Senior Manager, IT Operations

Job Title: Senior Manager, IT Operations
Reports To: Vice President, Information Technology
Position Overview
The Senior Manager, IT Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for IT services across multiple departments, ensuring alignment with the organization's technology roadmap and business objectives. This role oversees infrastructure reliability, end-user support, and vendor performance while driving initiatives that improve scalability, security, and efficiency. Acting with high independence, the Senior Manager translates long-term strategy into actionable plans, balancing operational priorities with broader functional goals. Success in this position requires strong leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a deep understanding of IT operations and business strategy.

Reporting to the VP of IT, the Senior Manager, IT Operations leads the day-to-day delivery of technology services, ensuring systems run reliably and teams perform effectively. This role combines hands-on technical leadership with strong people management, driving consistent service quality and clear operational execution. The ideal candidate brings solid process discipline, a customer-focused approach, and a mindset of continuous improvement as IT matures and scales with the organization.

Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and manage IT support staff nationally - including system administrators and other technology personnel.
• Coordinate daily operations, prioritizing workload, and allocating resources effectively.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture within the IT team.
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts, ensuring service delivery levels and value is consistently met.
• Partner with the VP of IT to execute the company's technology roadmap and strategic initiatives.

Infrastructure & Systems Oversight

• Oversee the maintenance, administration, and optimization of servers, networks, and cloud infrastructure.
• Ensure uptime, reliability, and security of all IT systems and services.
• Coordinate system upgrades, patch management, and disaster recovery planning.
• Establish and maintain IT policies, procedures, and standards.

Security & Compliance

• Support and enforce cybersecurity initiatives in alignment with organizational policies.
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., PIPEDA, GDPR, or industry-specific standards).
• Monitor security incidents and coordinate response efforts with leadership.

Budgeting & Vendor Management

• Assist the VP of IT in preparing and managing the IT budget.
• Evaluate, negotiate, and manage relationships with technology vendors and service providers.
• Ensure optimal ROI on IT investments and resource utilization.

Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvemen
t

• Provide insights to the VP of IT on emerging technologies and industry trends.
• Lead projects to improve efficiency, scalability, and user experience.
• Develop metrics and reporting dashboards to track IT performance and SLAs.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (Master's degree or certifications like ITIL, CISSP, or PMP considered an asset).
• Experience: 5–8+ years in IT operations, with at least 2–3 years in a leadership role overseeing technical teams.
• Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, networking, system administration, and cybersecurity best practices.
• Experience with IT service management frameworks (e.g., ITIL).
• Proven ability to manage budgets, vendors, and cross-functional projects.
• Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Ability to inspire and motivate teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management abilities.