IT Manager

IT Manager Opportunity

If you're seeking a sense of community and the ability for growth, look no further. Since 1982, we have been 100% dedicated to our people. Our approach permits greater ownership for individuals and welcomes input into decisions for a thriving workplace and happy employees. Our people are the core reason for AIS' success. As an employee owned company, we are looking for individuals that are passionate about finding innovative solutions, and excited about emerging technologies and capabilities.

Who We're Looking For:

We're seeking a driven IT Manager who not only brings strong technical expertise and leadership skills but also is passionate about making a difference, eager to grow, and embodies our core principles:

• Know Yourself and Pursue Personal Growth: You embrace intellectual curiosity, demonstrate humility, and actively seek feedback to continuously improve.
• Collaborate and Support Team Success: You work effectively with others, understand their strengths, and contribute to a positive and growth-oriented team environment.
• Communicate Openly and Clearly: You create clarity and understanding through inclusive, effective communication and active listening.
• Seek Opportunities and Take Responsibility: You're proactive, embrace progress over perfection, and confidently take ownership of your work and outcomes.
• Be Resilient and Resourceful: You approach challenges with positivity, learn from mistakes, and stay focused on achieving long-term goals.
• Challenge, Collaborate, and Commit: You encourage respectful debate, seek innovative solutions, and commit fully to decisions once made.
• Live Out the AIS Way: You embody AIS's values, mission, and vision, holding yourself and others accountable to our high standards while building trust and fostering positive relationships.

What You Will Be Doing:

As our IT Manager, you'll play a vital role in aligning IT strategy with business goals and driving innovation. You'll be responsible for:

• IT Infrastructure & Operations Leadership: Leading and managing our internal, distributed IT team located in both the US and India, ensuring the smooth operation, security, and efficiency of our technology infrastructure.
• Planning and overseeing IT initiatives and projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Overseeing the IT Help Desk and coordinating IT support activities, ensuring timely and efficient resolution of technical issues for over 800 users and achieving optimal user satisfaction.
• Fostering strong relationships with internal customers across all departments, understanding their needs and proactively identifying solutions.
• Developing, implementing, and managing IT policies, procedures, and standards for user access, security, and data management.
• Maintaining a secure and compliant IT infrastructure, including network security, data encryption, and disaster recovery protocols.
• Staying up to date on emerging cybersecurity threats and implement appropriate security measures to mitigate risks.
• Leading IT efforts associated to security incident response in collaboration with SOC Tier 1 team and Compliance teams, ensuring rapid detection, effective containment, eradication, and recovery.
• Ensuring policies, procedures, infrastructure, and overall data and system security comply with organizational standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2, CMMC).
• Analyzing IT resource utilization and develop strategies to optimize performance and cost-effectiveness.
• Managing the IT budget effectively, prioritize projects, and secure necessary resources.
• Developing, tracking, and reporting on key IT performance indicators (KPIs) and IT project metrics.
• Researching and recommending new technologies and solutions to improve efficiency and support business growth.
• Managing relationships with IT vendors and service providers, negotiating contracts, and ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) are met.
• Providing hands-on expertise and support to IT members and the business, as needed.

People Management and Development:

• Coaching and Development: Guiding employees in their professional growth through regular feedback, mentorship, and personalized development plans.
• Performance Management: Setting clear expectations, providing timely feedback, conducting performance reviews, and addressing performance concerns when necessary.
• Employee Relations: Building strong, respectful relationships with team members and addressing workplace concerns promptly and effectively.
• Timecard Approval: Ensuring accurate and timely approval of timecards
• Career Development: Supporting employees in identifying and achieving their career goals while aligning with organizational objectives.
• Promotions and Compensation: Partnering with HR to evaluate and recommend promotions, salary adjustments, and rewards that reflect performance and potential.
• Accountability and Results: Holding employees accountable for meeting expectations, delivering results, and adhering to company policies and values.

Location and Travel Details:

This position will start onsite at our Reston Headquarters 5 days a week for the first 2 months and then transition to an optional hybrid schedule of 3 days onsite with 2 days remote.

Security Clearance and Citizenship Requirements:

Due to restricted access needed to perform the work, US Citizenship is required.

Required Qualifications:

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field (or equivalent industry work experience) plus a minimum of 5 years of experience managing and supporting a team of IT professionals.
• Hands-on Technical Expertise: Minimum of 5 years' experience in the following Azure environments Office 365 (including Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, Intune, Defender, Purview), Azure VMs, Storage, and Networking, Azure Virtual Desktop, and/or Azure Gov and GCC-High environments
• Cloud Network and Infrastructure: Public DNS and/or ISP/WAN Management
• Cloud Network Management: Azure: Networking, Firewall, VNets and/or NSGs
• IT Management Tools: ITSM, Remote Support, and/or Powershell
• Identity, Security & Compliance: Entra Identity and Protection, Defender, Purview, working knowledge of compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and CMMC
• Meeting and Collaboration: Integrated Room System Management
• IT Service Management: Strong understanding of IT service management frameworks (e.g., ITIL).
• Cybersecurity Acumen: Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles and best practices, with experience analyzing and recommending improvements for enterprise security posture, data loss prevention, and incident response.
• Help Desk Operations: Experience with IT Help Desk operations and best practices, including experience with a distributed team across multiple time zones and countries.
• Problem Solving and Communication: Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Relationship Building: Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively across departments.

Preferred Qualifications:

We'd also value the following:

• Technical Experience: Experience with Meraki-based network environment and AvePoint for Backups.
• Proficiency with ServiceNow and BeyondTrust for IT management.
• Previous experience with Crestron for meeting and collaboration systems.
• Practical experience in deploying and managing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools such as Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and/or Terraform.
• Proficient in using automation tools and workbooks.

Certifications: Security related certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

Why AIS?

• Employee Ownership: Your contributions directly impact the company's success, and you share in its achievements.
• Continuous Learning: Access to resources, training, and mentorship to support your professional growth.
• Inclusive Culture: A