IT Lead (Fractional)

About Alpine Alpine is an international market leader in premium hearing protection — earplugs for music lovers, earmuffs for babies, solutions for light sleepers, swimmers and travellers. We're a fast-growing, B Corp-certified consumer goods company headquartered in Utrecht, with around 80 people across the Netherlands, France, Germany and the USA. We've built a strong business on product quality and a commercially sharp team. Our IT landscape has grown with us: a solid SaaS-based stack (AFAS, Shopify, Microsoft 365, and a wide range of e-commerce tools), with workplace IT outsourced to an MSP. The next step is putting a central owner in place: someone with oversight across vendors, systems and priorities who manages it as a whole. The role We're looking for an experienced freelance IT Lead who takes ownership of IT at Alpine — someone ensures quality and security are high, keeps vendors sharp and acts as a trusted advisor to our management. This is a hands-on, coordinating role. You'll be the central point for all IT matters that go beyond the servicedesk. You'll steer our external suppliers, define what good looks like, and make sure our IT infrastructure keeps pace with a company that's scaling fast. You report directly to the CFO. Day-to-day operational questions (onboarding, offboarding, hardware) are handled by our HR team — so your time stays focused on structural improvements. Roughly 2 days per week. Starting Q1 2027. This is an open-ended engagement — we're looking for a long-term partner, not a short-term fix. We start with an initial phase of 12 months focused on getting the basics right, with the intention to extend based on results and scope. This isn’t a short-term fix, but it isn’t a open-ended contract either. What you'll work on Your mandate covers four layers of our IT landscape: Layer 1 — Foundation Manage and assess the quality of our current workplace MSP (Veldwerk). Set the standard for what the base layer needs to deliver: hardware, M365 basics, onboarding/offboarding, servicedesk, endpoint security. Layer 2 — M365 & data infrastructure Drive better use of our M365 environment — for example: structuring SharePoint and Teams Sites, improving storage management, and establishing identity, access and security governance for our collaboration layer. Layer 3 — Business applications & security Create oversight across our broader SaaS landscape — Shopify and its plugins, e-commerce tooling, AI integrations, GDPR compliance. Define clear policies for access, data sharing and external collaboration. Layer 4 — IT demand management Be the intake point for all IT questions above servicedesk level. Prioritize, plan and execute IT projects. Manage vendors critically and keep the CFO informed — not with daily updates, but with the right information at the right moments. What we're looking for Proven track record as an IT Lead or CIO in a similar environment — mid-size, international, fast-paced, SaaS-heavy Experience steering and selecting IT vendors; you know how to hold suppliers accountable Deep understanding of Microsoft 365 (SharePoint, Teams, identity management, security) Familiarity with SaaS governance, GDPR, and practical security frameworks — not theoretical, but applied Comfortable working independently with limited internal IT support around you Strong project management skills: you drive pace, hold third parties accountable, extract business input efficiently and keep everyone well informed — without over-communicating On average around 2 days per week, with periodic in-person time at our Utrecht office schedule to be agreed together. Ideally starting Q1 2027. Experience in a fast-growing, fast-paced company is a strong plus — you know what it means when structure needs to catch up with growth. E-commerce or consumer goods background is a bonus, but not a requirement. What matters most is that you're a professional who gets things done. What Alpine offers A clearly scoped mandate with real ownership — not an advisory role Direct access to the CFO A commercially driven, ambitious company with a strong brand and a genuine mission (B Corp certified) Freedom to shape the IT function as it should be — not constrained by legacy A pragmatic, no-nonsense team that values results over process Competitive day rate, commensurate with experience