Manager, IT Operations

Crystalbrook Collection; Cairns Regional; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Crystalbrook Collection is seeking an experienced IT Operations Manager to lead the technology environment across Australia’s hotels and corporate teams. You will drive day-to-day IT operations, manage complex incidents and mentor a multi-site team, ensuring secure, reliable technology behind guest experiences.

You will partner with hotel leaders, vendors and internal stakeholders to translate complex tech into practical actions, supporting openings, refurbishments and major rollouts.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within IT Operations or infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365, Entra ID/Azure AD and related tools.
• Experience managing multi-site operations in hospitality or similar complex business.
• Ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day IT Operations across hotels and corporate offices.
• Escalate and resolve complex incidents affecting critical systems.
• Develop and coach IT Operations team with clear priorities.
• Oversee Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, Autopilot, VMware/Hyper-V and networks.
• Ensure property management, POS, payments, telephony, Wi-Fi systems are supported.
• Coordinate tech requirements for openings, refurbishments and rollouts.
• Strengthen service management, DR, documentation and readiness.
• Partner with vendors and MSPs; manage cybersecurity controls.

Skills

Leadership experience

Microsoft 365

Entra ID / Azure AD

Intune / Autopilot

VMware / Hyper-V

Networking fundamentals

Stakeholder management

Cybersecurity controls

Education

Relevant IT, cybersecurity, networking or cloud certs

Tools

VMware

Hyper-V

Intune

Autopilot

Entra ID / Azure AD

Office 365 Admin tools

Job description

Technology in hotels is different.

When everything works beautifully, our guests may never notice it. When it does not, the impact can be immediate - across our teams, our restaurants and bars, our rooms and ultimately the guest experience.

We are looking for an experienced IT Operations Manager to help lead the technology environment supporting Crystalbrook Collection across Australia.

This is a senior, hands-on operational leadership role for someone who enjoys the balance of technology, people, problem solving and hospitality. You will work closely with our Director of IT Operations, providing day-to-day leadership across the function while helping ensure our hotels and corporate teams have secure, reliable and responsive technology behind them.

The opportunity

As IT Operations Manager, you will become a key leadership partner within our IT Operations function and the senior operational escalation point when things become complex.

You will oversee technology operations across our portfolio of hotels and corporate environments, supporting everything from Microsoft platforms, networks and infrastructure through to guest-facing hotel systems, vendors, cybersecurity controls and major technology rollouts.

Importantly, this is not a role hidden away from the business.

You will build relationships with hotel leaders, operations and corporate teams, translating technical complexity into clear solutions and helping our people understand what is happening, why it matters and what comes next.

You will also play an important role as Crystalbrook Collection continues to evolve, supporting new hotel openings, refurbishments, technology implementations and portfolio-wide initiatives.

What you will be doing:

Your days will be varied, but your focus will include:

• Leading the day-to-day delivery of IT Operations across our hotels and corporate offices
• Acting as the senior escalation point for complex incidents and business-critical technology issues
• Leading and developing our IT Operations team, creating clear priorities, accountability and capability
• Overseeing Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, Autopilot, VMware, Hyper-V, networking, servers, storage, backups and end-user technology
• Ensuring our property management, point-of-sale, payment, telephony, Wi-Fi and other hotel systems remain effectively supported
• Coordinating technology requirements for new hotel openings, refurbishments and major system implementations
• Strengthening service management, disaster recovery, documentation and operational readiness
• Partnering with external technology vendors and managed service providers
• Supporting cybersecurity controls, access governance, patching, vulnerability management and operational compliance
• Using service data and operational insights to continually improve reliability, performance and the user experience
• Supporting technology budgets, licensing, procurement and lifecycle planning
• Deputising for the Director of IT Operations when required

About you:

You are technically credible, operationally calm and comfortable taking ownership.

You know how to work through a significant incident without creating additional noise. You can challenge constructively, make informed decisions and recognise when something needs to be escalated.

Just as importantly, you enjoy developing people and working with stakeholders who may not speak the language of technology.

You will ideally bring:

• Proven leadership experience within IT Operations, infrastructure or systems administration
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365, Entra ID / Azure AD, Intune, Autopilot, VMware / Hyper-V and networking fundamentals
• Experience leading or mentoring technical teams, ideally within a multi-site environment
• Experience working with managed service providers and technology vendors
• Exposure to new openings, technology migrations, refurbishments or large-scale system rollouts
• Strong stakeholder management and the ability to explain technical matters simply and commercially
• Relevant IT, cybersecurity, networking, cloud or service-management qualifications or certifications

Experience within hotels, hospitality, retail or another complex multi-site operational business would be particularly valuable.

Why Crystalbrook Collection?

Crystalbrook Collection is one of Australia’s most distinctive independent hotel groups.

Our technology team operates across a diverse portfolio of hotels, restaurants, bars, spas and corporate environments - meaning the work is rarely repetitive and the connection between technology and the customer experience is very real.

You will join an organisation where collaboration matters, ideas are welcomed and technology has an important role to play in how we continue to evolve.

You will also have the opportunity to contribute to new hotel openings and significant technology initiatives as our portfolio grows.

This role includes travel to Crystalbrook Collection properties across Australia and participation in our IT on-call roster.

Bring your technical expertise. Bring your leadership. And help us keep the technology behind extraordinary hospitality running beautifully.