Director of IT Operations

Overview

The Director of IT Operations is responsible for the leadership, delivery, and continuous improvement of all operational and endpoint technologies across the casino, hotel, and hospitality environment. This role ensures the reliability, security, and performance of business-critical systems that directly support gaming operations, revenue generation, regulatory compliance, and guest experience.

This position focuses on device-centric, operational, and business-facing technologies and operates in close partnership with Infrastructure, Security, and Development teams. The Director leads ITIL-aligned service management, oversees day-to-day operations, and drives strategic initiatives to modernize and optimize IT service delivery.

Responsibilities

1. IT Operations Leadership & Service Management

• Lead and mature ITIL-based service management practices (Incident, Problem, Change, Request, Asset).
• Define, monitor, and report on SLAs, KPIs, and operational performance metrics.
• Serve as Major Incident Manager for high-impact outages affecting gaming and guest services.
• Support the IT Manager and staff overseeing the Help Desk
• Establish and maintain a service catalog and continuous service improvement program.

1. Casino & Hospitality Technology Operations

• Oversee all operational device centric technologies including:
• Slot Systems
• Kiosks
• POS systems (food & beverage, retail, mobile ordering)
• Hotel and guest service technologies
• Telephony, radios, and communication platforms

1. Strategy, Planning & Governance

• Develop short- and long-term strategic roadmaps for IT Operations technologies.
• Define and enforce IT policies, procedures, and standard operating practices.
• Align operations with cybersecurity frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Support governance initiatives including audits, compliance validation, and risk mitigation.

1. Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop IT Operations staff.
• Hands-on technical staff member leading technical operations and seen as a "doer".
• Hands-on leader when needed to assist with technical problem-solving.
• Drive a culture of accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Establish training programs and career development pathways.
• Maintain high-performance standards in a 24/7 operational environment.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10-15+ years of IT experience, preferably within casino or hospitality environments.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in gaming or hospitality IT operations.

Industry Knowledge

• Deep understanding of those device systems:
• Casino gaming systems and slot technologies including self-service kiosks
• Hospitality and POS platforms - hands on knowledge of InfoGenesis required
• Familiarity with NJ DGE regulatory requirements is strongly preferred.

Technical Expertise

• Required experience with:
• Data Center management
• AD, Azure and end user provisioning with automation experience
• IBM i (AS/400) environments
• Windows endpoint management
• ITSM platforms (e.g., SolarWinds, ManageEngine)
• Strong working knowledge of cybersecurity practices and implementations.
• Hands-on leadership style with the ability to support system upgrades, deployments, and issue resolution.

Leadership & Professional Skills

• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to operate in a high-pressure, 24/7 environment.
• Strong business acumen with financial and operational accountability.
• Ability to execute with minimal direction and drive initiatives forward.