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IT Operations Manager
no C2C or 3rd Party - W2 Only
Location: Portland/Vancouver Metro Area (MUST BE IN OR or WA to be considered)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Overview
We are seeking an experienced IT Operations Manager to lead enterprise infrastructure operations, cybersecurity initiatives, and IT support services across a multi-site manufacturing organization. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for ensuring the reliability, security, and performance of core infrastructure while developing and leading a team of IT professionals.
This is a true player-coach position. The successful candidate will provide leadership and mentorship to technical teams while remaining hands-on with infrastructure, networking, systems administration, security operations, and escalated technical issues. The ideal candidate enjoys solving complex technical problems, driving operational excellence, and building standardized processes across a distributed environment.
Key Responsibilities
Infrastructure & Network Operations
- Lead the administration, maintenance, and optimization of enterprise network, server, and infrastructure environments.
- Manage and support firewalls, VPNs, WAN/LAN connectivity, wireless infrastructure, network segmentation, and security controls.
- Oversee network performance, capacity planning, lifecycle management, and ongoing infrastructure improvements.
- Maintain infrastructure documentation, network diagrams, system configurations, and disaster recovery procedures.
- Serve as the escalation point for complex network, server, and infrastructure-related issues.
Systems Administration & Security
- Oversee on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure, including virtualization platforms, Active Directory, identity management, storage, and backup systems.
- Establish and maintain server hardening, patch management, security monitoring, and system health standards.
- Support endpoint security initiatives, vulnerability remediation, and incident response efforts.
- Ensure business continuity, backup, and disaster recovery solutions are regularly tested and maintained.
- Partner with security teams and vendors to strengthen the organization's security posture.
IT Support & Service Delivery
- Lead a combination of local support staff and centralized service desk resources.
- Develop and improve support processes, escalation procedures, and service delivery standards.
- Monitor service desk performance metrics, response times, resolution times, and customer satisfaction.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency and user experience.
- Provide guidance and coaching to technical support staff and infrastructure team members.
Leadership & Governance
- Lead infrastructure standardization initiatives across multiple locations.
- Develop and maintain operational procedures, technical standards, and documentation.
- Collaborate with leadership on technology roadmaps, budgeting, vendor management, and long-term infrastructure planning.
- Manage relationships with technology vendors and service providers.
- Support compliance initiatives, audits, and security assessments as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 5+ years of progressive experience in systems administration, network engineering, or infrastructure operations.
- 2+ years of leadership, supervisory, or team management experience.
- Strong hands-on experience supporting:
- Windows Server
- Active Directory
- Virtualization technologies (VMware and/or Hyper-V)
- Enterprise networking and firewall platforms
- Backup and disaster recovery solutions
- Experience supporting multi-site organizations and distributed infrastructure environments.
- Proven experience leading technical teams while remaining actively involved in technical troubleshooting and project execution.
- Experience with IT ticketing systems, SLA management, and service delivery metrics.
- Strong documentation, vendor management, communication, and organizational skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Fortinet, Sophos, or other enterprise firewall platforms.
- Experience with endpoint security, EDR, MDR, or cybersecurity operations.
- Experience with Veeam backup solutions.
- Experience supporting manufacturing, industrial, or multi-site operational environments.
- Industry certifications such as:
- Fortinet NSE
- Microsoft Certifications
- VMware Certifications
- CompTIA Security+
- CISSP
- CCNA / CCNP
What We're Looking For
We're looking for a hands-on technology leader who enjoys building highly reliable infrastructure, improving operational efficiency, and developing strong technical teams. This individual should be equally comfortable discussing strategic technology initiatives with leadership and troubleshooting infrastructure issues alongside engineers and support staff. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, values accountability, and is passionate about creating scalable, secure, and standardized IT operations.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
