Senior Director - IT System Operations

SUMMARY

The Senior Director, System Operations is responsible for providing leadership and strategy as the key leader of three critical areas of CDI's infrastructure operations team: Database Administration, System Administration and System Architecture.

Critical aspects of this role include providing leadership, guidance, and structure to the Systems and Database Administrator teams and their respective managers. Additionally, this role will also have a strong focus on strategic planning, financial management, documentation, Microsoft enterprise road maps, improving and standardizing existing processes, as well as collaborating with stakeholders to align technology solutions with desired business outcomes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Oversees technical leads and leads teams within a managed services framework
• Directs server, database and data recovery architecture decisions, contribute to Active Directory and cloud architecture decisions
• Develop and maintain predictable maintenance schedules for systems and applications, specifically Microsoft 365, Windows Server OS, and MS SQL Server
• Oversight, management, and accountability of functional area software and application licensing and compliance
• Plan, schedule, and pro-actively manage Windows Server environments, Data Recovery platforms, MS SQL and other critical system infrastructure upgrades and ongoing patching to avoid obsolescence, ensure proper licensing, and security
• Develop, implement, document, improve, and maintain processes, standards, and policies for the functional areas of the team, while maintaining or improving the overall company security posture
• Creates, communicates, and distributes KPIs and other metrics focused on workloads, trends, and operational aspects of teams
• Manages direct and/or indirect team capacity and resource availability and participates in annual capacity planning for functional areas of responsibility
• Collaboratively partners with organizational departments and business units to plan and implement IT services for increasing operational efficiencies and delivering expected outcomes
• Continuously evaluate existing systems, tooling, and platforms to increase efficiency and operational supportability
• Work as a member of an internal or organizational project team to deliver, integrate or design new business systems and processes
• Project management: Plan, coordinate, and execute projects within the area of responsibility on time and within budget.
• Demonstrated ability to serve in a technical advisory capacity to management team, with respect to design and architecture of systems and applications
• Respond to, manage, and escalate incidents, as required
• Create, provide, and present reports and/or presentations for management team
• Perform related duties as assigned and unrelated duties as requested

REGULATORY:

Ability to obtain racing and/or gaming licenses as required in any jurisdiction where CDI operates. The gaming industry is highly regulated and, as such, requires an extensive background check to obtain a license. Must be 21 years of age.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or similar field required
• 5+ years of experience managing infrastructure team leaders and managers
• 7+ years of experience with IT systems management in a large enterprise with strong background in Microsoft environments
• 3+ years of experience in financial management including budgeting, forecasting, and expense management
• ITIL Foundation or Practitioner v3 or higher certification

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Highly motivated and self-led individual that can independently manage and solve complex business problems, while ensuring stakeholders are communicated to
• Possess a broad background in IT Systems, Databases, Disaster Recovery, Data Protection and other IT Operations disciplines
• Experience with ITIL Capacity Management as it pertains to areas of responsibility
• Licensing compliance and product lifecycle management
• Demonstrated history of leadership with experience leading managers required
• Strong written and verbal communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Experience designing, implementing, and managing a data protection and recovery strategy for a multi-location business required
• Excellent organization and time management skills with experience managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong vendor management and negotiation skills
• Ability to adapt to new and changing business environments
• Position requires in-office presence located in Louisville, KY with occasional travel to other CDI properties
• The applicant must be able to attain and retain racing and gaming licenses in the various jurisdictions in which CDI operates.

DESIRED SKILLS:

• Experience with public cloud services and providers such as AWS, Azure or GCP
• Experience with Linux or other open-source operating systems
• Working knowledge in the use of industry standard Project Management methodologies preferred
• MCSA, MCSE, MTA or other Microsoft Certifications preferred
• Experience with COBIT
• Talent at identifying efforts that can be "Shifted Left" and skill at organizing work and teams to ensure incidents, projects and maintenance are managed effectively
• Experience with Lean Six Sigma tools and concepts

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Extended periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Regular use of a keyboard and mouse for typing and navigating software.
• Viewing a computer screen for prolonged periods.
• Ability to manipulate paperwork, including filing, sorting, and organizing.
• Moving within the office environment to attend meetings, use office equipment, or interact with colleagues.
• Occasional lifting of office supplies or paperwork (up to 20 pounds).
• Speaking and listening to colleagues and clients in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing.
• Working in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise levels.
• Performing repetitive tasks such as data entry or document preparation.
• Working under artificial lighting conditions typical of an office environment, including fluorescent or LED lighting.