IT Director - Europe

A leading manufacturer and household name in water heating and HVAC/R, Rheem celebrates a hundred years of innovation and ingenuity. The acquisitions of Intergas (2019) and DeJong (2022) laid the foundation for the company’s operations in Europe, which have since grown substantially. The IT Director drives the future-proof IT strategy for a more centralized, standardized, and digitally driven European organization.

About Rheem

In 1925, brothers William, Richard, and Donald Rheem established Rheem Manufacturing in California, focused on metal products. The company’s expansion into boilers and tanks a few years later marked the first step in becoming the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating, cooling, water heating, pool and spa heating, and commercial refrigeration products for households and businesses. A century of innovation and entrepreneurship has led to Rheem’s portfolio of over fifty brands that provide comfort to millions of customers in almost ninety countries, generating over six billion dollars in global sales.

The company’s European presence began to take shape with the acquisition of Intergas in 2019, DeJong in 2022, and MHG in Germany in 2023. Rapid expansion has followed, through both organic growth – including a new factory in Slovakia – and acquisitions. As part of Rheem’s global sustainability program ‘A Greater Degree of Good,’ Rheem Europe aims for ambitious Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets. Through innovative solutions like its hybrid heat pump combined with a gas-fired boiler, the company constantly empowers customers and employees to live and work more sustainably.

Rheem employs almost 16,000 people worldwide. In Europe, staff are based at (production) facilities in the Netherlands – in Utrecht, Coevorden, and Gorredijk – as well as in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Slovakia. Intentionally designed to stay close to the market, Rheem operates as a flat organization with a pragmatic, no-nonsense culture geared toward continuous innovation for its customers.

Vacancy: IT Director – Europe

Rheem Europe will continue its steady growth in the region through both organic expansion and acquisitions. As a result, the pan-European strategy and the further integration of the businesses are becoming increasingly important. The IT Director provides a strategic answer from the IT organization by offering shared support functions, working closely with teams across the companies, and advancing the move toward a more integrated Rheem Europe – one that optimally supports the business.

The strategic priorities for the IT Director are twofold. On the one hand, the role sets up the European IT organization for future success. This involves putting the right people in the right places to begin building a more integrated Infrastructure & Applications team across Europe. The IT Director also aligns strategic IT suppliers to ensure the appropriate level of support for both the internal IT team and the business, and revitalizes critical IT governance bodies to help prioritize IT projects and shape the investment agenda. On the other hand, the IT Director drives strategic value by transforming the internal value chain and advancing the digital transformation of Rheem Europe. A key aspect is the rollout of the Microsoft Dynamics ERP system and the Manufacturing Execution System to support operational integration. The next implementation waves are planned in Slovakia, DeJong Gorredijk, and MHG Germany. Simultaneously, the IT Director and their team will support local and regional teams in designing and rolling out digital solutions for Sales & Marketing, HR, and Analytics. Standardizing processes, data, and applications will be essential to Rheem Europe’s digital transformation, along with an increased focus on cybersecurity.

“The IT Director brings the vision of a more integrated and digitally driven European organization to fruition. This professional knows how to guide people through a transformation – both in terms of changes to IT systems or processes, as well as the cultural shift required for those changes to be effective.” – Gert Karenbeld, Finance Director Rheem Europe

Reporting to the Finance Director of Rheem Europe, the IT Director acts as a thought partner to the European management team and contributes to strategic business discussions from an IT perspective. As part of a global organization, the role also involves collaborating with US-based colleagues who lead infrastructure and application services, ensuring European interests are well represented through effective stakeholder and change management.

Currently, the IT Director (in)directly leads the team of IT professionals in Coevorden, Gorredijk, Hamburg, and the new production facility in Slovakia. As the European IT organization becomes more integrated, this role may ultimately lead approximately fifteen people across the Infrastructure & Application team. Successful strategy execution also requires close collaboration with internal business process owners and external IT partners.

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the IT strategy, organization, and culture of a multinational committed to driving the energy transition through innovative solutions – all while pursuing ambitious growth. The ideal candidate is a change leader who communicates effectively at all levels of the organization and thrives in an entrepreneurial organization, where they can drive business impact by delivering on the IT vision. The candidate’s excellent stakeholder management skills and ability to build trusted relationships across the organization will be key to the successful implementation of large-scale IT projects. As such, the IT Director plays a critical role in positioning Rheem Europe for a future of continued innovation and sustainable excellence.

Interested?

Rheem is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, please contact Jessica Lim at jessica.lim@topofminds.com