IT Operations Manager

Overview of Role

As 66degrees continues its rapid growth, we are seeking a hands-on, highly technical IT Operations Manager to build and manage our internal IT Operations function. This is a critical management role responsible for the stability, integrity, and operational excellence of our core information technology systems.

Reporting to the Director/VP of Technology, you will take ownership of our cloud infrastructure, hardware assets, and our comprehensive portfolio of SaaS business applications, along with the team members dedicated to each of these IT subsets. You will build and mentor a team of talented IT engineers, establish and manage operational processes, and serve as the key escalation point for all IT Operations. The ideal candidate is a player and coach with a deep technical understanding of modern infrastructure and SaaS management, capable of leading a team, guiding technical strategy, and getting hands-on with the work when the need arises.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Management

• Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing IT Operations team, including Cloud Engineers, SaaS Administrators, and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, providing professional development and growth opportunities for team members.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for the IT Operations team, providing technical guidance and resolving complex IT business issues.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and best practices for our global IT department.

Cloud Infrastructure Operations

• Oversee the administration, maintenance, and optimization of all internal Cloud Platform environments.
• Lead discussions with various teams regarding their use of internal cloud infrastructure to advise on best practices and methods to automate the provisioning and management of cloud resources.
• Ensure the availability, security, and cost-efficiency of our cloud infrastructure, including Compute Engine, GKE, Cloud Storage, BigQuery, Vertex AI, Gemini Enterprise, NotebookLM Enterprise, and others.
• Oversee the implementation of robust IAM policies, network security (VPCs, VPNs, firewalls), monitoring via the Cloud Operations suite, and logging.

SaaS & Business Systems Operations

• Lead the administration, integration, and optimization of our core corporate SaaS portfolio, including Google Workspace, Salesforce, Rippling, Atlassian, Slack, Google Partner Tools, Office 365, ChurnZero, Ramp, Asana, WiseStamp, EasyDMARC, GoDaddy, and others.
• Design and enforce a comprehensive Identity and Access Management (IAM) strategy using Rippling IT, including automated user provisioning/de-provisioning (SCIM, JIT) and adherence to the Principle of Least Privilege.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of our integration strategy, leveraging iPaaS solutions like Workato, Google Apps Script, and custom scripts to build robust, automated workflows between business systems.
• Partner with business departments (HR, Sales, Marketing) to understand their needs and own the technical implementation of their core platforms, while collaborating with team members to define shared platform ownership and accountability.

Collaboration, Strategy, Security

• Partner closely with the Security Operations team to implement "as-a-service" best practices, manage our MDM solution, and gather evidence for compliance audits.
• Collaborate with global teams on infrastructure initiatives and the rollout of internal frameworks, such as Dev vs. Prod delineation.
• Evaluate, select, and manage relationships with key IT vendors and service providers, ensuring they meet performance and contractual expectations.
• Partner with the Security team for GRC buildout (Drata) and Trust Center buildout (SafeBase).

Required Qualifications

• 8-10 years of progressive experience in IT Operations or Systems Engineering, including at least 4 years in a direct management capacity leading and mentoring technical teams.
• Strong leadership and English communication skills, with a proven ability to bridge time zones and cultural nuances while managing remote/offshore resources..
• Extensive experience managing a large portfolio of enterprise SaaS applications and implementing enterprise-wide IAM strategies using a central IdP (e.g., Rippling or Okta).
• Proven ability to architect high-level strategy and manage teams while remaining technical enough to execute alongside them and provide direct hands-on support.
• Technical proficiency in Infrastructure as Code (IaC), specifically using Terraform to automate cloud infrastructure management.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise integrations, either through scripting (Python, Bash, Google Apps Script) or via an iPaaS platform (Workato preferred).
• Deep expertise in Mobile Device Management (MDM) for at-scale corporate assets, BYOD environments, and Chrome browser management.
• Extensive hands-on experience across the entire Google stack, including GCP infrastructure at scale and advanced Google Workspace administration.
• Strong understanding of ITIL v4 frameworks, particularly in Change Management and Incident Response within a high-growth environment.
• Experience with CLI tools such as gCloud, GAM, Git, Docker, Homebrew, and others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry-recognized IT certifications (e.g., CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, ITIL 4, CCNA, RHCSA, CCNP, PMP, CISM).
• Prior experience thriving in the fast-paced environment of a technology consulting or professional services firm.
• Experience establishing internal governance and access controls for Enterprise AI tools (e.g., Gemini Enterprise, Vertex AI, or NotebookLM).
• Proven track record of reducing manual IT service desk tickets by 30%+ through the implementation of "Low-Code/No-Code" automation or advanced iPaaS recipes.
• Direct experience partnering with SecOps through SOC2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA compliance audits using automated GRC platforms like Drata.
• Practical experience moving an organization toward a Zero Trust security model.
• Familiarity with Lifecycle Management (LCM) transitions, moving from manual onboarding to fully automated "Zero-Touch" provisioning.
• Experience applying Agile or Kanban methodologies to internal IT Operations to manage sprint cycles for SaaS integrations and infrastructure projects.
• Prior experience managing the IT side of Mergers and Acquisitions, including domain migrations, SaaS consolidation, and tenant-to-tenant transfers.