Information Technology Manager

IT Manager

Location: Bowie, MD (3 days a week onsite)

Employment Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on IT Manager to lead technology operations, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and end-user support for a growing, data-driven organization in Bowie, Maryland.

This individual will manage a small technical team while remaining actively involved in systems administration, infrastructure management, troubleshooting, and technology modernization. The ideal candidate brings a strong background in Linux systems administration, AWS, networking, cybersecurity, and enterprise infrastructure , along with the leadership skills to improve processes, strengthen reliability, and support long-term technology initiatives.

The organization operates a specialized computing environment consisting primarily of Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers, on-premises and colocated infrastructure, enterprise storage, internally developed applications, and Windows and Mac endpoints. The IT Manager will play a key role in modernizing this environment, including supporting a planned migration to AWS, strengthening cybersecurity, and improving backup and disaster recovery capabilities.

This is a working management position requiring someone who can lead a team while remaining hands-on with technology.

Key Responsibilities

IT Leadership & Operations

• Lead, mentor, and support a small IT team responsible for infrastructure, systems administration, cybersecurity, and end-user technology.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex technical issues and provide hands-on troubleshooting when needed.
• Oversee daily IT operations, ensuring reliable systems, responsive support, and efficient service delivery.
• Develop and maintain IT policies, procedures, technical documentation, and operational standards.
• Manage technology vendors, infrastructure providers, software licensing, hardware procurement, and IT-related budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, automate processes, and reduce technical debt.
• Partner with executive leadership to establish technology priorities, communicate risks, and develop long-term IT strategies.

Infrastructure & Systems Administration

• Administer and support Linux-based infrastructure, primarily Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) .
• Manage physical servers, enterprise storage systems, NAS/SAN environments, and colocated infrastructure.
• Oversee server configuration, patching, monitoring, maintenance, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
• Support Linux-based applications, internally developed systems, and data-intensive computing environments.
• Manage network infrastructure, including firewalls, switches, routing, VPNs, DNS, wireless networks, and network security.
• Monitor system availability, storage utilization, capacity, and infrastructure performance.
• Develop automation and scripting solutions to streamline system administration and improve operational reliability.
• Identify and resolve infrastructure bottlenecks, performance issues, and single points of failure.

Cloud Infrastructure & Modernization

• Lead and support initiatives to migrate on-premises and colocated infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS) .
• Assist with cloud architecture, infrastructure design, migration planning, and implementation.
• Manage hybrid infrastructure during the transition from physical servers to cloud environments.
• Evaluate cloud services to improve scalability, performance, security, and cost efficiency.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to execute infrastructure modernization projects.
• Ensure cloud migration efforts minimize operational disruption and maintain the availability of critical applications.

Cybersecurity & Risk Management

• Oversee the implementation and ongoing improvement of cybersecurity policies, standards, and procedures.
• Manage endpoint protection, identity and access management, multifactor authentication, vulnerability management, and security monitoring.
• Strengthen security controls across Linux servers, cloud environments, networking infrastructure, and employee devices.
• Develop and maintain security incident-response procedures and remediation processes.
• Coordinate vulnerability assessments, security reviews, and risk mitigation initiatives.
• Support employee cybersecurity awareness and security training programs.
• Ensure appropriate security documentation, access controls, and operational safeguards are maintained.

Backup, Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

• Oversee enterprise backup, archiving, and data recovery solutions.
• Implement and improve automated backup processes, monitoring, and recovery procedures.
• Establish regular backup validation and restore testing.
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
• Evaluate secondary infrastructure, cloud-based recovery solutions, and redundancy strategies.
• Improve infrastructure resilience and minimize downtime for business-critical systems and applications.

End-User Support & IT Service Management

• Oversee IT support for approximately 35–40 employees across onsite, hybrid, remote, and international locations.
• Manage the support and maintenance of Windows and Mac computers, mobile devices, printers, and office technology.
• Oversee administration of Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 , user accounts, permissions, and productivity applications.
• Ensure efficient employee onboarding and offboarding, including account provisioning, equipment deployment, and access management.
• Manage IT asset inventory, hardware lifecycle management, purchasing, and equipment replacement.
• Oversee IT ticketing, troubleshooting procedures, escalation processes, and service desk operations.
• Maintain internal technical documentation, employee knowledge resources, and IT training platforms.
• Provide hands-on technical support and troubleshooting when necessary.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure, systems administration, or technology operations.
• Experience leading, supervising, or mentoring technical teams.
• Strong hands-on experience with Linux systems administration, preferably Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
• Experience managing physical servers, on-premises infrastructure, enterprise storage, and networking environments.
• Working knowledge of AWS infrastructure, cloud services, and cloud migration concepts .
• Strong understanding of networking technologies, including firewalls, routing, switching, DNS, VPNs, and network security.
• Experience implementing and maintaining cybersecurity controls, including endpoint protection, identity management, MFA, vulnerability management, and patching.
• Experience with enterprise backup solutions, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.
• Experience administering Windows and Mac endpoints and supporting Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 environments.
• Experience overseeing end-user support, IT service management, and technology asset lifecycles.
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, documentation, and project management skills.
• Ability to balance hands-on technical responsibilities with team leadership and strategic planning.
• Ability to work onsite in Bowie, Maryland, multiple days per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience migrating on-premises or colocated infrastructure to AWS.
• Experience supporting scientific computing, research, or data-intensive environments.
• Familiarity with IBM DB2 databases or similar enterprise database technologies.
• Experience with Bash, Python, PowerShell, or other scripting and automation tools.
• Experience managing NAS/SAN storage, enterprise monitoring, and infrastructure performance optimization.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks, security policy development, and incident-response planning.
• Experience designing, implementing, and testing disaster recovery solutions.
• Experience working with colocation providers, managed service providers, or external infrastructure vendors.
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a technically strong, hands-on IT leader who enjoys both managing people and solving complex infrastructure challenges.

This individual should have a solid foundation in Linux administration, networking, enterprise infrastructure, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies, along with the ability to support day-to-day IT operations.