Director, IT Operations

The Director of IT Operations is responsible for leading the strategy, execution, and continuous improvement of the organization's IT infrastructure and support services, including the IT Service Desk, End User Computing, and Voice/Video Telecommunication functions. This role ensures the reliability, security, and scalability of all technology systems that support editorial newsroom operations and corporate business functions. As a key technology leader, the Director will provide hands‑on leadership and day-to-day management of the IT Operations team. The role oversees infrastructure, network operations, and vendor partnerships. It works closely with peer technology leads, business stakeholders, vendors, and strategic partners to align IT capabilities with the organization's evolving digital strategy, ensuring business continuity, enabling 24/7 newsroom and production operations, and delivering a high-quality end‑user experience across a fast‑paced media environment. The role holds full decision‑making authority and accountability for department budgeting, vendor selection, vendor spend within an approved threshold, and directly hires and manages the headcount of its team. Responsibilities Lead all IT Operations teams, including Technical Support Specialist, the IT Service Desk, Infrastructure, Networking, Voice/Video Telecommunications, and End‑User Computing support, ensuring high availability and performance of systems critical to newsroom and business operations. Develop, staff, and maintain the after‑hours on‑call schedule (nights and weekends) to ensure continuous support coverage. Drive IT Operational strategy: Define and execute the strategy and roadmap for IT operations, infrastructure, and end‑to‑end user computing, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and digital publishing initiatives; identify, evaluate, and recommend new processes, technologies, and systems to improve and optimize the use of resources. Ensure the stability, performance, and security of enterprise systems, including editorial platforms, content management systems (CMS), ad‑tech systems, and corporate applications. Oversee enterprise incident, problem, and change management processes, serving as the senior point of escalation for major outages and critical business disruptions. Ensure timely resolution of issues and continuous service improvement. Manage and optimize relationships with external vendors, service providers, on‑and offshore support organizations, and technology partners, including contract and service level management negotiations (CSLAs/SLAs/KPIs), invoice review, coding, and cost control. Establish and maintain IT operational policies, procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and standards to ensure consistency, compliance, and efficiency across the organization; maintain the IT Service Catalog, knowledge base, and CMDB accuracy. Provide strategic oversight of 24/7 production operations, setting standards for P1/P2 incident handling, defining escalation and on‑call models, and ensuring major incidents, outages, and performance issues are resolved consistently against agreed business SLAs. Drive enterprise‑wide asset and configuration management strategy across infrastructure, endpoints, applications, and cloud services, ensuring the CMDB, license posture, and configuration baselines remain accurate, governed, and audit‑ready. Lead IT infrastructure planning, including system upgrades, capacity planning, and technology lifecycle management. Ensure compliance with regulatory, legal, and security requirements, including data protection standards and industry frameworks (e.g., PCI‑DSS, CCPA, CPRA, PII where applicable). Develop and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans to support uninterrupted newsroom, publishing, and production operations. Partner cross‑functionally with Editorial, Product, Advertising, Finance, and Operations teams to deliver scalable and innovative technology solutions. Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including process automation, cost optimization, and service delivery enhancements. Build, mentor, and lead a high‑performing IT Operations team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and service excellence; provide timely staff performance evaluations and support recruiting and hiring efforts. Requirements Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field required and 10+ years of progressive IT experience OR 12+ years of progressive IT experience. 5+ years in a leadership role overseeing IT Operations, Infrastructure, or Service Delivery, including direct supervision of a team of 3 or more employees. Experience supporting 24/7 operational environments, preferably within media, publishing, or similarly fast‑paced industries. Strong knowledge of IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, cloud environments, end‑user computing, mobile devices, and enterprise applications. Operational knowledge of release management, change control, help desk operations, CMDB, call management systems, patch/update/vulnerability management, MS WinOS and Apple macOS deployment tools. Technical understanding of desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, VoIP telephony, IVR, multifunction printers, networking, servers, and office automation devices. Experience managing IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks (e.g., ITIL), Mobile Device Management (MDM), including incident, problem, and change management. Proven experience managing vendors, contracts (MSAs, SOWs, Change Orders), and service level agreements, including invoice review and approvals. Direct knowledge and experience with endpoint management tools, patch management, configuration management, and automation/scripting (PowerShell, Python, etc). Demonstrate strong technical depth across core enterprise platforms, including Active Directory and identity/access management (IAM), relational and nonrelational databases, and batch/ETL processing frameworks, with the ability to design, troubleshoot, automate, and optimize authentication flows, data access patterns, and scheduled workloads in complex, distributed environments. Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop high‑performing teams and manage cross‑functional relationships. Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles, risk management, and compliance requirements. Experience with disaster recovery planning and business continuity strategies. Excellent problem‑solving, strategic thinking, and decision‑making skills, with strong business acumen. Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate at all levels of the organization. Ability to manage budgets, forecast expenses, and identify cost‑saving opportunities. Flexibility to work extended hours or respond to critical incidents as needed; limited travel may be required. Preferred Qualifications ITIL Foundation (or higher) certification. CompTIA A+ and/or Network+ certification. PMP or other project management certification. Experience in the media, entertainment, or publishing industry. Experience evaluating and leading RFPs for EUC tools, telecom vendors, or managed services partners. Familiarity with process automation and IT service management tooling implementations. Experience with editorial, digital publishing, or ad tech platforms. Pay Scale The pay scale the Company reasonably expects to pay for this position at the time of the posting is $165,000 to $180,000 and takes into account a wide range of factors including but not limited to skill set, experience, training, licenses, certifications, and other business or organizational needs. Compensation will be determined based on the above factors along with the requirements of the position. At the L.A. Times, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role. The L.A. Times is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We actively work to create an inclusive environment where all of our employees can thrive. #J-18808-Ljbffr LA Times Studios LLC