Position Summary:
The Director of Network Operations & IT Infrastructure will lead the strategic planning, design, implementation, and maintenance of all hardware, software, networks, and data center operations for the firm. This role ensures 24/7 uptime, robust security, and seamless connectivity for a 50% remote workforce, while adhering to strict legal and financial compliance standards. The primary emphasis is on strong enterprise networking leadership, with the expectation to develop into broader security leadership over time.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Infrastructure Planning & Leadership
- Develop and execute a comprehensive IT infrastructure roadmap aligning with the firm's growth.
- Direct the procurement and implementation of network products, services, and security solutions.
- Manage the departmental budget, vendor contracts, and service level agreements (SLAs) with ISPs, VoIP providers, and cloud vendors.
- Serve as a key escalation point for critical IT failures, ensuring high availability.
- Own root cause analysis and permanent remediation of recurring outages.
Network Operations & Security
- Oversee LAN/WAN connectivity, VoIP systems, firewall management, and VPN/SD-WAN solutions for remote users.
- Ensure the integrity and availability of all data, specifically sensitive financial and client information.
- Lead vulnerability management, SIEM/monitoring, and incident response planning.
- Lead the maintenance of audit-ready documentation and prepare IT infrastructure for compliance assessments.
- Maintain Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans to ensure operational resilience.
Support Operations
- Direct the help desk to ensure 24/7 support for both in-office staff and remote employees (100+ users).
- Reduce ticket volume through system improvements and root cause fixes.
- Establish policies and procedures for secure, reliable remote workstation hardware/software and peripheral devices.
- Implement secure remote access protocols (VPN, MFA) to maintain firm compliance.
- Ensure proper backups, retention, and data destruction procedures.
Team Leadership & Management
- Foster a high-performance culture across a distributed workforce.
- Hold vendors accountable to SLAs and contractual obligations.
- Present solutions and cost analysis to the leadership team
Required Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
- Experience: 8–10+ years of IT experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or management role, preferably in a law firm or financial services environment.
- Technical Skills: Deep knowledge of enterprise networking
- Compliance: Experience with PCIDSS, HIPAA, GLBA, or other financial data security standards.
- Soft Skills: Proven ability to communicate technical requirements to non-technical partners and senior management.
Preferred Qualifications
- Certifications: CISSP, CCNA/CCNP, or ITIL Foundation.
- Experience with document management systems.
- Experience in regulated environments and distributed workforce support.
Core Competencies for this Role
- High-Pressure Support: Ability to maintain calm and provide 100% uptime during high-stakes deadlines.
- Remote Team Cohesion: Ability to build morale in a distributed setting.
- Proactive Security: Deep familiarity with threat detection and mitigation.
First 90-day success expectations
- Complete infrastructure and vendor audit
- Identify top operational risks and the remediation plan
- Stabilize recurring outages
- Deliver infrastructure and security roadmap
Career growth expectations
- This role is designed for a strong networking and infrastructure leader who will be developed into the firm’s security leader (CISO-equivalent) over time through hands-on experience, training, and increasing ownership of security and compliance functions.