Job Description

Columbia Association, headquartered in Howard County, Maryland, is known for engaging our diverse community, cultivating a unique sense of place, and enhancing the quality of life in Columbia, Maryland, all thanks to the efforts of our remarkable team members. If you share in our passion for teamwork and our vision, we want you to fast-forward your career with us at Columbia Association.

IT - IT OPERATIONS MANAGER

The IT Operations Manager leads and optimizes Columbia Association’s IT operations to maintain system availability, service reliability, and secure infrastructure performance. This role oversees IT service delivery, infrastructure operations, and end-user support while driving continuous improvement in IT service management (ITSM).

Reporting to the Senior IT Programs & Operations Manager, this position is responsible for executing IT operations and service delivery. The role partners with internal stakeholders and external vendors to support operational excellence, security compliance, and alignment with organizational priorities.

Key Responsibilities:

IT Operations Leadership
• Lead, coach, and develop the IT Service Desk team
• Shape the vision, strategy, and operating model for the IT Service Desk to deliver a high-quality, customer-focused support experience
• Set operational priorities and ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery across IT functions
• Promote a customer-focused, high-performing team culture
• Collaborate closely with the IT Infrastructure, Security, and Endpoint Management teams

Service Management & ITSM
• Lead service management processes across IT operations, with an emphasis on Help Desk effectiveness and service quality
• Establish, track, and continuously improve KPIs and service level objectives (SLOs) for incidents, requests, and support performance
• Implement and maintain ITIL-aligned processes across IT operations
• Monitor performance and drive improvements to meet service level objectives (SLOs)
• Serve as the operational lead during incidents and escalate major incidents for executive coordination when needed

Infrastructure & Systems Reliability
• Maintain the availability, performance, and security of enterprise systems and infrastructure
• Oversee patching, system monitoring, backups, and disaster recovery processes
• Support hybrid infrastructure, including on-premises and virtualized environments

Vendor & Partner Management
• Manage day-to-day vendor relationships and service delivery in alignment with contracts and service level agreements defined by IT leadership
• Monitor vendor performance and coordinate support and maintenance for network, infrastructure, and enterprise systems

Strategic Initiatives & Continuous Improvement
• Support operational technology initiatives by coordinating infrastructure, deployment, and service readiness activities
• Identify opportunities to automate work, improve efficiency, and standardize processes across IT operations

Security, Risk & Compliance
• Ensure compliance with IT security policies and operational controls
• Partner with security teams to address risk, vulnerabilities, and compliance requirements
• Support audit readiness and maintain documentation of IT controls and processes

Additional Responsibilities
• Partner with business units to improve service delivery and support new initiatives
• Maintain documentation for IT processes, standards, and architecture
• Assess current technology capabilities and recommend improvements
• Support budget planning and lifecycle management for IT assets
• Own end-to-end service performance for IT operations, including user satisfaction, responsiveness, and system reliability

Required Experience & Skills
• 5 years of experience leading IT operations or service management teams required
• Hands-on experience managing ITSM functions, including incident, change, and problem management
• Experience supporting hybrid infrastructure, including on-premises and virtual environments
• Strong technical expertise in enterprise systems, servers, and infrastructure
• Proven leadership, analytical, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Education
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Certifications
• ITIL Foundation certification (required)
• CompTIA A+ certification (required)
• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) (preferred)
• Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) (preferred)
• PMP or equivalent project management certification (preferred)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Strong troubleshooting skills across hardware, software, and network environments
• Experience acting as a primary escalation point for technical issues
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality
• Experience providing customer support through phone, in-person, and remote channels

Technical Skills
• Experience planning system upgrades and migrations using enterprise support tools

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $125K to $145K. The actual salary offered will depend on the overall qualifications of the individual applicant for the position and the budgeted amount for the role. CA offers a positive, fun work environment and a generous benefits package. Full-time benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), a free Fit & Play membership, Wellness benefits w/perks and paid leave.

Columbia Association is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law. EOE/ADA. We encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our organization. Over and above non-discrimination, CA’s mission includes engaging our diverse community and meeting the evolving needs of a dynamic and inclusive community. That’swhy we welcome folks of diverse or marginalized backgrounds and abilities to apply to become part of the CA team.