Manager/Senior Manager, IT Operations

Incisive. Inclusive. Invested. We're Axinn.

Experienced, tenacious, and always trial-ready, we are committed to understanding complex legal challenges that impact the future of our clients' businesses, globally.

Focusing on antitrust, intellectual property, and high-stakes litigation, our extensive teams in the U.S. possess deep knowledge and client-side experience across a range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, life sciences, and consumer products.

At Axinn, inclusivity is central to who we are. We have a purpose that goes beyond profit, which includes fostering a fair, welcoming workplace and supporting the communities where we live and work. We actively recognize talent and promote opportunities for all team members. By embracing the unique experiences and perspectives of our people, we fuel creativity and deliver results for our clients.

Reporting to the Director of Information Technology, the Manager of IT Operations is a senior IT leader responsible for shaping and executing the Firm's operational technology strategy, ensuring that IT services consistently meet the highest standards of reliability, security, and performance. This role provides management-level oversight of the Service Desk, training programs, and operational functions, driving process excellence, continuous improvement, and alignment with the Firm's business objectives. The Manager of IT Operations partners with firm leadership to define technology priorities, optimize IT service delivery, and enhance user experience, leveraging IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks and ITIL best practices. Acting as a key driver of operational governance and strategic initiatives, this role ensures that technology enables the Firm's mission, supports organizational growth, and maintains the signature-level service expected of a premier law firm.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of IT operations, ensuring reliable, secure, and highly available technology services across all offices and practice groups.
• Lead and govern incident, problem, and change management processes, ensuring minimal disruption to operations and timely resolution of issues through cross-functional collaboration.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement, establishing scalable processes, optimized service delivery models, and best practices.
• Direct IT communications strategy, ensuring stakeholders receive timely, accurate, and transparent updates regarding system changes, maintenance, incidents, and service disruptions.
• Partner with Learning & Development to shape IT onboarding and training programs, promoting effective technology adoption and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Collaborate with IT leadership on strategic planning and operational execution, aligning resources and initiatives with the firm's business objectives.
• Manage vendor and service provider relationships, ensuring contract compliance, high service quality, and cost-effective solutions.
• Monitor and report on operational metrics and service performance, providing actionable insights and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Serve as the escalation authority for high-impact operational incidents, protecting business continuity and client service standards.
• Maintain proactive communication with leadership, staff, and external partners, ensuring smooth operational alignment and issue resolution.
• Act as a strategic partner to Legal Operations, Compliance, and Information Security teams, supporting enterprise initiatives and risk management efforts.

People & Operations Management

• Provide strategic leadership for IT operations, setting vision and direction while fostering a high-performance culture focused on accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee operational planning and resource management, including staffing models, workflows, and on-call coverage, to ensure IT services consistently meet business and availability requirements.
• Define and drive performance management frameworks, including service level agreements (SLAs) and key operational metrics, to ensure alignment with organizational objectives.
• Partner with Legal Operations, Practice Support, HR, and other business leaders to ensure IT operations proactively support firm-wide priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Lead operational budgeting, workforce planning, and workload prioritization, optimizing efficiency and aligning IT resources with the firm's strategic goals.

Technology & Systems

• Provide strategic oversight of IT operations, ensuring the reliable delivery of infrastructure and enterprise systems across on-premises and cloud environments.
• Lead the development and optimization of service management processes, including governance of the service desk, ticketing systems, and workflow management to enhance operational efficiency and end-user satisfaction.
• Direct the management of endpoint programs, overseeing laptop and mobile device initiatives across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android platforms, driving continuous improvement and alignment with organizational goals.
• Oversee AV infrastructure and collaboration tool strategies, ensuring tools meet business needs and support scalable, secure communication and collaboration.
• Govern RMM and MDM/MAM platforms, ensuring effective deployment, integration, and operational alignment with firm policies.
• Collaborate with Information Security leadership to ensure IT operations support cybersecurity initiatives, including vulnerability management, incident response, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drive the continuous enhancement of ITSM tools and processes, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and business objectives.
• Lead business continuity and disaster recovery planning initiatives, ensuring operational resilience across IT services.
• Partner with architecture and engineering leadership to oversee the transition of new systems and enhancements into production, ensuring seamless implementation and operational readiness.

Governance & Risk

• Provide oversight of IT operations, ensuring alignment with firm-wide policies, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements in the delivery of legal services.
• Drive technology compliance and risk management initiatives, overseeing audits, assessments, and third-party vendor oversight to mitigate operational and regulatory risk.
• Develop and enforce IT governance frameworks, operational standards, and procedures, ensuring consistency, operational excellence, and audit readiness across the organization.
• Lead strategic collaboration with Compliance, Risk, and Business teams to manage vendor risk, safeguard data, and uphold client confidentiality at the enterprise level.
• Direct disaster recovery, business continuity, and incident response programs, ensuring organizational resilience through strategic planning, testing, and continuous improvement.
• Manage and mentor IT operations teams, fostering high performance, accountability, and alignment with the firm's strategic objectives.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Advanced certifications such as ITIL Expert, PMP, CISSP, or equivalent strongly preferred, reflecting leadership in enterprise IT operations.

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive experience in IT operations or IT service management, with a minimum of 10 years in a senior leadership or management capacity overseeing multiple teams or departments.
• Proven experience in law firms or professional services organizations is highly desirable, with a strong understanding of the operational and compliance requirements of such environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-level IT initiatives, optimize service delivery, and implement scalable processes for high-availability, mission-critical environments.
• Experience managing vendor relationships, contracts, and third-party service providers in a professional services context.
• Track record of driving organizational change, process improvements, and operational efficiency across multiple IT domains.

Technical Knowledge

• Deep familiarity with enterprise IT systems and services, including:
  • Desktop & Mobile Platforms: Windows 11, Mac iOS, Office 365 Suite, Google Workspace
  • Document & Knowledge Management: NetDocuments, Litera & Litera One Products
  • Communication & Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Exchange, MS Teams (including administration)
  • Endpoint & Device Management: MDM systems (MS Intune, AirWatch), RMM tools (Ivanti, Absolute, Opus2, Milana)
  • Security & Compliance: MFA (Cisco Duo), legal research tools, Adobe Reader DC
• Strong understanding of cloud services, network infrastructure, and enterprise security practices.
• Ability to evaluate, select, and implement emerging technologies to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.

Leadership & Management Skills

• Exceptional leadership and team development skills, with the ability to inspire, mentor, and retain high-performing IT teams.
• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects and initiatives across multiple locations or departments.
• Strong strategic planning and decision-making capabilities, aligning IT operations with organizational goals.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, capable of presenting technical strategies and risk assessments to executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to manage risk, maintain compliance, and uphold client confidentiality in all IT operations.

Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills

• Expert analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a track record of resolving high-impact IT issues under pressure.
• Experience in developing metrics and KPIs to measure service effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.

Professional Attributes

• High level of discretion, professionalism, and ethical standards when handling sensitive information.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment while managing diverse personalities and competing priorities.
• Service-oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Benefits

At Axinn, we offer market competitive wages and generous benefit options to our valued employees. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Competitive starting pay, potential for annual increases, and annual discretionary bonus eligibility
• Generous paid time off benefits (vacation, personal days, floating holidays, paid holidays, and sick leave)
• Firm paid short and long-term disability, plus life and accident insurance
• 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Cash Balance Retirement Plan
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts (medical plan dependent)
• Firm paid comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Student loan refinancing discounts
• Lifestyle reimbursement program
• Hybrid remote work schedules are available for most employees (per current policy, in-office presence is required at least 3-days per week and fully remote roles are not available)

Position Details

This is a full-time, benefits eligible, exempt level supervisory position. Final rate of pay will be commensurate with the incumbent's experience, with a targeted hiring range of $165,000 - $225,000 per year. This position is currently available in our DC office location only.

Axinn is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to creating an environment that draws upon the strength of the diversity of its workforce to achieve excellence in the Firm's field and beyond.