Senior Helpdesk Manager ~ Senior Living Community

Senior Helpdesk Manager

Full-time - Salary

Pay Range: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00

Exempt

Schedule: Flexible as needed

MORNINGSTAR FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS:

At MorningStar Senior Living we sincerely believe in caring for and loving the residents of our communities and that the human capacity to grow, to learn and to contribute is ageless. We consider it a privilege and responsibility to "cast a new light on senior living" through these foundational principles:

• Honoring God in our business practices and relationships, we are dedicated to strong moral values and ethics
• We value all seniors as gifted and contributing individuals
• We recognize the inherent quality of all human beings and are committed to enhancing our resident's quality of life
• We are committed to hiring and retaining employees who use creative minds and compassionate hearts to serve our residents

With this vision, we will work to create a life of special moments for our residents

BENEFITS

• Health Insurance offerings such as medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Other Insurance offerings such as life, disability, accident, and critical illness insurance
• 401k plan with matching
• HSA options
• Employee assistance programs
• Paid sick, vacation and birthday!
• Career development programs and opportunity for advancement
• Charitable and philanthropic opportunities
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Free shift meal!

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POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Helpdesk Manager will lead day-to-day IT service delivery and regional field support for a portfolio of 38+ senior living communities. This role is responsible for ensuring reliable, secure, and well-supported technology across community locations and the corporate office through a combination of hands-on technical work, vendor management, project leadership, and process improvement. This position does not have direct reports; success depends on strong vendor governance and the ability to drive cross-functional project execution. While the role includes leadership responsibilities, it is also hands-on and may require on-site technical troubleshooting, installations, and go-live support. The IT Manager partners with leaders across Operations, Clinical, Sales/Marketing, and corporate teams to align technology with business needs and resident experience.

Reporting to the Vice President of Information Technology, the IT Manager leads field support and IT execution across MorningStar communities and the corporate office. This position owns service delivery standards, escalations, and on-site technical execution, and serves as the primary IT point of contact for community leadership during operational support, renovations, and new community construction/go-lives. A critical component of the role is managing third-party vendors and service providers-setting expectations, tracking performance, escalating issues, and ensuring contracted deliverables are met on time and within scope. Travel is required to support multiple locations.

Employees in this position will conduct business in a manner consistent with the highest standards of business ethics.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in IT operations, systems administration, network administration, or similar roles with hands-on troubleshooting responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience managing third-party vendors (ISPs, cabling/low-voltage, MSPs, and/or software vendors), including scope definition, deliverable acceptance, escalation management, and service performance tracking.
• Demonstrated experience leading IT projects end-to-end (planning, execution, timelines, budgets, vendor coordination, and stakeholder communications).
• Strong working knowledge of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs, Wi-Fi, firewalls, VPNs), Windows endpoints, and common business productivity platforms.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and provide high-quality customer service.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel regularly (estimated 50%+) to support multiple community locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• BS/BA degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Experience supporting multi-site environments (retail, hospitality, healthcare, senior living, or similar distributed operations).
• Formal project management experience (PMI/PMP coursework or certification) and experience running multiple concurrent projects.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 administration (Exchange, Teams, SharePoint/OneDrive) and identity/access management (Entra ID/Azure AD) including MFA and role-based access practices.
• Experience with endpoint management tools (e.g., Intune, SCCM, RMM tools) including software deployment and patching.
• Experience with backup/recovery practices and basic disaster recovery planning/testing.
• Working knowledge of security best practices (least privilege, logging/monitoring concepts, phishing awareness programs, vulnerability remediation).
• Industry certifications such as CompTIA Network+, Security+, Microsoft certifications, Cisco/Meraki, or similar.
• Experience coordinating low-voltage cabling, ISP circuit turn-ups, and technology readiness for new construction or remodel projects.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1) IT Service Delivery & Operations

• Own day-to-day IT service delivery for assigned communities and the corporate office, ensuring systems, networks, and end-user technology operate reliably.
• Provide advanced, hands-on troubleshooting on-site and remotely for hardware, software, identity/access, and connectivity issues; serve as escalation point for complex incidents.
• Manage ticket intake, prioritization, escalation, and stakeholder communication; maintain service-level expectations and ensure timely resolution.
• Identify recurring issues and perform root-cause analysis; implement preventative measures, standard fixes, and long-term remediation plans.
• Coordinate maintenance windows and execute changes with appropriate testing, documentation, and communication to minimize downtime.

2) Infrastructure, Networks, and Cloud Platforms

• Support and improve community infrastructure including LAN/WAN, firewalls, switching, Wi-Fi, ISP circuits, cabling/low-voltage partners, and on-site technology closets.
• Administer core business systems used by communities and corporate teams (e.g., email/collaboration, file services, line-of-business applications), ensuring availability and performance.
• Manage endpoint standards (imaging/builds, configuration baselines, patching cadence, encryption where applicable) and coordinate device lifecycle refreshes.
• Partner with corporate IT leadership to maintain identity and access services (user provisioning/deprovisioning, group/role access, MFA where applicable) and reduce access risk.
• Maintain backup and recovery practices for applicable systems; participate in disaster recovery planning and periodic restore testing.

3) Security, Risk, and Compliance

• Safeguard information system assets by identifying, assessing, and remediating security risks; recommend security controls aligned with business needs.
• Support vulnerability management and patch compliance across endpoints and infrastructure; coordinate urgent remediation for critical vulnerabilities.
• Assist with incident response activities including triage, containment steps, evidence preservation as appropriate, and post-incident corrective actions.
• Promote data privacy and secure handling of company and resident information by following policies, enforcing least-privilege access, and supporting audits as needed.
• Conduct periodic access reviews, inventory reviews, and process checks to identify security violations and operational inefficiencies.

4) Project Leadership, Construction Support, and Site Readiness

• Independently lead IT projects from initiation to completion, including requirements gathering, scheduling, execution, vendor coordination, risk management, and status reporting.
• Support communities in construction and renovation by coordinating IT readiness activities (network room readiness, circuit turn-up, Wi-Fi design/coverage validation, device staging, and go-live checklists).
• Align project scope and timelines with community leadership, construction partners, and corporate stakeholders; communicate impacts and dependencies proactively.
• Ensure technology implementations are standardized, supportable, and documented before turnover to steady-state operations.

5) Vendor Management, Budgeting, Procurement, and Asset Lifecycle

• Own day-to-day management of technology vendors and service providers (ISPs, cabling/low voltage, MSP partners, software vendors) to ensure consistent service delivery across communities.
• Define and communicate scope, timelines, and acceptance criteria; validate deliverables, test services, and ensure solutions are supportable and documented.
• Track vendor performance (service quality, responsiveness, SLAs), manage escalations, and coordinate corrective actions to resolve chronic issues.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and cost control for community IT needs; recommend spend prioritization based on risk, reliability, and business impact.
• Manage procurement and renewals for hardware and software as assigned; maintain licensing awareness and coordinate approvals per policy.
• Maintain accurate asset inventory (devices, network equipment, warranties, spares) and drive lifecycle planning and refresh schedules.

6) Vendor Coordination and Stakeholder Enablement (No Direct Reports)

• Coordinate and direct vendor and partner resources (internal or outsourced) to ensure consistent standards, documentation, and high-quality customer service outcomes.
• Develop and deliver IT onboarding and periodic training for new and existing employees (account access basics, phishing awareness, approved tools, and basic troubleshooting).
• Partner with department leaders to understand business workflows and recommend practical technology improvements; translate needs into vendor/project work plans when appropriate.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders; set expectations and provide regular status updates for incidents and projects.

7) Documentation, Standards, and Continuous Improvement

• Create, maintain, and enforce documentation standards including network diagrams, community technology baselines, configuration guides, and troubleshooting knowledge articles.
• Maintain records of incidents, root causes, and resolutions; analyze trends and propose improvements.
• Develop and improve policies, procedures, and processes to increase service consistency, efficiency, and security.
• Stay current on relevant IT trends; recommend tools and practices that improve reliability, supportability, and user experience.

OTHER DUTIES: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

*Team members who are scheduled to work 24 or more hours per week are eligible for benefits, families of said team members will also be eligible.

EEO

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.