Executive Director, IT Operations

We are seeking an accomplished Executive Director of IT Operations to provide senior operational leadership and hands-on technical expertise for our enterprise IT infrastructure and end-user services organization. This role reports to the VP of IT & Security and manages both the Director of Infrastructure Operations and ServiceDesk/Desktop Support operations while maintaining deep technical involvement in complex implementations and serving as the subject matter expert across our technology stack. The ideal candidate combines proven leadership capabilities with advanced technical skills, providing strategic planning, operational reporting, and direct technical execution for critical infrastructure initiatives while ensuring exceptional end-user service delivery.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Organizational Scope & Direct Oversight

• Infrastructure Operations and End-User Services Leadership
• Direct management of Director of Infrastructure Operations and senior infrastructure leadership
• Operational oversight of Senior Systems Administrators, Network Engineers, and technical infrastructure staff
• Strategic coordination with infrastructure teams across Linux/Windows, VMware, storage, networking, and cloud platforms
• Technical mentorship for infrastructure professionals and career development planning
• Direct management of ServiceDesk or desktop support manager
• Oversight of infrastructure Tier 1/2/3 support operations and escalation processes
• Demonstrated understanding of ServiceNow ITSM platform for incident, problem, and request management
• Strategic planning for end-user experience improvement and support optimization
• Ensure all systems are patched in accordance with company policy, servers, laptops, and network equipment

Strategic Planning & Operational Reporting

• Develop comprehensive operational plans, technology roadmaps, and capacity planning strategies for infrastructure and service delivery organizations
• Create detailed project plans, resource allocation strategies, and timeline management for major infrastructure and service delivery initiatives
• Generate executive-level reporting on infrastructure performance, service desk metrics, project status, and operational KPIs for VP leadership
• Coordinate budget planning, resource forecasting, and capital expenditure recommendations across infrastructure and end-user services
• Lead infrastructure architecture planning and technology standardization initiatives

Hands-On Technical Leadership & Implementation

• Personally lead complex technical implementations including major infrastructure upgrades, migrations, and architectural changes
• Serve as escalation point for critical technical issues requiring advanced expertise across multiple technology domains
• Conduct advanced troubleshooting and resolution for complex infrastructure problems spanning multiple platforms
• Design and implement enterprise-level solutions including virtualization clusters, storage architectures, and network infrastructures
• Lead proof-of-concept development and technical evaluation of new technologies and platforms
• Provide hands-on technical guidance during critical maintenance windows and emergency response situations

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Technology Stack Subject Matter Expertise

• Container Platforms & Cloud-Native Architecture: Expert-level knowledge of on-premises Kubernetes platforms, container orchestration, microservices architectures, networking (CNI), storage (CSI), security contexts, RBAC, network policies, admission controllers, and multi-tenancy patterns. Experience building Kubernetes as an internal platform service for development teams.
• Compliance-Driven Infrastructure: Familiarity with NIST 800-53 Rev 5 controls and NIST SP 800-190 container security guidance; practical experience implementing compliance requirements in containerized environments; familiarity with CMMC Level 2 requirements and government contract security obligations
• Enterprise Infrastructure Platforms: Expert-level knowledge of virtualization (VMware vSphere), enterprise object storage (SAN/NAS), and network architecture serving as foundation for container platforms
• Operating Systems:** Advanced expertise in Linux (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu) with deep understanding of container runtimes, kernel features (namespaces, cgroups), and security mechanisms (SELinux, AppArmor)
• DevSecOps & CI/CD Security: Hands-on experience designing and securing CI/CD pipelines with integrated security controls including container image scanning, software bill of materials (SBOM) generation, vulnerability management, and policy-as-code enforcement
• Automation and Infrastructure-as-Code: Deep technical knowledge of Terraform, Ansible, GitOps workflows, and automation frameworks for declarative infrastructure management
• Understanding of network segmentation, service mesh implementations (Istio, Linkerd), mutual TLS, and identity-aware access controls for containerized environments
• Observability and Monitoring: Expert knowledge of observability platforms including Prometheus/Grafana for infrastructure metrics and AppDynamics for application performance monitoring
• Observability Platforms: Strong understanding of observability and monitoring solutions including Prometheus/Grafana for infrastructure metrics and AppDynamics for application performance monitoring; ability to interpret metrics, define dashboard requirements, and collaborate with platform teams on monitoring strategies
• Endpoint Management: Knowledge of modern endpoint management solutions including SCCM, Intune, MDM platforms, and desktop deployment automation
• Service Delivery: Understanding of ITIL frameworks, service desk operations, and end-user support best practices
• Emerging Technologies: Technical evaluation and implementation of new platforms and architectural patterns in compliance-constrained environments
• Cloud Technologies: Experience with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud platforms primarily for architectural reference and hybrid patterns; focus on replicating cloud-native patterns on-premise
• Networking: Advanced knowledge of enterprise networking, software-defined networking, service mesh architectures (Istio, Linkerd), and zero-trust network design for containerized workloads
• Database Systems: Experience supporting database teams using enterprise database platforms (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL) including containerized database operations and persistent storage strategies
• ITSM Platforms: Deep experience with ServiceNow platform capabilities including incident management, problem management, change management, and service catalog workflows; ability to define operational requirements and request platform enhancements.

Education & Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical field
• 12+ years of progressive experience in enterprise infrastructure management and technical leadership
• 5+ years of senior management experience with direct reports and budget responsibility
• Proven track record leading large-scale infrastructure transformation and modernization projects
• 3+ years of experience managing service desk or end-user support operations in enterprise environments

Leadership & Management Skills

• Proven ability to lead technical teams while maintaining hands-on technical involvement
• Experience managing infrastructure budgets of $5M+ and leading cost optimization initiatives
• Strong project management capabilities with PMP certification or equivalent experience
• Excellent communication skills for both technical teams and executive leadership
• Experience with vendor management, contract negotiation, and strategic technology partnerships
• Ability to balance strategic planning responsibilities with operational execution and technical implementation

Technical Certifications (Multiple Required)

• Virtualization: VMware VCP-DCV, VCAP-DCA, or equivalent advanced certifications
• Cloud Platforms: AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or Google Cloud Professional (for architectural reference)
• Project Management: PMP, Prince2, or equivalent project management certifications a plus
• ITIL: ITIL Expert or equivalent service management certifications a plus

*The salary range reflected is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay for this position is up to $200,000.00 annually. Pay varies by work location and may also depend on job -related knowledge, skills, experience and abilities of the successful candidate. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process.

To learn more about our company and other opportunities visit us at www.mettel.net

Keywords: IT Infrastructure, IT Operations, New York Jobs, IT Jobs, Indeed, LinkedIn, Google, Lever, #ITInfrastructure, #ITOperations, #NewYorkJobs, #ITJobs, #Indeed, #LinkedIn, #Google, #Lever, #Ladders, Information Technology Operations, IT Management, Information Technology Infrastructure, Global IT Program Manager, Global IT Operations,