Key Responsibilities: IT Operations & Service Delivery Oversee all daily IT operations delivered through service providers, including network, systems, and user support. Ensure consistent technology performance across branches, dealerships, and service centers. Review incident and service metrics to maintain SLA performance and minimize downtime. Coordinate escalations and issue resolution between service provider teams, internal users, and business units. Manage IT asset inventory, equipment lifecycle, and endpoint standards. Service Provider & Infrastructure Vendor Management Act as the primary operational liaison to the MSP and infrastructure service providers (network, telecom, hardware, cloud). Monitor service provider performance, reporting on SLAs, uptime, and incident trends. Lead quarterly business reviews with the service providers to track performance and improvement plans. Oversee service provider-delivered projects such as system upgrades, migrations, and branch technology rollouts. Manage vendor contracts, renewals, and service-level agreements. Third-Party Software Vendor Relationships Serve as the central point of contact for all major software and application vendors (e.g., dealership management systems, service scheduling, parts inventory, ERP, CRM). Coordinate support escalations, system upgrades, and integrations across internal users, service, and software providers. Oversee license management, renewals, and software version planning to ensure smooth operations. Partner with business leaders to evaluate new tools, functionality enhancements, and user training needs. Ensure strong working relationships between software vendors and service providers to maintain clear accountability. Technology Execution & Projects Plan and manage IT projects that impact daily operations, including infrastructure refreshes, connectivity improvements, and application rollouts. Drive on-time, on-budget delivery of initiatives that improve uptime, performance, and user experience. Support user onboarding and rollout of business applications and productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft 365, Teams). Coordinate system testing, cutovers, and communications with end users during major updates or implementations. Security, Reliability & Continuity Maintain oversight of service provider-delivered security controls, patching, backups, and endpoint protection. Ensure critical business systems are backed up and recoverable. Support incident response coordination in the event of outages or security alerts. Communication & Leadership Act as the bridge between business stakeholders, service providers, and software vendors. Communicate project timelines, service impacts, and issue status clearly to non-technical teams. Manage one or two internal IT coordinators or analysts to handle user requests and vendor follow-ups. Build strong relationships with operational leaders to ensure technology supports frontline needs.