team!
At Bekaert, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
To learn more about us and our exciting career opportunities, visit Bekaert Careers