Job Details

The IT Manager, Infrastructure & Systems Operations is responsible for the day-to-day management, support, and reliability of the university’s core IT infrastructure environment. This includes servers, cloud resources, storage, identity services, system monitoring, and related backend systems that support institutional operations.

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Infrastructure, this role ensures stable, secure, and high-performing infrastructure services across the organization. The position provides hands-on technical leadership, oversees infrastructure support staff and vendors, and ensures timely resolution of operational issues.

This role is focused on execution, operational stability, and technical oversight in a complex higher education IT environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Infrastructure Operations & Reliability (30%)

• Manage daily operations of core IT infrastructure including servers, storage, virtualization, and cloud environments
• Ensure high availability, performance, and reliability of backend systems
• Oversee system monitoring, alerting, patching, and maintenance activities
• Coordinate infrastructure troubleshooting and incident resolution
• Maintain operational standards and configuration consistency

Systems Administration & Backend Services (20%)

• Oversee administration of core infrastructure services including identity, directory services, and authentication systems
• Support configuration, maintenance, and optimization of backend platforms
• Ensure system documentation is current and accurate
• Provide technical escalation support for infrastructure-related issues

Incident Management & Operational Support (15%)

• Serve as escalation point for infrastructure incidents and outages
• Ensure timely response, resolution, and communication during service disruptions
• Coordinate root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Support ITIL-based incident and problem management processes

Infrastructure Team & Vendor Coordination (15%)

• Supervise technical staff and/or contractors supporting infrastructure operations
• Assign work, manage priorities, and ensure timely task completion
• Coordinate with external vendors for infrastructure hardware, cloud, and support services
• Monitor vendor performance and service delivery commitments

Systems Maintenance & Lifecycle Management (10%)

• Manage patching, upgrades, and lifecycle replacement for infrastructure systems
• Ensure systems remain secure, supported, and compliant with standards
• Plan and execute maintenance activities with minimal business disruption
• Track hardware and software lifecycle status

Enterprise Systems Support & Integration (5%)

• Support connectivity and integration between infrastructure systems and enterprise applications
• Troubleshoot system connectivity and data flow issues
• Collaborate with application teams to ensure reliable backend services

Documentation & Process Improvement (5%)

• Maintain infrastructure documentation, diagrams, and operational procedures
• Improve operational processes for efficiency, reliability, and consistency
• Support cross-training and knowledge sharing within IT infrastructure team

Professional Development & Technical Currency (5%)

• Maintain knowledge of infrastructure technologies, cloud platforms, and system tools
• Stay current on industry best practices for IT operations and infrastructure management
• Continuously develop technical and operational skills

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field required. Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience considered.

Experience

• 5+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, systems administration, or operations support
• 2–3+ years of experience supervising technical staff or contractors preferred
• Hands-on experience supporting servers, storage, virtualization, and/or cloud environments
• Experience in production IT support or operations environment required
• Higher education or complex enterprise environment experience preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, systems administration, and backend operations
• Experience with production support, incident management, and troubleshooting
• Ability to manage multiple operational priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication skills with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to coordinate across IT teams and external vendors
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Experience with Windows and/or Linux server environments
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or hybrid environments)
• Understanding of virtualization platforms (e.g., VMware or similar)
• Experience with identity and directory services (e.g., Active Directory)
• Experience with ITSM/ticketing systems
• Scripting or automation experience preferred

SUPERVISION

Direct supervision of infrastructure support staff and/or contractors (typically 1 FTE equivalent). Responsible for task assignment, workload management, and performance oversight. Reports to Sr. Director of Infrastructure.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Supports infrastructure operations budgeting and procurement activities. Provides input into hardware, software, and cloud service purchasing decisions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Standard IT operations environment. Occasional work in data center or infrastructure facilities. Minimal physical requirements. Occasional after-hours support required for maintenance or incident response.

DECISION-MAKING

Makes operational decisions related to infrastructure support and system stability. Escalates strategic or high-impact issues to Director of Infrastructure. Responsible for execution within defined operational standards and policies.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Infrastructure and systems operations team, IT service desk and support teams, Application and integration teams, External infrastructure vendors and service providers, IT leadership and operations management.