Director of IT Operations

General Description

The Director of IT Operations at GuidePoint Security will work at the cutting edge of Information Technology and Information Security. This position is for a self-driven technology fanatic who consistently tinkers, tweaks, learns, and improves. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, technology-centric environment, embraces emerging technologies (Cloud, Mobile, and AI/ML), enjoys challenges with innovative solutions, excels at streamlining traditional operations, can manage multiple initiatives, and takes pride in enabling employees with advanced technology capabilities. This is a hands-on management role requiring both strategic thinking and technical execution.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with specialist teams to develop and execute the company's technology, security, and AI strategy, including technology roadmap development and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Oversee all IT operations including Helpdesk/Service Desk, Systems Operations, Infrastructure/Network Operations, and End-user Computing/Device Management.

• Lead incident, problem, and change management processes, ensuring timely resolution of issues and minimal business disruption.

• Provide hands-on involvement in complex technical issues, system troubleshooting, and architecture decisions while mentoring team members.

• Coordinate deployment of IT projects including hardware, software, AI/ML solutions, and services in partnership with specialist teams.

• Partner with specialist teams to evaluate and integrate AI, machine learning, and automation technologies while maintaining adherence to governance frameworks and security practices; ensuring ethical, compliant use across the organization.

• Lead cross-functional security vulnerability management initiatives.

• Participate in and provide compliance audit responses for SOC2, CMMC, and other requirements as defined by GuidePoint's Corporate Information Security Department.

• Develop and maintain business continuity plans, disaster recovery strategies, and IT asset/license management programs.

• Participate in vendor selection, negotiation, and management for outsourced services, applications, and platforms.

• Establish and monitor SLAs and KPIs, providing regular executive reporting on operational metrics and performance.

• Manage IT operations budget, cost optimization, capacity planning, and risk mitigation strategies.

• Ensure comprehensive documentation of all IT procedures, processes, policies, and AI use cases.

• Supervise recruitment, development, and retention of IT operations teams while aligning with personnel policies.

  • Other duties as assigned

Required Experience

• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills with proven ability to work effectively with technical specialists, business stakeholders, and executive leadership.

• Hands-on technical expertise with ability to dive into complex technical problems and provide guidance to engineering teams.

• Experience managing Helpdesk, SysOps, Infrastructure/Network Operations, and end-user computing environments.

• Experience managing dynamic cloud environments and virtualized environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, VMware).

• Strong understanding of ITIL processes including incident, problem, change, and service request management.

• Experience with ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management) and monitoring platforms.

• Demonstrated experience with AI/ML platforms (e.g., Amazon Bedrock, Google Gemini, Azure AI, OpenAI) and knowledge of AI security, governance, and compliance considerations.

• Expertise in implementing SaaS applications, including AI-powered productivity and security tools.

• Strong background in Identity and Access Management.

• Experience participating in and providing evidence to support Corporate Information Security in compliance initiatives (SOC2, CMMC).

• Proven experience managing IT budgets, vendor relationships, contract negotiations, and capacity planning.

• Experience in project management, system implementation, and coordinating pilot programs

• Proven track record analyzing complex problems and proposing innovative solutions using data-driven approaches.

• Demonstrated leadership style with strong team management capabilities and technical mentorship skills.

• Highly self-motivated and detail-oriented with ability to balance strategic priorities and tactical execution.

Educational & Professional Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.

• 10+ years' experience managing information technology operations, with preference for experience working with specialist teams in security, applications, and AI.

• Professional certifications such as ITIL, CCNA, PMP, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, AWS Certified Machine Learning, or equivalent AI/cloud certifications.

Travel Requirements

• Approximately 20% out-of-town travel to regional offices and/or data centers

• Work remotely or at the regional office when not traveling

Physical Requirements

• Sedentary work

• Substantial movement of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers for a minimum of 8 hours a day

• Required to have close visual acuity to view computer terminal and/or extensive reading for a minimum of 8 hours a day