IT Operations Lead

Oakland, CA

About Entrust 

The Entrust Group (‘Entrust’) is a pioneer in the world of self-direction. For over 40 years, we’ve provided account administration services for self-directed retirement accounts and tax-advantaged plans. As a self-directed IRA administrator and recordkeeper, Entrust assists clients in purchasing alternative investments with their retirement funds that are typically unavailable through banks and brokerage firms. With an Entrust self-directed IRA, clients can develop a more resilient and diversified portfolio by investing in assets such as real estate, precious metals, start-ups, private equity, loans, and more.  

While the Entrust Client Portal Platform is one of the most advanced in our industry, we strive to offer market-leading capabilities through differentiating functionality and innovation.  Our focus is always on enabling the best customer experience while delivering value to help customers manage their financial assets with a trusted platform and provider.   

Our organization is focused on driving the next generation of products and services that continue to make Entrust a market leader.  To bring the best services to our customers, we are building a best-in-class team to support the objectives of our firm, customers, and stakeholders. 

Job Description 

The IT Operations Lead oversees the day-to-day operation, reliability, and continuous improvement of Entrust's IT services. The role combines hands-on systems administration and end-user support with coordination and oversight of managed service providers, vendors, and IT Operations initiatives.  

This role will report to the IT Director and work directly with business stakeholders and managed service providers to maintain and manage the organization's information technology infrastructure.  

Systems Administration 

  • Manage and maintain IT Operations systems and services, including laptops, desktops, peripherals, and applications, ensuring their reliable operation through installation, configuration, administration, access management, and ongoing support. 
  • Oversee IT asset lifecycle management, including equipment inventory, procurement coordination, deployment, replacement, and retirement. 

Incident Management 

  • Handle regular end-user support requests.  
  • Investigate and resolve technical issues in a timely and effective manner, leveraging help desk platforms and ticketing systems.  
  • Escalate issues to MSPs for second- and third-level support, maintaining ownership and accountability for timely resolution, follow-up, and effective communication with stakeholders. 
  • Address issues during regular business hours, with the flexibility to respond to critical business issues as needed. 

MSP & Vendor Management 

  • Oversee MSP activities related to network operations, help desk, service desk, and user security. 
  • Collaborate with MSPs to ensure adherence to project plans, performance and quality standards, and best practices. 
  • Coordinate with IT vendors to manage services and subscriptions, identify opportunities for improvement and optimization, and drive cost and operational efficiencies. 
  • Coordinate IT operational changes and maintenance activities, ensuring appropriate planning, stakeholder communication, and minimal business disruption. 

Initiative Ownership & Continuous Improvement 

  • Take ownership of projects and tasks from the IT Operations perspective; proactively address challenges, manage priorities and deadlines, facilitate issue resolution, and collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical teams. 
  • Identify, propose, and implement improvements to IT processes, systems, and services to enhance operational efficiency, service quality, and reliability. 
  • Stay current with emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices; evaluate opportunities and drive the adoption of relevant solutions within IT Operations. 
  • Provide day-to-day leadership and guidance to IT Operations team members, coordinating activities, setting priorities, and supporting their professional development. 

Cybersecurity & Compliance  

  • Ensure the ongoing adherence to cybersecurity practices across IT Operations services. 
  • Promote and facilitate the adoption of cybersecurity best practices among end users. 
  • Support security assessments, compliance reviews, and audits. 

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement 

  • Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders, providing guidance and education to align expectations, improve collaboration, and enhance overall IT Operations services. 

Other Responsibilities 

  • Preserve company knowledge by systematically documenting IT activities, processes, and procedures. 
  • Contribute to IT budget development, planning, and tracking. 
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the IT Director. 

Requirements 

  • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field. 
  • 5+ years of experience working as an IT operations specialist, engineer, operator, or related role.  
  • Extensive hands-on experience with Microsoft 365 applications and services, Entra ID, Windows operating systems; Jira/Confluence; familiarity with AWS and cloud-based IT environments. 
  • Strong knowledge of end-user hardware, including laptops, desktops, monitors, peripherals, and related technologies, with hands-on experience in hardware selection, configuration, troubleshooting, and lifecycle management. 
  • Solid understanding of cybersecurity principles and best practices in IT Operations, including identity and access management, endpoint security, vulnerability management, data protection, and incident response. 
  • Strong organizational, self-management, and prioritization skills, with the ability to take ownership of responsibilities, manage competing priorities, coordinate vendor activities, and deliver results with limited supervision. 
  • Experience managing and collaborating with MSPs. 
  • Project management skills with a track record of delivering medium-sized technology projects on time and within budget. 
  • In-depth knowledge of IT operations best practices, methodologies, tools, and technologies, including familiarity with ITIL frameworks and IT Service Management principles. 
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking abilities. 
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders. 
  • Ability to provide guidance, coordinate team activities, and support the development of other IT professionals.