IT Operations Lead

Own the day-to-day delivery and continuous improvement of ONI’s internal IT environment across our sites in the USA and UK, as well as supporting employees in other locations. Serve as the senior hands-on technical lead for IT operations, working closely with ONI’s outsourced IT support provider while taking ownership of core systems, infrastructure, security, access, service quality, and IT projects. This role is expected to operate independently, act as the internal escalation point for complex issues, identify risks and opportunities for improvement, and take ownership of practical solutions that strengthen ONI’s day-to-day IT operations. Responsibilities: Global IT Support and Service Provider Management: Ensure employees primarily in the USA and UK, and employees in other locations as required, receive responsive and effective IT support through ONI’s outsourced IT support provider. Act as ONI’s senior internal escalation point for complex, sensitive, or business critical hardware, software, identity, access, and network issues that require deeper knowledge of ONI’s systems or business needs. Manage the day-to-day relationship with ONI’s outsourced IT support provider, including service quality, escalations, ticket trends, prioritization, documentation, and timely resolution of incidents and requests. Provide hands on technical support to executives and other business critical users when appropriate, particularly for escalated or complex issues. Systems and Infrastructure Administration: Proactively administer, maintain, and improve ONI’s core IT systems and infrastructure, including endpoints, identity platforms, networks, collaboration tools, and office technology. Monitor system health, capacity, reliability, and security, and address issues before they materially affect business operations. Own technical administration of ONI’s Microsoft environment, including Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID, together with SSO, endpoint management, device management, and related business systems as applicable. Maintain video conferencing and office connectivity solutions across ONI locations. Security, Access, and Compliance Administer user identities, privileged accounts, SSO, and access controls using the principle of least privilege. Partner with internal stakeholders and external providers on information security reviews, remediation actions, and security improvement initiatives. Support ONI’s compliance obligations and security frameworks, including GDPR, Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, or other applicable requirements. Manage and support access to company facilities where IT systems are involved, helping protect the physical security of the business. IT Projects and Continuous Improvement: Lead the technical delivery of IT projects from requirements and solution evaluation through implementation, documentation, and handover. Identify opportunities for automation, standardization, and process improvement that increase reliability, security, efficiency, and user experience. Evaluate new software and hardware solutions, provide technical recommendations, and coordinate implementation with relevant stakeholders and vendors. Use scripting and automation where appropriate to reduce repetitive administration and improve control. Business Continuity and Operational Resilience Maintain practical backup, recovery, and continuity procedures for critical IT services and ensure they are tested and kept current. Identify material IT operational risks and elevate them to the CFO with clear recommendations and options. Coordinate response to significant IT incidents and ensure lessons learned are documented and acted upon. Hardware, Software, and Vendor Management Own the lifecycle of company hardware and software assets, including procurement, deployment, inventory, maintenance, wipe, rebuild, reissue, and retirement. Maintain accurate records of IT stock, assignments, licenses, renewals, and key vendor information. Own the operational relationship with ONI’s outsourced IT support provider and work with security, telecommunications, software, and other technology vendors to resolve issues, manage escalations, and deliver services effectively. Employee Onboarding and Offboarding Own the IT account lifecycle for starters, movers, and leavers, including account creation, access assignment, device preparation, changes, and deactivation. Provide IT onboarding and systems training to new employees. Collaborate with HR and Logistics to ensure equipment is provided and returned promptly for local and remote employees. Documentation and Knowledge Management Maintain accurate technical documentation covering systems, configurations, procedures, support resolutions, vendors, and system changes. Create and maintain user guides and knowledge base content that improve employee self-service and reduce repeat support issues. Ensure critical IT knowledge is documented so that key systems do not depend on a single individual. Required Experience & Skills: At least 8 years of progressive professional experience in internal IT, IT operations, infrastructure, systems administration, or end user support, ideally within a small or medium sized organization. Operating as a senior technical escalation point and independently owning complex IT issues through resolution. Hands on administration of identity, endpoint, collaboration, and access platforms in a mixed Windows, MacOS, and iOS environment. Device lifecycle management, including procurement, deployment, wipe, rebuild, reissue, inventory, and retirement. Employee onboarding and offboarding, including account and access lifecycle management. Implementation or significant upgrade of new software, hardware, infrastructure, or security systems. Working with outsourced IT support or managed service providers, including managing escalations, service quality, ticket trends, and accountability for resolution. Working with IT ticketing systems such as ServiceNow, Zendesk, or Freshdesk and maintaining effective service standards. Executive level end user support and handling sensitive or confidential information. Strong troubleshooting across end user devices, operating systems, applications, identity, access, and connectivity. Windows, MacOS, and iOS lifecycle management. Administration of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID, including user lifecycle, access management, security groups, licensing, authentication, and related services. Endpoint and mobile device management using Microsoft Intune, Jamf, or equivalent tools as applicable. SSO, MFA, privileged access, and role-based access management concepts. Practical networking knowledge, including DNS, DHCP, wired and wireless networks, and common connectivity troubleshooting. Ability to assess technical risk, prioritize work, document decisions, and communicate recommendations to non-technical stakeholders. Preferred Experience & Skills: Experience in a life sciences, biotech, manufacturing, software development, or other regulated environment. Experience supporting security or compliance programs such as Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, or GDPR. Experience with backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning. Experience leading technical workstreams. At ONI, we understand that a fulfilling career involves more than just challenging work – it’s about enjoying a well-rounded experience. When you become a part of our team, you not only contribute to groundbreaking research but also enjoy a range of benefits designed to enhance your life both inside and outside the workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, we prioritize fairness and respect, ensuring every team member thrives regardless of their background. But that’s not all – our perks include: Competitive Compensation We recognize and reward your talent. Enjoy a competitive salary that reflects your expertise and contributions, ensuring your hard work is recognized. Flex PTO plus 11 federal holidays and 4 dedicated wellbeing days. Gym Access via ARE: Sorrento Valley, Torrey Pines, and UTC 401K via ADP Life Insurance Medical Dental Vision Perks at Work: Enjoy exclusive discounts and deals through our perks at work program, adding value to your everyday life. 130000 – 135000 USD a year #J-18808-Ljbffr