Manager IT Applications

At McCain, we’re embarking on a bold 2030 Strategy that places digital transformation at the heart of our operations. As part of this journey, we are scaling our Digital Technology (DT) function to drive innovation, enable growth, and accelerate our enterprise ambition to be digitally reborn.

This role will oversee the regional application convergence roadmap, align with global technology strategies, and ensure the delivery of sustainable solutions that meet business needs. Our SAP S/4HANA platform is central to our application strategy, and you will play a critical role in its implementation and optimization.

As an Application Manager you will be in tune with the direction of the Global Application Architectural roadmaps as well as the technology industry in general and ensure early involvement in local business technology decisions. You will lead the regional Application team for Appetizers Continental Europe and work in partnership with the regional VP Digital Technology CE, his team and the regional Business units.  You will support regional and corporate policy and guidelines related to Global Digital Technology and participate in ensuring its application performance in the region.

WHERE YOU’LL WORK:

The Netherland (Maastricht)

Report to: Head of IT Van Geloven

Team Size: 7 Direct Reports.

Key Responsibilities:

• Account Management: Serve as the primary liaison between DT and local business stakeholders, ensuring alignment of technology capabilities with business needs.
• Team Leadership: Manage, coach, and develop a team of seven regional application experts, fostering professional growth and effective collaboration.
• Workload scheduling - Management, resource planning of staff - Direct management of the regional Application Experts team.
• Project Delivery: Participate in planning and monitoring the execution of activities, tasks and work packages for global and regional projects, including our SAP S/4HANA implementation at McCain Appetizers Europe.
• Support Coordination: Facilitate the escalation and root cause determination of critical production environment incidents in SAP S/4HANA and surrounding applications.
• Financial Management: Contribute and manage the regional financial elements of the Appetizers CE Application IT budget.
• Collaboration: This position impacts internal customer satisfaction via the delivery of Digital Technology products and services in alignment with the Appetizers business technology needs.  Also, the DT Application Manager will drive local application convergence to global solutions to enhance business process or service quality. You will facilitate communication and linkage between multiple regional and organizational units. You will collaborate with the Regional and Global Delivery and Operations team to devise solutions to local IT technology needs and deliver a superior service model.
• Global Team - This position requires significant interaction with global DT counterparts in the Applications domains.  The DT Application Manager will provide regular updates to the Head of IT of Van Geloven concerning issues, projects, budget reporting and requirements, new implementations, upcoming plans and resourcing.
• Regional Team - This position will coach and train the local Application Experts in his/her team, helping them to grow professionally and acquire the skills required to be successful in the organization. He/she will prepare and lead regular meetings to provide understanding and needs of different projects, support work and planned work. The DT Application Manager manages growth through performance feedback, training plans and reviews and ensures processes are understood, enforced and followed. 
• Business Users/Customers - Understand business needs & make recommendations for technology solutions.  Support changes in business processes and organizational structure through the implementation of IT systems. Escalate important issues where required and provide regular feedback. Explain, where necessary, delays, policies and procedures.
• Business Users/Customers - Understand business needs & make recommendations for technology solutions.  Support changes in business processes and organizational structure through the implementation of IT systems. Escalate important issues where required and provide regular feedback. Explain, where necessary, delays, policies and procedures.
• Vendors/Contractors – Responsible for vendor analysis, vendor selection and vendor relationship management. Drive contract negotiations and owns the full Service Level Agreement lifecycle. Connect with contractors to define local work and provide relevant information to the business.

Qualifications & Experience:

Education & Experience:

• Master’s degree, preferably in computer science, or equivalent level by professional experience.
• Experience in leading a technology team for at least 5 years.
• Experience in providing IT Services in a production environment.

Skills & Competencies:

• In-depth knowledge of IT Applications (at minimum SAP ECC or S/4HANA).
• This position requires the Manager to be “in tune” with modern enterprise technology industry directions, including SAP S/4HANA.
• Proficiency in Dutch and English are a must.
• Strong leadership, relationship-building, and communication skills.
• Accountability - this position is responsible and accountable for completing assigned work packages or tasks on time and on budget.
• Active Listening - understanding needs of business users/customers and working with functional groups
• Negotiation Skills - requires strong decision making and negotiation skills to influence and persuade in their working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Tact and diplomacy - ensure professionalism when dealing with internal customers and outside vendors.
• Assertiveness and accountability to keep projects on track.
• Willingness to regularly travel as needed within the region between Maastricht, Tilburg, Rilland

What we offer:

• Opportunity to work independently in a challenging and international environment
• A challenging full-time job
• Employment contract and stable employment (permanent role)
• Competitive salary and attractive benefits
• Additional bonuses (Year-end bonus, Vacation allowance), Local benefit (Health and Pension insurance)
• Partial working from home is possible (1 day home office per week)
• A varied, challenging and responsible job in an effective and international team with flat hierarchies
• Friendly atmosphere

Met inmiddels bijna 1.500 medewerkers in Nederland en België en een omzet van circa EUR 300 miljoen, bouwt Van Geloven aan ambitieuze groeiplannen. We zijn absolute marktleider in diepvriessnacks en maaltijdcomponenten voor het retail- en foodservice kanaal. Van Geloven is sinds 2016 onderdeel van McCain, met wereldwijd meer dan 25.000 medewerkers en marktleider in diepvries-aardappel producten. In de merkenportfolio zitten sterke merken als Mora, Van Dobben, Kwekkeboom, de Bourgondiër, Ad van Geloven, Van Lieshout Snacks en Souflesse. Tot slot levert Van Geloven ook private labels aan geselecteerde partijen.

Wij maken van snackmomentjes sociale geluksmomentjes.

Bij Van Geloven werken we met plezier en ondernemerschap aan mooie merken waarbij veiligheid onze hoogste prioriteit heeft. Waar we de cultuureigenschappen van onze 6 locaties koesteren zie je onze gemeenschappelijke kernwaarden Verbinding, Verbetering en Verantwoordelijkheid overal terug. Zijn dit waarden die ook bij jou passen en wil jij mee bouwen aan onze groeiplannen?