Sr. Director, Business Applications

Vadnais Heights, MN

What is IP Corporation:

IP Corporation is a family-owned chemical manufacturing company, seven decades strong, with a proud track record of innovation and growth. Across our four operating companies—Interplastic Corporation, North American Composites, HK Research, and Molding Products—we deliver industry-leading gel coats, resins, and composite materials. With stability, a culture rooted in stability, and a focus on modernization, we are committed to building a workplace where innovation, collaboration, and people thrive.

What you’ll do as Sr. Director, Business Applications:

The Sr. Director of Business Applications will lead the strategy, delivery, and support of enterprise business applications across IP Corporation. This is a high-impact role, accountable for ensuring applications are reliable, scalable, and aligned to business needs, while driving digital transformation initiatives that improve operational efficiency and data-driven decision making.

Partnering closely with our CIO, business stakeholders, and project management teams, you will oversee ERP/MES migrations, data platform modernization, and application lifecycle management. You’ll lead a multi-disciplinary team—including business analysts, developers, and data analysts—through a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

What you can expect to do as Sr. Director, Business Applications:

Strategic Leadership

• Define the roadmap and operating model for enterprise business applications aligned with corporate strategy.

• Lead and mentor 1–3 direct managers and their teams, fostering a high-performance, customer-centric culture.

• Act as executive sponsor for major programs (ERP migration, MES modernization, analytics platform deployment).

Application Delivery & Governance

• Oversee the productization, delivery, and lifecycle management of core enterprise applications (ERP, CRM, reporting platforms).

• Partner with Project Management to define/refine delivery methodology using Agile, Lean, and Waterfall principles.

• Ensure applications meet performance, scalability, compliance, and security standards.

• Establish governance practices for application portfolio management and vendor partnerships.

Data & Reporting

• Champion data governance policies to ensure enterprise-wide data quality, security, and accessibility.

• Oversee development of reporting and analytics capabilities to support executive decision making.

• Partner with leaders across functions to define KPIs and reporting standards.

Operational Excellence

• Apply Lean methodologies to streamline processes, reduce waste, and improve efficiency.

• Ensure strong change management and training programs support new system rollouts.

• Identify opportunities for process automation and digital innovation.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison between IT and business units for application strategy and delivery.

• Partner with manufacturing, supply chain, finance, sales, and quality leaders to ensure business needs are met.

• Communicate effectively with executives, managers, and end users regarding project status, risks, and business value.

What we are looking for in a Sr. Director, Business Applications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or equivalent experience.

• 10+ years progressive IT/business applications experience, with 5+ years in leadership roles.

• Proven success in manufacturing environments (chemical or logistics strongly preferred).

• Demonstrated leadership in large-scale ERP and/or MES migrations from strategy through execution.

• Hands-on expertise with Agile frameworks, Lean Six Sigma, and enterprise reporting practices.

• Strong leadership skills managing managers and cross-disciplinary teams (BAs, developers, analysts).

• Excellent executive communication and influencing skills.

• Certifications: SAFe Program Consultant (SPC), Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, PMP (or equivalent).

• Experience with chemical/process manufacturing ERP solutions (Infor M3, SAP, Oracle) and MES platforms.

• Familiarity with data analytics platforms (Power BI, Tableau, Snowflake, etc.).

• Strong vendor management and contract negotiation experience.

• Proven track record leading digital transformation initiatives in regulated industries (chemical, pharma, food).

Why IP Corporation?

• Positive, challenging, and supportive work environment.

• Competitive benefits, including dental, vision, generous PTO, 401(k) with company match and more.

• Freedom to innovate and make a difference in a values-driven company.

• Opportunity to shape the digital future of a growing chemical manufacturing leader.

Pay Transparency Range: 

$187,731.00 -  $229,611.00