Group IT Operation Manager

MHM Automation is a Christchurch success story with a 140‑year heritage and a global footprint in food processing automation across meat, dairy, horticulture, industrial and logistics sectors. Now part of Fortifi Food Processing Solutions, MHM and Wyma are in an exciting growth phase with a clear mandate to build a modern, globally integrated technology platform.​

To support this journey, a new Group IT Operations Manager role has been created to own day‑to‑day IT operations and help shape the future IT environment across New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Europe.​

The opportunity

Reporting to the Group CFO in Christchurch, you will be responsible for IT service delivery and infrastructure for around 400 users across multiple sites, working closely with Fortifi's global IT team, external providers and local stakeholders. The group is mid‑transition from a mixed in‑house/outsourced model to a shared global service model, so there is real scope to redesign how IT works, standardise processes and lift service levels.​

This is a true "player‑coach" style role: no direct reports initially, but significant influence, and potential people leadership as the function grows. You will be the go‑to person for IT operations locally, while coordinating offshore helpdesk and specialist partners in the US and India.​

What you'll be doing

• Owning IT service delivery across the MHM/Wyma group - monitoring SLAs, managing ticketing systems, handling complex escalations and driving a consistently high support experience for end users.​
• Managing core infrastructure: end‑user devices, Windows servers, networking, Active Directory, DHCP/DNS, print services, collaboration tools and cloud services, including routine maintenance and patching.​
• Leading IT operations for onboarding/offboarding, access management and hardware provisioning, ensuring people can be productive from day one.​
• Working closely with the ERP Program Manager and finance/operations stakeholders to align infrastructure, applications and support processes with business priorities.​
• Coordinating security operations with Fortifi and external SOC/SEIM providers, including responding to alerts, supporting penetration testing and helping embed security best practice across sites.​
• Managing and evolving relationships with external vendors, and playing a key role in IT due diligence and integration work for future mergers and acquisitions.​
• Producing clear monthly and quarterly reporting on IT performance, incidents, risks and improvement initiatives for local and group leadership.​

About you

You are an experienced IT operations professional who enjoys combining hands‑on technical work with stakeholder management, process improvement and change. You are comfortable being the local "face of IT", working with a supportive CFO and collaborating with global peers.​

You will bring most of the following:

• Around 7+ years' experience across IT operations/support, infrastructure and end‑user computing in a multi‑site environment.​
• Strong technical breadth across Microsoft 365, Windows Server, networking (wired/wireless), virtualization/hypervisors and common enterprise platforms.​
• Practical experience with ITIL‑style processes (incident, problem, change, event and release management) and managing SLAs/OLAs with vendors.​
• A clear focus on security, resilience, privacy and business continuity, ideally including exposure to SEIM/SOC models.​
• Proven ability to prioritise, simplify and drive continuous improvement - applying 80/20 thinking to where you invest effort.​
• Strong communication skills and the ability to translate technical issues into business language for finance, operations and manufacturing leaders.​
• Experience working within organisations going through mergers/acquisitions, or within a global group, would be a strong plus; manufacturing/industrial sector experience is also beneficial but not essential.​

Why join MHM Automation?

• Growth and impact: The role sits at the heart of a multi‑year integration and growth journey and the chance to design how Group IT operations work for years to come.​
• Global exposure: Regular interaction with Fortifi's VP IT in the US, offshore helpdesk teams and colleagues across the UK and Europe.​
• Attractive Package: Remuneration will be negotiated with the preferred candidate
• Values‑driven culture: MHM values being bold, aspirational, "in it together" and operating with integrity, with a strong health and safety and team‑oriented culture.​

How to apply

Talent Hive is managing this recruitment process exclusively on behalf of MHM Automation. Please apply online via Seek or via the talent hive website