Sr. Manager, Global Infrastructure

About us- Cognex is the largest, most successful and recognized global player in industrial machine vision! We are a financially strong, international company with no debt and have been in business for over 40 years. Using advanced optics, image sensors and artificial intelligence software Cognex vision and ID systems capture an image then analyze it to make sense of what’s being seen. We are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment, guided by our "Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast" culture, which celebrates employee innovation, determination, and dedication in a dynamic, fun, and distinctive atmosphere.

We are working on a hybrid schedule, 3 days in the office, 2 at home.

The Senior Manager, Global Infrastructure is a senior-level technology leader responsible for the strategy, design, deployment, and day-to-day operations of the company's global network and infrastructure footprint. This role spans both on-premises data centers and cloud-based environments across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, requiring a seasoned professional who can balance technical depth with strategic thinking and executive communication.
The ideal candidate is a collaborative, customer-focused leader who builds high-performing teams, drives infrastructure roadmaps in partnership with engineering and business stakeholders, and ensures the reliability, scalability, and security of all network and infrastructure services globally.

Key Responsibilities

Infrastructure Strategy & Roadmap

• Define and execute a multi-year global infrastructure roadmap covering on-premises, hybrid, and cloud-based environments (primarily AWS and Azure).

• Partner with engineering, product, and business leaders to align infrastructure capabilities with organizational goals and growth plans.

• Lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of new network and infrastructure technologies to modernize and future-proof the environment.

• Oversee capacity planning, lifecycle management, and refresh cycles for all global network and infrastructure assets.

• Partner with the Global Security Team to ensure proper Security Governance, Standards, and Protections are implemented across all Platforms.

Global Network & Infrastructure Operations

• Manage and continuously improve enterprise WAN, LAN, SD-WAN, MPLS, and cloud networking across all global sites including key hubs in Europe and Asia.

• Oversee data center operations including physical infrastructure, virtualization platforms (specifically VMware), storage systems, and backup and disaster recovery solutions.

• Establish and enforce uptime SLAs across critical infrastructure systems through proactive monitoring, incident management, and root cause analysis.

• Drive automation and infrastructure-as-code (IaC) practices to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and support enterprise scaling.

Cloud & Hybrid Environment Management

• Lead cloud infrastructure governance, cost optimization, and security posture across multi-cloud and hybrid environments.

• Collaborate with cloud architects and engineering teams to define standards for cloud connectivity, networking patterns, and infrastructure provisioning.

• Ensure seamless integration between on-premises environments and cloud platforms, including private connectivity solutions such as AWS Direct Connect and Azure ExpressRoute.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, build, and develop the team of network engineers, infrastructure architects, and systems administrators across multiple time zones.

• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, and customer service excellence.

• Set clear goals and performance expectations, conduct regular reviews, and support career development for all team members.

• Build team capacity through automation, efficiency, and prioritization management

Stakeholder & Business Partner Engagement

• Serve as the primary infrastructure point of contact for engineering, security, facilities, and other business unit leaders.

• Communicate infrastructure strategy, project status, and operational performance to senior leadership and executive stakeholders in clear, non-technical language.

• Collaborate with engineering and development teams to support CI/CD pipelines, developer environments, and platform infrastructure needs.

• Partner with the security team to implement and maintain network security controls, segmentation, zero-trust architecture, and compliance requirements (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, etc).

Customer Service & Service Management

• Champion a customer-first culture within the infrastructure team, ensuring that end-user experience and internal client satisfaction are central to all operational decisions.

• Establish and manage SLAs, OLAs, and KPIs for infrastructure services, regularly reporting performance against targets.

• Own escalation management for critical infrastructure incidents, ensuring rapid resolution and transparent communication to all affected stakeholders.

• Drive continuous service improvement initiatives informed by internal customer feedback, incident trends, and industry best practices.

Vendor & Budget Management

• Manage relationships with key global technology vendors, ISPs, and managed service providers across North America, Europe, and Asia.

• Lead contract negotiations, vendor performance reviews, and strategic sourcing decisions to maximize value and minimize risk.

• Drive and contribute to the global infrastructure budget, including capital expenditure planning, operational spend management, and cost optimization initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in network and infrastructure engineering and operations, with at least 4 years in a senior leadership or management role.

• Demonstrated experience managing global infrastructure environments with a physical presence and operational responsibility in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.

• Deep technical expertise in enterprise networking, data center operations, and cloud infrastructure.

• Proven experience managing hybrid and multi-cloud environments with a strong understanding of cloud-native networking and infrastructure services.

• Strong track record of developing and executing infrastructure roadmaps in partnership with engineering and business teams.

• Experience with infrastructure-as-code tools.

• Proficiency in ITIL or equivalent IT service management frameworks, with hands-on experience managing SLAs and incident/problem/change processes.

• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to present complex technical topics to executive audiences and non-technical stakeholders.

• Experience managing distributed, multicultural teams across global time zones.

• Strong budget management skills with experience overseeing multi-million dollar infrastructure programs.

Leadership & Core Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Ability to translate business objectives into a coherent, executable infrastructure strategy.

• Executive Communication: Skilled at distilling complex information into clear narratives for diverse audiences, including IT Executives,

• Collaborative Leadership: Builds strong relationships across organizational boundaries and works effectively with engineering, product, security, facilities, and other stakeholders.

• Customer Orientation: Consistently puts the internal and external customer experience at the center of infrastructure decisions and service delivery.

• Global Mindset: Comfortable operating across diverse cultures and geographies, with sensitivity to regional business and regulatory nuances in Europe and Asia.

• Accountability & Execution: Drives results with urgency, owns outcomes, and holds the team to high standards of delivery and quality.

• Talent Development: Passionate about coaching, mentoring, and growing infrastructure professionals at all levels.

Working Conditions

• This role requires approximately 5-10% travel, including travel to sites in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

• Must be available for escalations and critical incidents outside of standard business hours given the global nature of the role.

Cognex believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 160,000 USD - 230,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a sales incentive plan.

This position provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan with company matching; employer-paid disability, family leave, and life insurance; paid time off (including holidays); optional voluntary benefits; as well as recognition and wellness programs,

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cognex is an equal opportunity employer. Cognex evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.