Director, IT Operations

Job Description The Director of IT Operations leads 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. Responsibilities Lead all IT Operations teams – Technical Support Specialists, 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). Drive IT Operational strategy by defining and executing the roadmap for IT operations, infrastructure, and end-to-end user computing, aligning with organizational goals and digital publishing initiatives; identify, evaluate, and recommend new processes, technologies, and systems to improve resource utilization. Ensure stability, performance, and security of enterprise systems, including editorial platforms, 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. Manage and optimize relationships with external vendors, service providers, offshore support organizations, and technology partners, including contract and service level management negotiations, invoice review, coding, and cost control. Establish and maintain IT operational policies, procedures, SOPs, and standards; 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 are resolved consistently against agreed 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 such as PCI‑DSS, CCPA, CPRA, and PII. 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; conduct staff performance evaluations and support recruiting and hiring efforts. Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field 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 frameworks (e.g., ITIL), MDM, including incident, problem, and change management. Proven experience managing vendors, contracts (MSAs, SOWs, Change Orders), and SLAs, including invoice review and approvals. Direct knowledge of endpoint management tools, patch management, configuration management, and automation/scripting (PowerShell, Python, etc). Demonstrated expertise across core enterprise platforms, including Active Directory and IAM, relational and non-relational databases, and batch/ETL processing frameworks; ability to design, troubleshoot, automate, and optimize authentication flows, data access patterns, and scheduled workloads in complex, distributed environments. Strong coaching, team leadership, and cross-functional relationship management skills. Solid 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, and ability to influence and negotiate at all organizational levels. 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 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. Equal Opportunity Employer 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. 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 accounts for experience, skills, certifications, and other business factors. Compensation is determined based on these factors and the requirements of the role. 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. Please visit our career site to view the benefits available to our employees. #J-18808-Ljbffr