WHO WE ARE:
Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Schofield, Wisconsin, Wausau Supply Company has a history of providing top-quality building materials to authorized retailers across the United States. As a proud 100% employee-owned company, we are dedicated to not only serving our customers but also ensuring that our employees have a direct stake in our success. We distribute building materials from the industry’s leading manufacturers to authorized retailers from the western Rocky Mountains to the east coast. In addition to our distribution capabilities, Wausau Supply Company is known for its high-quality manufactured brands, including Diamond Kote Siding System, Waudena, ChamClad and Taylor Entrance Systems. These brands reflect our commitment to innovation, safety, service and integrity. Our territory continues to expand as we continuously strive to meet the demands of our customers with nineteen distribution centers and five fabrication and finishing facilities across the United States.
At Wausau Supply Company, we are driven by a passion for excellence and a dedication to service, ensuring that we remain a trusted partner in the building materials industry for generations to come.
BENEFITS WE OFFER:
+ 3 weeks paid vacation within 1st year
+ 9 paid holidays
+ 100% Employee Owned
+ Employee Stock Ownership Program
~Employer funded with an average retirement contribution of up to $4 per hour
+ 401K Retirement Fund - Additional opportunity for employee to contribute
+ Health, Dental, Vision, Short Term/ Long Term Disability
+ Employee Assistance Program
+ Opportunity for advancement
+ Training and development
+ Employee Material Purchase Program
WHAT THIS ROLE WILL BE DOING:
Wausau Supply Company is seeking an experienced and visionary Infrastructure Architect with a specialized focus on network and backup infrastructure. The ideal candidate will be responsible for the strategic design, implementation, and ongoing support of our organization's core IT infrastructure. This individual will lead efforts to optimize, secure, and future-proof our network and backup systems while developing and maintaining robust relationships with key technology vendors.
Duties to include (but not limited to):
- Strategic Infrastructure Planning:
o Develop, document, and maintain the overall network and backup infrastructure architecture to support current and future business needs.
o Collaborate with executive leadership and other stakeholders to align infrastructure strategies with organizational goals and business continuity objectives.
o Research emerging technologies, assessing their potential to strengthen the company’s infrastructure.
- Network Infrastructure Design and Management:
o Lead the design and implementation of enterprise-scale LAN/WAN, wireless, VPN, SD-WAN, and cloud networking solutions.
o Ensure high availability, performance, and security of all network services, including firewalls, routing, switching, and network segmentation.
o Monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot network performance issues, proactively identifying opportunities for optimization.
o Define and enforce network policies, standards, and best practices.
o Backup Infrastructure & Data Protection:
o Architect and manage robust backup and disaster recovery solutions for both on-premises and cloud environments.
o Develop, test, and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans, ensuring data integrity and rapid recovery capabilities.
o Establish backup schedules and policies, conduct regular restoration testing, and ensure compliance with legal and industry data protection requirements.
o Identify and remediate vulnerabilities or risks in data protection infrastructure.
- Vendor Relationship Management:
o Act as the primary point of contact for all infrastructure-related vendors, including network, backup, and managed services providers.
o Negotiate contracts, manage service level agreements (SLAs), and ensure vendors deliver to agreed-upon standards and timelines.
o Evaluate and select new vendors and solutions, facilitating competitive reviews and proof-of-concept initiatives as needed.
o Maintain ongoing communication with vendors to keep abreast of new product offerings, upgrades, and support resources.
- Operational Support and Maintenance:
o Oversee daily operations, monitoring, and maintenance of network and backup systems to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
o Respond to escalated incidents and outages, coordinating responses and driving rapid resolution.
o Lead root cause analysis and implement preventive measures to minimize future disruptions.
o Ensure accurate documentation of all systems, configurations, and procedures.
- Collaboration and Leadership:
o Work closely with security, application, and infrastructure teams to ensure integrated and secure systems architecture.
o Mentor junior IT staff, providing technical guidance and fostering continuous learning.
o Participate in cross-functional projects, representing infrastructure interests and ensuring technical feasibility.
- Compliance and Risk Management:
o Ensure compliance with internal policies, industry regulations (e.g., PCI DSS, SOX), and data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
o Identify, assess, and mitigate infrastructure-related risks, maintaining a robust risk management framework.
o Conduct regular infrastructure security assessments and recommend improvements as needed.
A Infrastructure Architect will possess and/or demonstrate the ability to:
- Hands-on experience with backup and disaster recovery solutions (e.g., HYCU, Azure, cloud-native options).
- Proven track record of managing vendor relationships and negotiating technology contracts.
- Strong knowledge of security best practices in networking and data protection (eg, network segmentation, microsegmentation, disaster recovery).
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Education / Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
- 7+ years of experience in IT infrastructure architecture, with a strong emphasis on enterprise network and backup systems.
- Demonstrated expertise in designing and managing complex multi-site network environments (LAN/WAN, SD-WAN, VPN, Satellite, cellular, wireless).
Preferred Qualifications
- Relevant certifications such as CCNP/CCIE, CompTIA Network+, Azure/AWS Solutions Architect, or similar.
- Experience with hybrid cloud and on-premises infrastructure integrations.
- Familiarity with infrastructure automation and orchestration tools.
- Previous experience in the building materials or distribution industry is a plus.
- Strong project management skills and experience leading cross-functional initiatives.
Reports to: Manager of Infrastructure
Conclusion: The Infrastructure Architect will exemplify the high standards that have come to be associated with WSC. As an ESOP owner, acting with honor, integrity, and positivity is imperative.
Wausau Supply Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
