Sr. Technical Manager

The Upper Deck Company•Carlsbad, CA

1d•$120,000 - $130,000

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced and results-driven Sr. Technical Manager to lead our IT technical team. This senior-level position is responsible for the strategic oversight and day-to-day management of the organization's technology infrastructure, including network systems, physical and virtual server environments, security architecture, and data protection. The ideal candidate will bring a deep technical foundation combined with proven leadership skills and a track record of delivering complex IT projects on time and within scope.

Requirements

Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in Information Technology.
Minimum 8 years in IT management or leadership role, with direct responsibility for personnel and budgets.
Deep expertise in physical server environments, including hardware configuration, SAN/NAS storage, and lifecycle management.
Proven experience with enterprise backup and disaster recovery platforms (e.g., Veeam, Commvault, Veritas, or equivalent).
Demonstrated expertise in network security architecture, including firewalls, VPN, IDS/IPS, endpoint protection, and zero-trust frameworks.
Demonstrated experience leading full-lifecycle IT projects, including requirements gathering, planning, resource management, and delivery.
Demonstrated experience building an IT team, including defining organizational structure, hiring staff, and establishing team processes and standards from an early stage.
Hands-on leadership style with the ability to work directly alongside team members on technical tasks while simultaneously providing strategic direction and mentorship.
Strong history of developing IT professionals through coaching, career planning, training investment, and skills-based progression
Expert-level knowledge of TCP/IP networking, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, BGP/OSPF routing protocols.
Strong familiarity with Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, and hybrid cloud integrations (Azure/AWS/GCP).
Deep proficiency with Microsoft 365 administration, including Exchange Server/Exchange Online mail flow, distribution groups, retention policies, and compliance features.
Hands-on experience with SharePoint architecture, site administration, permissions management, and integration with M365 services.
Solid understanding of cybersecurity best practices, compliance standards, and incident response procedures.
Project Management experience doing the following: managing projects to ensure successful delivery (on time, within budget, meeting agreed upon success criteria) by establishing clear goals and accountabilities; developing project plans and allocating resources; identifying potential issues/risks and developing contingency plans.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end IT projects from initial planning and scoping through execution, deployment, and post-implementation review.
Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of enterprise network infrastructure, including LAN/WAN, switching, routing, and wireless systems.
Manage physical server environments, including hardware procurement, rack deployment, lifecycle management, and capacity planning.
Maintain and improve enterprise backup and disaster recovery solutions, ensuring business continuity and compliance with data retention policies.
Develop, enforce, and monitor network security policies, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and vulnerability management programs.
Develop detailed project plans, timelines, resource allocations, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies.
Communicate project status, risks, and outcomes clearly to executive stakeholders and department heads.
Serve as a hands-on leader who is actively engaged in the day-to-day work of the IT team — providing direct technical guidance, removing roadblocks, and working alongside staff to solve complex problems.
Develop and execute individualized growth plans for each team member, identifying skill gaps, assigning stretch assignments, and sponsoring training, certifications, and professional development opportunities.
Establish a strong team culture rooted in accountability, continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and mutual support — setting the standard through personal example
Champion team morale and engagement by advocating for staff needs, celebrating wins, and maintaining open, transparent communication across the department.
Manage team workloads, project assignments, and on-call schedules, ensuring equitable distribution of work and adequate coverage for critical systems and support functions.
Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies to improve efficiency, security, and scalability.
Align IT strategy with organizational goals and contribute to long-range technology planning.
Coordinate cross-functional teams and third-party vendors to ensure project milestones are met and deliverables align with business objectives.