Town of Carrboro, NC

Compensation

Full Description

General Definition and Conditions of Work Position Overview The IT Operations Manager is a hands-on technical leadership role responsible for the stability, security, and day-to-day operation of the Town of Carrboro’s IT infrastructure. This position balances direct technical execution with people and operational management, serving as the senior technical lead for infrastructure, networking, endpoint management, and core IT services. This role is not a purely administrative or people-only management position. The incumbent is expected to maintain strong technical depth, actively participate in troubleshooting and system improvements, and lead by example while managing staff and vendors. The IT Operations Manager reports to the IT Director and operates with considerable independence, exercising judgment within established policies and regulatory frameworks. Occasional after-hours and weekend support is required to support critical municipal services. Why This Role Matters This position directly supports the reliability and security of technology systems that enable essential municipal services, including public safety, public access systems, and Town operations. The IT Operations Manager plays a critical role in ensuring continuity, resilience, and trust in public-sector technology services. Physical Requirements and Possible Hazards Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational support functions of standing, walking, stooping, typing, talking, sitting, bending, kneeling, grasping, hearing, handling, pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, reaching and repetitive motions of the hands and wrists. Must be able to physically crawl in confined work areas such as under desks and in wiring closets. Ability to perform medium work, exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Must possess the close visual acuity to operate a computer terminal and perform extensive reading. Essential Functions • Technical Operations & Infrastructure (Hands-On) • Serve as the technical lead for Town-wide IT operations, including on-premises, hybrid, and SaaS platforms. • Administer, configure, and troubleshoot firewall and network security platforms, including Palo Alto Firewalls and Cisco ASA appliances. • Manage and support virtualized environments using VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V, including patching, lifecycle management, performance monitoring, and incident response. • Oversee network administration, monitoring, and troubleshooting using industry-standard network and diagnostic tools. • Administer Workspace ONE / AirWatch for mobile device and endpoint management, security enforcement, and policy compliance. • Coordinate with service providers and utilities supporting Google Fiber and municipal fiber-optic infrastructure, including 811 coordination and response. • Ensure availability and operational integrity of phone systems, public Wi-Fi, door access systems, and security cameras across Town facilities. • Service Delivery & Incident Management • Manage daily operations of the Town’s Help Desk and support services, including escalation handling, response-time monitoring, user satisfaction tracking, and continuous improvement initiatives. • Provide direct Tier 3 support and escalation resolution for complex infrastructure, network, and security issues. • Direct system operations including monitoring, maintenance, patching, testing, and upgrades across critical systems. • Security, Risk & Compliance • Lead operational cybersecurity efforts, including threat assessment, vulnerability mitigation, endpoint security configuration, and incident response. • Assist the IT Director with internal and external security audits and risk assessments. • Develop and maintain operational security procedures, documentation, and response protocols. • Leadership, Staff & Vendor Management • Directly supervise IT Operations staff, including performance management, mentoring, cross-training, and workforce planning. • Lead technical project teams and represent operational requirements across departments. • Participate in vendor selection, contract negotiations, and service provider management. • Planning, Metrics & Continuous Improvement • Implement infrastructure and operational process improvements based on performance metrics and operational observations. • Develop reports and dashboards measuring system availability, service delivery, and project execution. • Support IT budget planning and lifecycle forecasting in partnership with the IT Director. Education and Experience Required: • Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field and four (4) years of progressively responsible IT experience involving infrastructure, systems, and network administration, including one (1) year of supervisory or technical lead experience; OR • Associate’s degree and six (6) years of equivalent experience. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered. A higher degree does not substitute for hands-on experience. Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid driver's license issued by the State of North Carolina for the type of vehicle or equipment operated is required. Preferred: • Experience supporting local, state, or federal government IT environments. • Experience operating IT services that support public safety, emergency response, or 24/7 operations. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Required Technical Competencies • Hands-on experience with Palo Alto Firewalls and Cisco ASA platforms. • Strong working knowledge of VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization. • Proficiency with network administration tools, monitoring platforms, and TCP/IP networking concepts. • Experience with Workspace ONE / AirWatch or similar MDM platforms. • Understanding of ISP and fiber-based connectivity, including coordination with providers such as Google Fiber. • Working knowledge of cybersecurity principles, endpoint protection, SIEM tools, and vulnerability management. Disclaimer CARRBORO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Town of Carrboro considers applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. We are especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute, through their skills, dedication and service, to the diversity and excellence of our organization. The Town of Carrboro offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all permenant employees. Health Insurance The Town provides a group medical insurance including family coverage through our medical provider, Aetna. The Town pays the cost of employee only coverage and shares the costs of adding family members (including domestic partners) to the town plan. Health insurance is effective the first day of of the month following new hire's start date. Dental Insurance Dental insurance is an optional benefit administered through our dental provider, Aetna. Dental coverage is paid for by the employee. Coverage for eligible dependents is also available. Vision Insurance Vision insurance is a benefit offered through our vision provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Vision coverage is paid for by the Town. Coverage for eligible dependents is also available. Flexible Spending Account An optional benefit offered through our provider, Flex. Eligible health and dependent care expenses can be paid for with pre-tax dollars allocated onto a Visa card. Paid Time Off • Annual Leave: Permenant full-time employees earn between 12 and 26 days per year depending upon years of service. Permenant part-time employees accrue a prorated amount of leave based on hours worked. • Sick Leave: Permenant full-time employees accrue at a rate of one day per month of service or twelve days per calendar year. Shift employees of the Fire-Rescue Department earn sick leave at the rate of five, twenty-four hour tour-of-duty days per calendar year. Permenant part-time employees accrue a prorated amount of leave based on hours worked. • Paid-Time Off: Permenant full-time employees recieve three (3) days (36 hours for Fire-Rescue personnel) per calendar year of time to be used as needed. Time is pro-rated to employee's start date. Permenant part-time employees accrue a prorated amount of leave based on hours worked. • Paid Caregiver Leave: Qualifying employees receive 240 hours of Paid Caregiver Leave to care for an immediate family member including birth or placement of a child in the home for adoption or foster care. This leave does not come from employee's leave bank. • Paid Holidays: There are 12 official Town holidays. Employees in full or permenant part-time positions are eligible for paid holiday time. Local Government Retirement System All employees in permenant full- or part-time position are required to contribute to the retirement system. Contributions are taken on a pre-tax basis. The current contribution amount is 6%. Supplemental Retirement Plan The Town makes a contribution of 5% for law enforcement officers and 3% for all other employees to town sponsored 401(k) administered through Empower. NO employee match is required, however, employees have the option of making contributions on a pre- or post-tax basis. Disability and Life Insurance • Town Paid: The Town covers both long term disability and life/AD&D insurance for permenant employees. • Employee Paid: Employees have the option of enrolling in short-term disability and purchaing supplemental life and dependent life insurance at their own expense. Employee Assistance Program Employees and their dependents eligible to recieve free and confidential 24/7 counseling through the Town's Employee Assistance Program. Additional Benefits • Service Level Benefit payment based on years of service beginning year zero (0) of permenant full-time employment. Paid in December before holidays each year. • O2 Fitness membership paid for by the Town. • Credit Union: Employees of the Town of Carrboro are eligible to open accounts at the Local Government Federal Credit Union. • Tuition assistance is available upon completion of the initial probationary period.