Director, IT Operations & Administrative Applications

Job Summary

The Jackson Laboratory is seeking a strategic and service-oriented Director of IT Operations and Administrative Applications to lead global desktop and helpdesk operations. Reporting directly to the CIO, this critical leadership role will ensure the delivery of reliable, efficient, and customer-focused IT support services while driving cross-functional initiatives to improve core systems, streamline hardware and endpoint management, and align technology strategies with organizational goals. The Director will bring a strong vision for operational excellence, a passion for team development, and a commitment to delivering scalable, cost-effective solutions that empower scientific discovery and enterprise success.

This is a hybrid role base in either Bar Harbor, Maine (preferred) or Farmington, Connecticut, 3 days per week with approximately 25-30% (1 week per month) domestic travel required. The position is eligible for a one-time relocation bonus.

What You'll Contribute

• Collaborate with IT senior leadership to design and implement a sustainable IT Service Management (ITSM) framework, ensuring service excellence and accountability.
• Optimize endpoint support and helpdesk operations by streamlining technologies and processes that enhance scalability, business continuity, and customer experience.
• Manage budgets and resource allocations to maximize efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with institutional priorities.
• Lead high-performing teams through continuous improvement cycles-leveraging benchmarking, data analysis, and KPIs to guide decisions and elevate service delivery.
• Champion adherence to IT and organizational policies, setting a strong leadership example across training, compliance, and operational discipline.
• Oversee cross-functional projects focused on improving service management, support infrastructure, and enterprise-wide IT operations.
• Develop and implement dashboards, metrics, and service assurance tools in collaboration with peers to evaluate IT performance, drive transparency, and improve stakeholder satisfaction.
• Design and maintain an effective service assurance model using Lean and other continuous improvement methodologies to optimize customer support across JAX.
• Standardize and enhance endpoint technology management (Mac and PC) to ensure a secure, seamless user experience that supports research, productivity, and cost-efficiency.

What You're Good At

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant IT experience, with 12 years preferred.
• At least 6 years of supervisory or people management experience, with 8 years preferred.
• Proven experience hiring, developing, and leading operational IT teams within complex national or global environments.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing short- and long-term endpoint technology strategies, ensuring platforms align with evolving organizational needs.
• Ability to strategically assess IT environments, develop multi-year roadmaps, and successfully execute initiatives that improve service delivery and user experience.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale IT operations or support teams in customer-facing environments with competing demands and priorities.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and cultural competence to build effective relationships across diverse roles, disciplines, and levels of technical expertise.
• Demonstrated experience transforming IT teams through process improvement, performance management, team realignment, and strategic hiring.
• Strong customer service mindset and communication skills with the discretion, judgment, and diplomacy required to work in high-profile or high-stakes environments.
• Deep understanding of service and application delivery, including successful management of service level agreements (SLAs) and customer satisfaction metrics.
• Broad technical experience with infrastructure technologies such as networking, communications, servers, storage, backup/archive systems, high availability environments, disaster recovery, and data security.
• Hands-on experience deploying and managing business applications and infrastructure systems; familiarity with current protocols and standards, including ITIL concepts.
• Conversant in programming languages and development tools relevant to IT operations and automation.
• Demonstrated knowledge of cybersecurity standards and endpoint security practices-particularly as they apply to desktop and endpoint management.
• Significant experience in a mixed Mac and PC environment, including deployment, patching, management, and automation, with proven success in system optimization.
• Practical experience applying Lean tools and methodologies to IT operations, including help desk, desktop engineering, and service assurance functions.

The salary range is $146,308- $212,147. Salary will be determined based on qualifications and relevant experience.

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About JAX:

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California),Japan andChina. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.

Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community. For more information, please visitwww.jax.org.

EEO Statement:

The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws.