Executive Director, IT Operations

MetTel•New York, NY

4h•$200,000

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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 with direct reports and budget responsibility
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
Proven ability to lead technical teams while maintaining hands-on technical involvement
Experience managing infrastructure budgets of $5M+ and leading cost optimization initiatives
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
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
Enterprise Infrastructure Platforms: Expert-level knowledge of virtualization (VMware vSphere), enterprise object storage (SAN/NAS), and network architecture serving as foundation for container platforms
Operating Systems: Advanced expertise in Linux (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu) with deep understanding of container runtimes, kernel features (namespaces, cgroups), and security mechanisms (SELinux, AppArmor)
DevSecOps & CI/CD Security: Hands-on experience designing and securing CI/CD pipelines with integrated security controls including container image scanning, software bill of materials (SBOM) generation, 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, 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
Observability Platforms: Strong understanding of observability and monitoring solutions 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, MDM platforms, and 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: Experience with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud platforms primarily for architectural reference and hybrid patterns; focus on replicating cloud-native patterns on-premise
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, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL) including containerized database operations and persistent storage strategies
ITSM Platforms: Deep experience with ServiceNow platform capabilities including incident management, problem management, change management, and service catalog workflows; ability to define operational requirements and request platform enhancements.

Nice To Haves

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
Strong project management capabilities with PMP certification or equivalent experience

Responsibilities

Infrastructure Operations and End-User Services Leadership
Direct management of Director of Infrastructure Operations and senior infrastructure leadership
Operational oversight of Senior Systems Administrators, Network Engineers, and technical infrastructure staff
Strategic coordination with infrastructure teams across Linux/Windows, VMware, storage, networking, and cloud platforms
Technical mentorship for infrastructure professionals and career development planning
Direct management of ServiceDesk or desktop support manager
Oversight of infrastructure Tier 1/2/3 support operations and escalation processes
Demonstrated understanding of ServiceNow ITSM platform for incident, problem, and request management
Strategic planning for end-user experience improvement and support optimization
Ensure all systems are patched in accordance with company policy, servers, laptops, and network equipment
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
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