Director, IT Operations

Apellis • Waltham, MA

29d

About The Position

The Director, IT Operations is responsible for leading and coordinating the day-to-day operational functions of the Information Technology organization at Apellis. This role oversees the teams managing Support, Infrastructure, Security, ensuring that all IT operational services are reliable, secure, and compliant. Working closely with the Executive Director, Information Technology, the Director will translate IT strategy into operational plans and ensure effective delivery of technology services that enable business productivity and compliance. This role requires a balance of hands-on operational leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and team development across a global environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 8–10 years of progressive IT experience, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership or management role overseeing IT operations, infrastructure, or security.
• Strong understanding of ITIL principles, IT service delivery, and infrastructure management.
• Solid knowledge of information security frameworks and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Proven leadership and people management skills with the ability to coach and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Highly organized, adaptable, and results-driven with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Exceptional vendor management skills, including experience overseeing managed service providers, negotiating contracts, and driving accountability for performance and value delivery.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a regulated industry (biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences) strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing IT operations in cloud-based and SaaS-driven environments.
• Certifications such as ITIL, CISSP, CISM, PMP, or cloud (AWS/Azure) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the IT Operations organization, including the Support, Infrastructure, and Security teams.
• Oversee daily IT operations to ensure high availability, reliability, and performance of systems and services.
• Drive excellence in IT Service Management (ITSM) through implementation and optimization of ITIL- based processes.
• Develop and monitor service level agreements (SLAs), key performance indicators (KPIs), and operational metrics across all IT domains.
• Ensure robust cybersecurity, data protection, and compliance controls in alignment with corporate policies and regulatory standards (e.g., SOX, NIST CSF, HIPAA, GDPR, FDA 21 CFR Part 11).
• Manage IT infrastructure lifecycle, including cloud platforms, networks, identity management, and endpoint systems.
• Oversee vendor relationships, contracts, and managed service provider (MSP) performance.
• Collaborate with IT leadership to develop and execute operational roadmaps and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead incident, change, and problem management processes to ensure timely resolution and minimal business disruption.
• Support internal and external audits, risk assessments, and remediation activities.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence within the IT team.

Benefits

• Apellis offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a 401(k) plan with company match, inclusive family building benefits, flexible time off, summer and winter shutdowns, paid family leave, disability and life insurance, and more!
• Visit https://apellis.com/careers/benefits/ to learn more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees