IT Manager

Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch•Fargo, ND

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The IT Manager oversees the day-to-day operation, reliability, and security of technology across the Ranch, serving as the primary technical authority on networking, telephony, and physical security systems. This position provides day-to-day leadership and supervision of the IT team, including the Systems Administrator and IT Coordinators. The IT Manager works closely with the IT Director to translate technology strategy into reliable, secure, well-documented operations, delegating execution to the team where appropriate while retaining accountability for outcomes. This role also collaborates with clinical, operational, facilities, and administrative departments to understand technology needs and ensure effective delivery of IT services.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
A minimum of five years of progressive information technology experience is required, including substantial hands-on experience with enterprise networking (firewalls, switching, wireless) and at least two years in a lead, supervisory, or senior engineering capacity.
Experience with multi-site network architectures is required.
Enterprise firewall administration
Managed switching infrastructure
Managed wireless access points
Business telephone/VoIP systems administration
Network video surveillance systems
Electronic door access control systems
Windows Server
Active Directory
Microsoft 365/Entra environments
Server virtualization
Ability to read and interpret written information.
Communicates effectively by conveying necessary information accurately, listening effectively, and asking questions when clarification is needed.
Ability to write accurately and professionally.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent; and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with various concrete variables in situations with limited standardization.
Ability to interpret various instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and to talk or hear.
Frequently required to walk, sit, stand, reach with hands and arms, use ladders, and work in small or confined spaces.
May occasionally lift or move items up to 50 pounds.
A valid driver's license and clean driving record are required.
Travel between Ranch locations is required and may include overnight trips, estimated at 20–40% depending on active projects.

Nice To Haves

Prior supervisory or team-lead experience in an IT environment
Healthcare or human-services IT experience, including familiarity with HIPAA requirements
Experience with remote access platforms
Relevant technical certifications (e.g., CCNA, Security+, or vendor-specific network/firewall certifications)

Responsibilities

Develop annual infrastructure and technology operating plans aligned with organizational goals and approved budgets.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for help desk operations, infrastructure reliability, cybersecurity, network performance, and project delivery.
Provide regular operational and infrastructure status reports to the IT Director and organizational leadership.
Directly supervise the IT team, which includes the Systems Administrator and IT Coordinators, including assigning and prioritizing daily work, coaching, and performance management.
Monitor work quality and consistency across the IT team through regular check-ins and ticket/project review.
Assist in the development and management of the IT operating and capital budgets, including lifecycle replacement planning, technology forecasting, and expenditure monitoring.
Own the day-to-day operation of the help desk/ticketing system, ensuring timely response and resolution, and identify recurring issues for proactive resolution.
Manage IT hardware deployment and lifecycle processes, including procurement coordination, imaging/provisioning standards, and asset tracking.
Manage project scope, resources, budgets, timelines, risks, and vendor deliverables for infrastructure and technology initiatives.
Serve as an escalation point for technical issues beyond the scope of the IT Coordinators.
Design, deploy, and maintain the Ranch's wide-area and local-area network across all sites, including firewalls, switching, wireless access points, and site-to-site connectivity.
Own the configuration, security posture, and lifecycle management of perimeter firewalls and related network security appliances.
Plan and execute network capacity, performance, and resiliency improvements, including monitoring for utilization, outages, and anomalies.
Maintain accurate network documentation, including topology diagrams, IP addressing, and change records.
Lead evaluation and rollout of new network sites, including planning for local infrastructure, wireless coverage, and remote access.
Monitor emerging technologies and industry trends; provide input to the IT Director on strategic technology upgrades and infrastructure roadmap planning.
Manage infrastructure change processes to ensure technology modifications are documented, tested, communicated, and implemented with minimal operational disruption.
Administer and maintain the Ranch's phone system, including voicemail, call routing, and system upgrades or migrations.
Serve as the primary technical contact for telephony vendors and carrier/SIP trunk relationships.
Evaluate and recommend improvements to communications infrastructure, including video conferencing and unified communications tools.
Own the configuration, maintenance, and lifecycle of the Ranch's video surveillance/camera systems across all sites.
Own the configuration and administration of door access control (card/fob) systems.
Serve as the primary technical contact for camera and access control vendors and integrators.
Partner with the Systems Administrator on the architecture, performance, and reliability of virtualization, storage (SAN), and backup/disaster recovery infrastructure.
Ensure core infrastructure systems are patched, monitored, and documented in accordance with Ranch security standards.
Own disaster recovery and business continuity planning for core infrastructure, including defining recovery objectives (RTO/RPO) and validation cadence; the Systems Administrator executes backup configuration and restore testing.
Own operational oversight, security posture, and service availability for Microsoft 365 and cloud infrastructure services (collaboration platforms, cloud security controls); the Systems Administrator executes day-to-day user/mailbox/license administration.
Develop, document, and maintain IT operational policies, procedures, and standards (e.g., acceptable use, equipment provisioning, patch management), in alignment with Ranch compliance requirements and the IT Director's strategic direction.
Implement and maintain technical security controls (e.g., endpoint protection, network segmentation, patching) and coordinate vulnerability management, security monitoring, incident response, and remediation efforts.
Participate in cybersecurity risk assessments and assist in developing and executing security improvement initiatives.
Execute technical configuration changes requested through the IT Director's identity and access management or EMR governance processes; does not independently grant or approve access to clinical or financial systems.
Manage relationships, contracts, service agreements, and performance expectations for technology vendors, consultants, carriers, and managed service providers.
Support audit and compliance activities (HIPAA, CARF, PCI) by providing technical documentation and evidence related to network, infrastructure, and physical security controls.
Directly supervises the IT team, which includes the Systems Administrator and IT Coordinator positions, in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable employment laws.
Develops and maintains a stable, progressive, caring, diverse, and efficient workforce to support operations. Creates a workplace environment that demonstrates commitment to the Ranch’s mission and its culture of purpose, caring, and learning.
Effectively manages and delegates duties to direct reports. Sets expectations for behaviors and communications that align with and support the Ranch's mission and culture.
Actively develops team members and emerging leaders to meet the current and future needs of the organization.