Secure Research Team Lead

University of Connecticut; Storrs-Mansfield (CT); On-site; USD 95,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Connecticut ITS seeks an IT Team Lead 2 to manage IT professionals and oversee Microsoft 365, Entra, and Azure services in a Secure Research environment. You will set priorities, supervise staff, and ensure high availability of critical research IT.

Lead identity management, implement security best practices, and guide upgrades across systems. Strong collaboration with researchers and IT teams is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree plus eight (8) years of related experience; OR Bachelor’s degree plus six (6) years of related experience; OR Ten (10) years of related experience. AND one (1) year of experience serving as a supervisor of a moderate-sized department or leading major projects.
• Proven hands-on experience configuring, administering, and supporting Microsoft 365 services, including Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Teams.
• Experience with Microsoft Entra user administration, role-based access control, conditional access policies, and security best practices; working knowledge of Active Directory users and groups or Azure RBAC roles.
• Proven in-depth technical knowledge and the ability to design and support IT services in a multi-tiered environment, including knowledge of systems analysis, design, development, and programming/scripting.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, prioritize, and organize team assignments and technical projects; apply troubleshooting, critical thinking, and analysis to resolve problems; and use common productivity software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Visio.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical training and guidance to peers and less technical users, apply active listening, communicate effectively orally and in writing, and maintain effective working relationships with individuals of diverse cultural, social, and educational backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare clear procedures, processes, and physical and logical network diagrams; investigate and apply new skills and technologies; and maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Required due to security regulations.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, schedule, and review IT staff responsible for Secure Research technology.
• Plan workloads, prioritize requests, and monitor progress against objectives.
• Oversee Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams in a secure Azure environment; assess requirements and recommend solutions.
• Lead Entra administration, access controls, and conditional access policies.
• Stay current on Azure Government features and evaluate new technologies for the Secure Research environment.
• Plan and oversee new system implementations and upgrades across services and hardware.
• Ensure service availability, diagnose issues, coordinate escalations, and implement improvements.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, SOPs, security policies, and diagrams.
• Coordinate with researchers, IT teams, and vendors to improve products and services.
• Support information security within the University Information Security Program.
• Perform related work and projects to support Secure Research Infrastructure.

Skills

Microsoft 365

Microsoft Entra

Technical knowledge

Planning & problem solving

Communication & teamwork

Documentation

US Citizenship

PowerShell

Ansible

Azure CLI

Azure

Education

Associate’s degree + 8 years related experience

Bachelor’s degree + 6 years related experience

Ten years related experience + 1 year supervisory

Tools

PowerShell

Ansible

Azure CLI

Azure

Job description

Search #: 499864
Work type: Full-time
Location: UConn Storrs
Categories: Information Technology

JOB SUMMARY

The University of Connecticut (UConn) Information Technology Services (ITS) is seeking an IT Team Lead 2 to manage IT professionals and lead technical operations within the Secure Research environment. Working under the general direction of a manager or director, this position oversees and provides advanced technical analysis, design, deployment, and ongoing management of Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, and related Azure services. The position establishes team priorities and workflows, supervises and develops staff, and maintains accountability for the availability and continuity of assigned services supporting secure research.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Supervision and Development: Schedule, assign, oversee, and review the work of IT staff responsible for installing, upgrading, maintaining, and supporting Secure Research technology. Provide staff training, technical guidance, and assistance to promote effective service delivery and staff development.
• Team Planning and Service Coordination: Determine team priorities, plan workloads, and establish and maintain unit workflows. Receive and prioritize technical requests, assign tasks based on staff expertise and capacity, and monitor progress, quality, and completion against project and service objectives.
• Microsoft 365 Service Management: Oversee and perform the configuration, administration, and support of Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 services in a secure, Azure-based research environment. Assess technical requirements and recommend solutions that meet researcher and institutional needs.
• Microsoft Entra Administration: Lead the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of identity and access management policies, user and group administration, role-based access controls, and conditional access policies. Guide staff in applying security best practices.
• Azure Government and Technical Strategy: Maintain current knowledge of Azure Government cloud features and secure research practices. Evaluate emerging Microsoft and Azure technologies, assess their suitability, and recommend strategies and improvements for the Secure Research environment.
• System Implementation and Upgrades: Plan and oversee new system implementations and upgrades to applications, systems, networks, and hardware supporting assigned services. Coordinate staff activities, testing, and rollout with other IT teams to meet division goals and minimize service disruption.
• Service Availability and Problem Resolution: Maintain accountability for the availability and continuity of assigned services and systems. Work with IT staff to identify and resolve system errors, coordinate escalations and service restoration, and implement improvements that reduce recurring issues.
• Documentation and Process Improvement: Develop, maintain, and review technical documentation, standard operating procedures, security policies, and system diagrams. Establish procedures and techniques to analyze and improve the performance and efficiency of supported software and hardware systems.
• Collaboration and Vendor Coordination: Serve as a liaison among the Secure Research team, researchers, other IT departments, and external customers. Coordinate work across teams, communicate priorities and service issues, and direct staff collaboration with vendors and management to develop or enhance products and services.
• Information Security: Support the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of University information as part of the University Information Security Program. Incorporate applicable security requirements into team workflows, system administration, and service delivery.
• Additional Duties: Perform related work and projects as assigned to support the broader Secure Research Infrastructure.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. Associate’s degree plus eight (8) years of related experience; OR Bachelor’s degree plus six (6) years of related experience; OR Ten (10) years of related experience. AND one (1) year of experience serving as a supervisor of a moderate-sized department or leading major projects.
2. Microsoft 365 Expertise: Proven hands‑on experience configuring, administering, and supporting Microsoft 365 services, including Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Teams.
3. Microsoft Entra and Access Control: Experience with Microsoft Entra user administration, role-based access control, conditional access policies, and security best practices; working knowledge of Active Directory users and groups or Azure RBAC roles.
4. Technical Knowledge: Proven in‑depth technical knowledge and the ability to design and support IT services in a multi‑tiered environment, including knowledge of systems analysis, design, development, and programming/scripting.
5. Planning and Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to plan, prioritize, and organize team assignments and technical projects; apply troubleshooting, critical thinking, and analysis to resolve problems; and use common productivity software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Visio.
6. Communication and Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to provide technical training and guidance to peers and less technical users, apply active listening, communicate effectively orally and in writing, and maintain effective working relationships with individuals of diverse cultural, social, and educational backgrounds.
7. Documentation and Professional Practice: Demonstrated ability to prepare clear procedures, processes, and physical and logical network diagrams; investigate and apply new skills and technologies; and maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
8. US Citizenship: Required due to security regulations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Regulatory Compliance: Experience working with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), NIST SP 800-171, and/or CMMC 2.0.
• Azure Virtual Desktop: Demonstrated familiarity with provisioning and managing virtual desktop infrastructure in Azure.
• Microsoft Azure Administration: Hands‑on experience deploying virtual machines, storage accounts, creating resource groups, and managing Azure subscriptions.
• Network & Security: Demonstrated understanding of firewall policies, Azure Network Security Groups, and general network configuration (e.g., virtual networks, subnets, public/private endpoints).
• OS Administration: Experience managing Windows and/or Linux servers in a production environment.
• Scripting and Automation: Proven proficiency with PowerShell, Ansible, Azure CLI, or other automation tools.
• Higher Education Experience: Previous experience in a higher education IT environment.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The hiring range for this position is $95,066 to $123,585. An offer of employment, if made, will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s skill and experience, as determined by the University.

For more information about benefits and other offerings available to University employees, we encourage you to review the Human Resources website and explore the sections under the Benefits & Leaves header at the top of the page. Under Benefits & Leaves, select Benefits to access an overview as well as additional information on topics such as paid time off, benefits, retirement, and other resources. As you explore these pages, please note that this position is covered by the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA) and look for information specifically identified for UCPEA, as provisions may vary by employee group.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

Other rights, terms, and conditions of employment are contained in the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA).

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and belief that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disabilities, veteran’s status, status as a victim of domestic violence and/or sexual assault and/or trafficking in persons as defined by Connecticut law, prior conviction of a crime, workplace hazards to the reproductive systems, or gender identity or expression

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO employer including for Disability and Veteran status.

Advertised: Oct 16 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Nov 16 2026 Eastern Standard Time