IT Operations Manager

The Community Group (TCG) is a private non-profit organization, based in Lawrence, MA whose mission is to create, manage, and nurture high-quality programs focused on education and related services that support families. TCG was founded in 1970 as the Community Day Care Center of Lawrence, a preschool with an enrollment of 20 children, since inception we have grown to an agency that manages: a successful charter public school, education and care programs dedicated to the healthy development of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children, a robust out-of-school time enrichment program, resources that facilitate access to early education and care for families, including a Child Care Resource and Referral program, and a training and workforce development program to help shape the next generation of educators.

About the Department

The IT support team serves staff across TCG's Business Office, education and childcare programs, out-of-school time sites, Community Day Charter Public School, Child Care Circuit Resource and Referral office, and the Training and Workforce Development team. IT services cover, but are not limited to: Microsoft 365, Google Classroom and Workspace, Windows and Chromebook endpoints, iPad iOS endpoints, networking and network management (via Meraki Dashboard and hardware), and the agency's core business applications. The IT support team handles daily requests from staff at multiple locations throughout Lawrence, and works alongside Business Office shared services colleagues on account provisioning, purchasing, and compliance. This role coordinates with TCG's external IT partner, which provides engineering, security, and project support, and with technology vendors and carriers. The position also carries TCG-side coordination for on-site support including site moves and new site build-out.

Role Summary

The IT Operations Manager leads The Community Group's internal technology support team, so that staff across the agency's programs and sites have technology they can rely on. This role contributes to TCG's mission by keeping the systems that educators, family-facing staff, and the Business Office depend on running dependably, and by building the internal capability to resolve problems quickly. This is a full-time, exempt position that reports directly to the Chief Administrative Officer.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

•  Team Leadership: Oversee the IT services support department, including work assignments, schedules, site coverage, and daily prioritization. Hold structured one-on-ones with each team member. Define competencies, written performance expectations, and growth milestone goals and document progress against them. Coach team members through escalated work to build their capability. Provide professional development opportunities mapped to paths for advancement.

•  Service Desk Operations: Set and enforce standards for ticket intake, categorization, documentation, and response and resolution expectations. Establish a defined paging path for critical issues. Run a regular ticket review cadence, and reorder priorities as competing needs arrive during school openings, enrollment periods, and site events. Report regularly to the Chief Administrative Officer on ticket volume, aging, resolution performance, recurring issue themes, and work escalated to the external IT partner.

•  Technical Resolution: Resolve Tier 2+ issues directly across Microsoft 365 and Entra ID account and licensing administration, Intune-managed Windows endpoint configuration and update remediation, Google Workspace and Chromebook fleet administration, mail flow and client configuration, and first-line network troubleshooting. Maintain documentation and runbooks so recurring problems are resolved consistently. Determine which issues require outside engineering support, and narrow that boundary over time.

•  Asset Management and Purchasing: Maintain an accurate inventory of endpoints, Chromebooks, iPads, peripherals, network hardware, and software licensing across all agency sites. Own the device lifecycle, covering hardware standards, procurement timing, deployment, repair, retirement, and back stock levels. Prepare purchasing recommendations that state the cost, the alternatives, and the impact of waiting. Track spend against the approved technology budget, and reconcile license counts and renewals against actual headcount.

•  Vendor and Project Coordination: Serve as the agency's daily point of contact for technology vendors, carriers, and TCG's external IT partner. Coordinate agency-side tasks on technology projects, including site moves and new site build-outs. Track vendor commitments, escalate service failures, and keep contract and renewal dates visible.

Qualifications

•  Uphold a passionate belief in The Community Group's and Community Day Public Charter School’s mission, values, and educational models.

•  Three or more years managing an IT helpdesk or service desk team, with direct responsibility for coaching, performance management, and input on hiring; experience as a senior technician without supervisory responsibility will not be considered.

•  Demonstrated Tier 2 technical capability across Microsoft 365 administration, Windows endpoint management through a modern management platform such as Intune, identity and access administration, and endpoint and network troubleshooting.

•  Experience administering Google Workspace and a managed Chromebook fleet, or the demonstrated ability to take that on.

•  A track record of setting service desk standards and reporting performance against them utilizing an established industry framework (i.e. ITIL v5 or similar).

•  Experience owning IT inventory and purchasing, including tracking spend against a budget and justifying purchases in terms of operational impact.

•  Strong organizational skills, with the ability to hold several competing priorities at once, reorder them quickly as conditions change, and tell the people affected what changed and why.

•  Familiarity with remote monitoring and management tooling, security awareness training platforms, and Meraki or comparable network equipment, preferred.

•  Relevant certification such as ITIL v5, CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, or a Microsoft 365 administration credential, preferred.

•  Bachelor's degree in a technology sector or equivalent experience in the IT Operations field.

•  Bilingual (English/Spanish) candidates strongly preferred.

•  Ability to successfully complete all required background checks, including a CORI check and any additional clearances required for the role.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position operates onsite at TCG's main Business Office, with regular presence at program sites across Lawrence as needed. The role requires regular travel among local agency locations to support staff and equipment and may involve occasional travel for training and conferences. A valid driver's license and reliable transportation is required.

Physical demands include the ability to sit or stand for extended periods, move throughout office and program environments (which may include stairs or uneven surfaces), and communicate effectively in person, by phone, and electronically. The role requires lifting and carrying computer and network equipment, and occasional work in wiring closets and equipment rooms. This position may require occasional hours outside of a standard work schedule for maintenance windows and site events.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Compensation Statement

At The Community Group, we are committed to equitable and transparent compensation practices that reflect our values and mission. The posted salary range represents our good-faith estimate of pay for this position at the time of posting. Placement within this range will be determined using fair, non-discriminatory factors, including skills, experience, and competencies. Our compensation practices are regularly reviewed to ensure fairness, consistency, and compliance with the Massachusetts Pay Transparency Act.

EEO Statement / Commitment to Diversity

The Community Group is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity.

E-Verify Notice

The Community Group participates in the E-Verify program to determine the immigration and work-eligibility status of prospective employees. Please refer to the Notice of E-Verify Participation and the Right to Work documents for more information.