IT Operations Manager

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plan with employer match up to 5%

Flexible hybrid work options

Annual professional development budget

Generous PTO and paid holidays

Company-provided equipment

Job summary

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia seeks an experienced IT Operations Manager in Charlottesville. This role involves leading technology infrastructure and service delivery while ensuring network availability and incident management.

The successful candidate will have over 7 years of IT operations experience and a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field. The position offers hybrid work arrangements and a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of IT operations experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise networking.
• Strong knowledge of ITIL processes.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accountability for network uptime and performance.
• Lead the full incident management lifecycle.
• Design and operationalize KPI frameworks.
• Lead and develop systems and network engineering staff.

Skills

IT operations management

Network management

Incident management

KPI development

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

SolarWinds

Datadog

Nagios

ServiceNow

Jira Service Management

Job description

Department Overview

The Information Technology department supports enterprise infrastructure, network operations, and service delivery across the organization. The team is focused on delivering reliable, scalable, and secure technology solutions that enable business continuity and operational excellence.

Position Summary

We are seeking a driven and experienced IT Operations Manager to lead technology infrastructure and service delivery functions. This role owns end-to-end operational accountability across network availability, incident management, and service continuity.

The IT Operations Manager will partner closely with Network Engineering and customer experience stakeholders to align IT operations with organizational objectives while building a culture of reliability, continuous improvement, and service excellence.

Responsibilities

Network Availability & Infrastructure

• Maintain accountability for network uptime, performance, and resilience across enterprise environments, targeting 99.9%+ availability SLAs
• Oversee port activation, configuration, and lifecycle management across network switches, routers, and access points
• Manage and maintain accurate inventory of network infrastructure assets including hardware, firmware, and topology documentation
• Coordinate with network engineers on capacity planning, redundancy, and failover strategies

Incident & Problem Management

• Lead the full incident management lifecycle from detection through resolution and post-incident review
• Chair problem management reviews to identify root causes and drive permanent remediation
• Establish escalation paths, on-call rotations, and communication protocols for P1/P2 incidents
• Conduct blameless post-mortems and translate findings into process and runbook improvements

Service Availability & KPI Development

• Design and operationalize KPI frameworks including uptime, MTTR, MTBF, change success rate, and customer satisfaction
• Deploy monitoring dashboards and reporting cadences for technical and executive stakeholders
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using KPI trends and industry benchmarks
• Partner with application owners and business leaders to define SLAs and OLAs

Team Leadership & Vendor Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop systems and network engineering staff
• Set performance expectations and support career development
• Manage vendor, ISP, and managed service provider relationships and ensure accountability to SLAs
• Serve as escalation point for IT Service Desk and field support teams

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field (or equivalent experience)

Experience:

• 7+ years of IT operations experience
• 3+ years of leadership experience
• Hands-on experience with enterprise networking (LAN/WAN, switching, routing, firewall)
• Strong knowledge of ITIL processes including incident, problem, change, and asset management
• Experience defining and reporting on IT service KPIs and SLAs
• Experience with monitoring tools such as SolarWinds, Datadog, Nagios, or similar

Licensure/Certifications:

• None required

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree in a related field

Experience:

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid environments
• Experience with ITSM platforms such as ServiceNow or Jira Service Management

Licensure/Certifications:

• ITIL v4 Foundation or higher
• CCNA, CompTIA Network+, or equivalent

Physical Demands

This position primarily involves sedentary work. Occasional standing, walking, and lifting of light objects may be required.

Position Type & Work Location

• Full-time, benefited position
• On-site / Hybrid work arrangement
• Travel up to 5%

Additional Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement plan with employer match up to 5%
• Flexible hybrid work options
• Annual professional development and certification budget
• Generous PTO and paid holidays
• Company-provided equipment and home office stipend

About UVA and the Community

The University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, a vibrant community offering a high quality of life with access to outdoor recreation, cultural experiences, and a thriving food and arts scene. UVA is consistently ranked among the top public universities and is committed to fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.

How to Apply

Please apply online through Online and search for R0082358. Complete the application and upload the following required materials:

• Cover letter
• Resume

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed via SkillSurvey. Five references will be requested, with a minimum of three responses required.

Contact

For questions about this position, please contact the recruiter Bill Crane at [e-mail]

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.