Location: Head Office Chandigarh, travel to sites on need basis

Role Overview:

The Group Head - Information Technology is responsible for defining and executing the organization's overall IT strategy across all business units, with a primary focus on the successful implementation, optimization, and governance of ERPNext for all verticals.

This role ensures that ERPNext and related systems support operational excellence, financial control, compliance, scalability, and digital transformation initiatives across the group.

Key Responsibilities:

1. IT Strategy & Leadership:

- Develop and execute a group-wide IT strategy aligned with business goals.

- Lead digital transformation initiatives with ERPNext as the core enterprise platform.

- Establish IT governance, policies, cybersecurity standards, and best practices.

- Manage IT budgets, vendor relationships, and technology investments.

- Provide leadership and direction to IT managers and teams across business units.

2. ERPNext Implementation & Governance:

- Lead end-to-end implementation of ERPNext across all entities (Finance, HR, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, CRM, Projects, etc.).

- Define ERP roadmap, module rollout strategy, and integration architecture.

- Oversee business process reengineering to align with ERPNext best practices.

- Ensure Legacy data migration accuracy, system configuration, customization, and testing.

- Govern change management, user adoption, and training programs.

- Establish ERPNext support structure, SLAs, and continuous improvement framework.

- Drive system performance optimization, upgrades, and version control.

3. Business Process & Systems Integration:

- Ensure seamless integration between ERPNext and third-party systems (banking, payroll, BI tools, eCommerce, etc.).

- Standardize processes across subsidiaries while accommodating local regulatory requirements.

- Promote automation and analytics-driven decision-making.

4. IT Operations & Infrastructure:

- Oversee IT infrastructure (cloud/on-prem), networking, and security.

- Ensure high system availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.

- Implement cybersecurity frameworks and risk mitigation measures.

5. Stakeholder Management:

- Partner with Finance, Operations, Plants, HR, and Commercial leadership to align ERP functionality with business needs.

- Act as the primary liaison between executive leadership and technology teams.

- Manage relationships with ERPNext implementation partners and consultants.

6. Compliance & Risk Management:

- Ensure ERP systems comply with statutory, financial, and industry regulations.

- Implement internal controls and audit-ready reporting systems.

- Monitor IT risk and ensure data privacy compliance.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI's):

- Successful ERPNext implementation within budget and timeline.

- User adoption rate and system utilization metrics.

- Reduction in manual processes and operational inefficiencies.

- System uptime and cybersecurity compliance.

- ROI on ERP and IT investments.

- Standardization of processes across business units.

Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field.

- ERP or Project Management certifications (PMP, ITIL, etc.) preferred.

Experience:

- 10+ years in IT & 8 years in leadership roles.

- Proven experience leading large-scale ERPNext

- Experience managing multi-entity or group-level IT environments.

- Strong understanding of finance, supply chain, manufacturing, and HR systems.

Technical Competencies:

- Deep knowledge of ERPNext architecture and modules.

- Experience with database management (MariaDB/MySQL), APIs, and system integrations.

- Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or equivalent).

- Strong cyber security and IT governance knowledge.

Leadership Competencies:

- Strategic thinker with strong execution capability.

- Change management and transformation leadership.

- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

- Analytical and data-driven decision-making.

- High level of integrity and accountability.

Key Relationships:

- MD / Group CFO / Executive Committee (Directors)

- Finance, Operations, HR, Plants (Sugar & Distillery) and Commercial Heads

- External ERPNext consultants and vendors

- IT Managers and Technical Teams