IT Director

ASCENDING; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

ASCENDING is seeking an IT Director to lead a practical, business-aligned technology organization across its New York headquarters and Irvine branch. The role combines hands-on legal workflow automation, vendor oversight, strategic partnerships, and clear communication with a service-oriented mindset.

The ideal candidate will manage cloud services, Microsoft 365, and modern endpoints while driving modernization and cost-conscious innovation across offices.

Qualifications

• Proven IT leadership experience, ideally in a law firm or professional services setting.
• Experience with IT infrastructure and applications.
• Experience selecting, managing, and coordinating external IT delivery partners, cloud hosts, and vendors.
• Strong business analysis and workflow automation experience, especially for legal or professional apps.
• Solid cybersecurity practices and experience working with MSSPs.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management and continuous improvement of core technology systems (cloud document management, practice management platforms, Microsoft 365, endpoints, collaboration tools).
• Define requirements, set priorities, and identify effective application solutions as a business analyst.
• Oversee external software engineering and integration partners to build, refine, and maintain legal API workflows and client-facing automations.
• Collaborate with MSSPs to uphold cybersecurity standards and regulatory compliance; manage technology spend and contracts.

Skills

IT leadership

business analysis

vendor management

cybersecurity

communication

Tools

Intune

Microsoft 365

Document management platforms

Job description

IT Director

Onsite, New York City

Direct Hire

About the Role

We are seeking a practical, business-aligned technology leader to manage, modernize, and secure a multi-office technology environment, including New York headquarters and coordination with a branch in Irvine, California. This role combines hands-on legal workflow automation, vendor oversight, strategic partner management, and clear communication, all with a service-oriented mindset. The ideal candidate will operate with an agile, approachable, high-touch, and cost-conscious approach, bringing technology innovation and efficiency to the firm.

Key Responsibilities

• Technology Leadership & Operations
  • Lead and support the day-to-day management and continuous improvement of core legal technology systems, including cloud document management, practice management platforms, Microsoft 365, endpoints, and collaboration tools.
  • Act as a business analyst to define requirements, set priorities, and identify effective application solutions.
• Vendor & Partner Management
  • Oversee external software engineering and integration partners to build, refine, and maintain legal API workflows and client-facing automations.
  • Collaborate with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to uphold stringent cybersecurity standards and ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Develop and maintain technology standards, user documentation, runbooks, and onboarding/offboarding processes in partnership with external vendors.
  • Oversee IT contracts, vendor billing, software licensing, and technology spend to ensure efficiency and budget adherence.
• Innovation & Modernization
  • Evaluate, implement, and support practical low-code and AI-driven tools to streamline administrative processes, document generation, and legal workflows.
  • Identify inefficiencies, outdated systems, and opportunities for modernization, driving improvement projects from conception through completion.
• Team & Stakeholder Management
  • Manage and hold accountable both internal and external technical teams to facilitate quick ticket resolution and maintain high user satisfaction across multiple offices.
  • Clearly communicate with both technical vendors and non-technical stakeholders, translating complex technical concepts into accessible language for all user groups.

Qualifications

Required

• Proven experience in IT leadership or application management, ideally within a law firm or professional services setting.
• Past experience with IT Infrastructure as well as Application experience required.
• Demonstrated success in selecting, managing, and holding accountable diverse external IT delivery partners, cloud hosts, and third-party vendors.
• Strong business analysis and workflow automation experience, particularly with legal or professional applications.
• Solid understanding of cybersecurity practices and experience working with MSSPs.
• Excellent communication skills with demonstrated ability to bridge technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with Intune and associated tools
• Hands-on experience with modern cloud-based systems (e.g., Microsoft 365), legal or document management platforms, and collaboration/endpoint solutions.

Preferred

• Experience driving low-code, AI, or workflow automation projects.
• Comfortable working across organizational boundaries and time zones.
• Experience managing technology budgets and cost optimization initiatives.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.