Manager, IT Operations

Levitate•Raleigh, NC

6h•Hybrid

About The Position

Levitate is seeking a Manager, IT Operations to lead its IT function, transitioning it from a reactive support model to a strategic, proactive one. This leadership role requires architectural thinking about systems and infrastructure, team management, and partnership with senior leadership. The ideal candidate will own IT strategy, systems architecture, AI tooling governance, compliance, and daily operations, while building scalable processes and teams for multi-location growth. The role demands both technical depth and people leadership, with the ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences. The candidate should be comfortable with ambiguity, thrive in lean environments, and be motivated by building new systems and processes.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in IT management, systems administration, or IT operations
At least 2 years in a people leadership or team lead role
Demonstrated experience owning IT infrastructure and systems architecture in a multi-site or distributed environment
Hands-on experience with endpoint security and protection platforms (CrowdStrike or equivalent)
Strong working knowledge of Google Workspace, MDM solutions, identity and access management (JumpCloud or equivalent), and SaaS application administration
Experience supporting compliance programs — SOC 2, HIPAA, or similar frameworks
Proven ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders
Ability to influence decisions across functions without direct authority
Strong project management skills
Comfort operating in a lean, fast-moving environment

Nice To Haves

Experience in a SaaS company or high-growth technology environment
Familiarity with AI tooling governance — evaluating, managing, and auditing AI platform access across an organization
Experience building or scaling an IT function, not just inheriting one
Background managing IT across multiple physical locations
Relevant certifications (CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or equivalent) a plus

Responsibilities

Define and maintain Levitate's IT systems architecture, including tool selection, integration, and governance.
Act as the primary IT thought partner to the Sr. Director of Operations and collaborate with the SVP of Engineering on infrastructure, systems integrations, and technical architecture.
Evaluate new technologies and recommend solutions balancing business needs, security, cost, and scalability.
Own the IT roadmap, including multi-site infrastructure strategy for expansion.
Own Levitate's AI tooling strategy, including access governance, departmental alignment, contract management, and evaluation of AI platforms.
Conduct regular access audits for AI tools.
Stay current on the AI tooling landscape and recommend innovative uses of AI for efficiency and security.
Own IT's role in SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA compliance programs.
Maintain and evolve the security tooling stack, including endpoint protection, access management, and identity governance.
Ensure least-privilege access principles are applied across all systems and locations.
Support compliance readiness for additional frameworks (e.g., PCI).
Proactively assess IT risk and recommend mitigation strategies.
Oversee system administration for core IT stack (Google Workspace, Zoom, Microsoft 365, MDM, JumpCloud, etc.).
Own SaaS license governance, including renewals, optimization, and vendor relationships.
Manage the hardware and asset management lifecycle: procurement, enrollment, tracking, and offboarding.
Own and evolve the IT ticketing and service management solution.
Define standards and documentation for IT systems, configurations, and processes.
Manage the internal IT budget, including planning, tracking spend, and cost optimization.
Manage, coach, and develop individual contributors on the IT Operations team.
Set clear expectations, provide feedback, and create development pathways for the team.
Build scalable team structures and processes, including intake, prioritization, and escalation frameworks.
Partner with the Sr. Director of Operations to define and hire dedicated IT resources as needed.
Act as a systems and IT consultant to department leaders for new tools or processes.
Collaborate with HR, Finance, RevOps, and other functions on system implementations.
Partner with the SVP of Engineering to maintain clear ownership boundaries between IT operations and engineering infrastructure.

Benefits

Daily catered lunches from locally-owned restaurants and diverse snack offerings
Employee-led groups (run club, disc golf club, and book club)
Plentiful opportunities to volunteer with and contribute to local organizations
Flexible PTO
Paid parental leave
Healthy lifestyle reimbursement
401(k) matching
HSA/FSA
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Mental health coverage
Culture Crew and Emerging Leader programs