Director of Technology

About Eppinger Technologies

Eppinger Technologies is a global leader in mechanical engineering, specializing in high-precision tooling systems and tool holding automation for CNC machining. Their product portfolio serves a broad range of industries including aerospace, robotics, medical, automotive, defense, and energy. The company’s expertise covers spindle-to-workpiece technologies with offerings such as tool holders, presetting, workpiece holding, and deburring accessories. Trusting customers include prominent names like Boeing, SpaceX, DN Solutions, HAAS, Mazak, KUKA, and Magna.

Eppinger has advanced manufacturing and distribution centers across Germany, India, and the U.S., maintaining robust direct relationships with machine tool OEMs, machine shops, and CNC equipment resellers globally. It operates through Eppinger Group and Techniks Tool Group, managing well-known brands, and boasts over a century of experience delivering both standard and custom tooling solutions.

Role Summary

This opportunity involves leading Eppinger/Techniks’ global technology strategy and modernization efforts. The current IT environment is fragmented with siloed infrastructure and significant technical debt. The Director of Technology will be responsible for unifying IT operations across German, U.S., and Indian sites, modernizing infrastructure with cloud-first solutions, establishing scalable governance, and building a global support team centered in India.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and enforce a unified, SLA-based IT support model eliminating isolated operations across regions.
• Address and reduce the existing backlog of support tickets to achieve measurable service levels.
• Design and implement scalable IT governance frameworks that support business growth.
• Oversee third-party vendor management across entities and control the IT budget from forecast to actuals with regular variance reporting.
• Establish and lead a central IT support hub in India, including recruitment and mentorship of an Enterprise Tech Lead.
• Create a follow-the-sun support coverage model spanning multiple time zones.
• Assess and modernize on-premises infrastructure toward cloud or compliant colocation solutions respecting regional regulations.
• Centralize Microsoft 365 under a global tenant to ensure data resilience.
• Replace outdated software and hardware and manage RFP processes and migrations for infrastructure consolidation.
• Transition key workloads, including Epicor Prophet 21 and Abbas, to cloud platforms.
• Develop and implement comprehensive business continuity, disaster recovery, and backup strategies with defined objectives and regular testing.
• Achieve NIS2 compliance to reduce legal risks and strengthen cybersecurity posture across all subsidiaries.
• Move sensitive systems, such as India payroll and Sage environments, to secure cloud hosting where appropriate.
• Implement physical security measures including surveillance and access control at operational sites.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Over 15 years in IT, including senior leadership roles with multi-site or multi-country responsibility.
• Experience building or scaling offshore IT hubs, especially in India.
• Proven success leading infrastructure modernization and cloud migration initiatives.
• In-depth knowledge of cybersecurity regulations and frameworks, including EU standards like NIS2 and GDPR.
• Hands-on expertise in designing disaster recovery and backup plans with clear RTO/RPO targets.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage distributed IT teams across geographies and time zones.
• Proficient in IT budget management, vendor oversight, and outsourced service governance.
• Familiarity with key enterprise systems including Microsoft 365, ERP platforms (notably Epicor Prophet 21), and finance/payroll solutions (Sage, Spine).
• Comfortable operating within manufacturing or precision engineering environments and providing shop-floor IT support.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management across cultures and organizational levels.

Preferred Skills

• Experience bridging European and North American operations.
• Established network of technology third-party providers supporting sites in Germany, the US, and India.
• German language proficiency.

Success Metrics for First Year

• Implementation of a unified, SLA-based IT support system with reduced ticket backlogs across all regions.
• Operational India-based IT hub managed by a dedicated Enterprise Tech Lead with 24-hour support coverage.
• Completion of infrastructure migration plans and execution reducing dependency on unprotected on-premises servers.
• Deployment and testing of disaster recovery and backup frameworks.
• Verified progress towards NIS2 compliance across entities.

Additional Details

• Reporting to CFO and Chief of Staff
• Full-time employment at Indianapolis, IN location
• Travel regularly across Germany, USA, and India
• Compensation: base salary range $220,000 to $250,000 with eligibility for performance-based bonus
• Responsible for managing direct reports in India and creating the Enterprise Core Team