Director, IT Systems & Cloud Operations

Job Description

Position: Director, IT Systems & Cloud Operations

Job Description:

The Director, IT Systems & Cloud Operations will oversee and optimize the Technology Infrastructure, systems and Clouds Operations in AWS/Azure. This role oversees data center operations, systems engineering, enterprise applications hosting, and cloud strategy to ensure high availability, performance, and security of critical business systems. The ideal candidate will be a strategic leader with deep technical expertise and strong management skills, capable of driving innovation and operational excellence in a hybrid IT environment.

Core Responsibilities & Duties:

• Lead and manage the IT infrastructure and cloud operations teams, ensuring efficient, secure, and scalable environments
• Develop and execute strategies for infrastructure modernization, cloud migration, and IT service delivery
• Oversee cloud platform management (e.g., AWS, Azure), including architecture, cost optimization, and governance
• Ensure 24/7 system availability and performance across cloud and on-premises platforms
• Manage enterprise backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning
• Establish and enforce policies for system configuration, operations, and security
• Collaborate with security, applications, and business teams to align IT systems with organizational goals
• Drive automation and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) initiatives to improve deployment velocity and reliability
• Monitor performance metrics and KPIs, reporting on service uptime, incident resolution, and operational improvements
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts related to IT infrastructure and cloud services
• Lead capacity planning, budgeting, and forecasting for infrastructure resources and cloud consumption
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field
• 15 + years of IT infrastructure experience, including 5+ years in a leadership or director-level role
• Proven experience managing hybrid IT environments (on-premises and cloud)
• Expertise in cloud services (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform), virtualization, networking, and storage technologies
• Strong understanding of security frameworks, compliance (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001), and risk management
• Proficient in ITSM practices and tools (e.g., ServiceNow, ITIL)
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to manage large-scale projects and influence cross-functional teams
• Ability to navigate and work effectively across the organization to influence, inspire, and lead others around decisions that provide clear positive results to the company
• Demonstrated ability to build and develop high performing teams
• Strong team player that thrives in a fast-paced environment
• Must have excellent presentation and report management skills
• Ability to drive/display ownership/proactive behavior

Forward Air is an Equal Opportunity employer.

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About Us

Since 1990, Forward Air has been a leading provider of ground transportation and related logistics services to the North American air freight and expedited LTL market. We offer surface shipping on an accelerated "time-definite" basis, delivering cargo at a specific time, but under less time-sensitive situations - supplying you with a cost effective, reliable alternative to air transportation. We work with companies of all sizes to develop tangible advantages and build the best products to meet your specific needs. Forward Air presents to the wholesale transportation community (logistics companies, freight forwarders, integrated air cargo carriers, passenger/ cargo airlines, and non-traditional shippers), a single-source provider that can deliver more supply chain services and a superior menu of choices. Throughout the years we have added supplementary lines to our linehaul service, such as full truckload operations (Truckload Services), final-mile coverage (Complete® Cartage), and an Airline Logistics program, and we will continue to expand our services to meet the changing needs and growth of our customer base.

Forward Air is structured to optimize both savings and service to our customers. Direct partnerships with owner-operators and other surface transportation providers, enable us to remain cost-competitive. The Forward Air network is designed with over 90 facilities located at or near major U.S. and Canadian airports, 12 regional sort centers and over 300 beyond points (secondary airports provided through our Complete Cartage service), creating one of the most comprehensive linehaul networks in the industry.

Ranked 3rd in Newsweeks 2022 "" publication