Executive Director, IT Operations Full Time NEW

MetTel is a global communications solutions provider with the most complete suite of fully managed services that focus on secure connectivity, and network and mobility services. We simplify communications and networking for business and government agencies. Our customers include many of the Fortune 500, and Gartner recognizes us as an industry leader. We have the broadest portfolio of technology and integrated partnerships, as well as our private network, which we use to create tailored solutions design, deployment, and ongoing management, driving cost savings, efficiency, innovation, and the ability to focus on core objectives.

We believe that each team member is a key to the success and sustainability of the group. In order to achieve this, we offer an environment where all professionals can grow and develop their skills and competencies, collaborate with diverse professionals, share knowledge and enjoy a rewarding career. 

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 the manager of desktop support services.
• Operational oversight of Senior Systems Administrators, Network Engineers, and technical infrastructure staff
• Strategic coordination with infrastructure teams across Linux/Windows, Virtualization platforms such as VMware, storage, networking, and cloud platforms
• Technical mentorship for infrastructure professionals and career development planning
• Oversight of infrastructure Tier 1/2/3 support operations and escalation processes
• Demonstrated understanding of ITSM ticketing platform for incident, problem, and request management. ServiceNow experience preferable.
• Strategic planning for end-user experience improvement and support optimization
• Ensure all systems are patched and secured 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

• Enterprise Infrastructure Platforms: Expert-level knowledge of virtualization (VMware vSphere, KVM), enterprise storage (SAN/NAS), Object based storage, Cisco switches, fiber channel switches, Load Balancers, Firewalls, and overall network architecture serving as foundation for all service.
• Data Centers: Primary contact for our collocation data centers day to day operations.  Hands on installation of technology during expansion and refresh projects. Capacity planning, Circuit inventory, IPAM and connectivity between data centers and branch offices.
• 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
• Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows Server current versions, Active Directory design, support and GPO’s, Advanced expertise in Linux (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu)
• DevSecOps & CI/CD Security: Experience working with the security team to help design and secure CI/CD pipelines. Working to integrate security controls including remediation of the results from the security teams container image scanning, 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, VLAN’s, routing , ACL’s, Illumio Micro 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, 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, Autopilot for 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: We are an on-premise environment, however, experience with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud platforms primarily for architectural reference and hybrid patterns
• 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, PostgreSQL, MySQL) including containerized database operations and persistent storage strategies. Backup and recovery.
• ITSM Platforms: Deep experience with ticketing platform capabilities including incident management, problem management, change management, and service catalog workflows; ability to define operational requirements and request platform enhancements and KPI’s

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.
• 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
• 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

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MetTel is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. 

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