OuterBox - Director, IT Operations bei OuterBox

The Director, IT Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic direction and execution of the company's IT infrastructure, security, and technical operations. This position will ensure the stability, security, and scalability of our technology systems in alignment with business objectives, including readiness for emerging AI technologies.

What You Get To Do Everyday:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Strategic & Financial Leadership:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive IT strategy and technology roadmap that incorporates emerging technologies like AI.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the IT operations team, fostering a culture of high performance.
• Manage the IT budget, oversee technology procurement, and handle vendor negotiations to optimize costs and value.

Infrastructure & Technology Oversight:

• Oversee the management of all IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, cloud services (Azure, AWS), and data centers.
• Lead the strategy for AI-ready infrastructure, including building and securing scalable environments and data silos to support internal and external AI applications.
• Ensure the reliability, availability, and performance of all critical IT systems and infrastructure.
• Lead major IT projects, including system upgrades, migrations, and the implementation of new technologies.

Operational Excellence:

• Establish and enforce IT policies, procedures, and best practices to improve efficiency and service quality.
• Oversee the IT help desk and support functions to ensure timely and effective resolution of user issues.
• Develop, maintain, and test the company's disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Security & Compliance:

• Implement and manage a robust cybersecurity program to protect company data, systems, and assets, with a special focus on securing critical business data and controlling access rights for organizational AI models.
• Ensure the organization maintains compliance with relevant industry regulations and data protection standards (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).

Additional Duties, as assigned.

Work Environment

Fast-paced, dynamic office environment and may be required to work outside of regular office hours to resolve issues or complete projects of the department.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

This is a hybrid role requiring regular on-site presence. Candidates must reside within a commutable distance to one of our office locations in Houston, TX; Akron, OH; or Rochester, MN, and should expect to work on-site more than 50% of the time.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in IT, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or management role.
• Proven experience in developing IT strategy, managing budgets, and negotiating with vendors.
• Strong technical background in infrastructure management, cloud services, network engineering, and data center operations.
• Expertise in managing complex, multi-cloud environments (GCP, Azure, AWS) and enterprise systems like Google Workspace and Active Directory.
• Strong technical foundation in systems and network administration, including server configuration, web hosting environments (LAMP), DNS, and data storage systems.
• Demonstrated experience implementing cybersecurity strategies, including firewalls, data encryption, and network security protocols.
• Experience designing or managing infrastructure to support AI/ML applications & environments, including knowledge of data pipelines, storage solutions, and scalable compute environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing IT teams.
• Expert knowledge of IT security best practices, risk management, and compliance standards.
• Exceptional communication, project management, and organizational skills.

Physical Demands

• Primarily involves sitting at a desk and using a computer for extended periods of time.
• Light physical activity is also required, such as carrying equipment or setting up for presentations.
• Requires a high level of mental focus and the ability to work under pressure.
• Good manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination and the ability to use a computer for extended periods are required.

Work Authorization/Requirements

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Travel

Limited travel of 10% may be required to our headquarters or to client offices. 

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement. Our company is an equal-opportunity employer committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other legally protected status.

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Cohesive Culture + Good Humor + Combined Skills = Awesome Results

At OuterBox, what we won’t stop doing is winning as a team for our clients, while at the same time winning for each other as both professionals and individuals. We know our awesome wins start with our incredible people, which is why for over 20 years we’ve created—and continuously refined—a team-centric work culture that is rooted in trust, respect, accountability, appreciation, fun, and collaboration. The Plain Dealer & Cleveland.com demonstrate this by having awarded OuterBox as a Top Workplace for three years running in 2022-2024!

At OuterBox, we’re here to thrive together—not simply survive. So if you’ve been searching for an agency that energizes, inspires, and directly helps you achieve the best for you, the person, and you, the professional, maybe it’s time to think outside the traditional agency box?