Neptune Technology Group Inc. is a technology company serving water utilities across North America. Since 1892, we have continually focused on the evolving needs of water utilities - revenue optimization, operational efficiencies, and improved customer service. With our portfolio of smart water meters, data collection systems, and software, we make data actionable for our customers - so they can remain focused on the business of water. For additional information, please visit www.neptunetg.com.
The Director of Technology Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for five mission-based teams that collectively own Neptune’s enterprise technology infrastructure. This leader ensures that the systems, networks, and platforms powering Neptune’s operations - and its ability to serve over 4,000 water utilities across North America - are available, secure, and continuously improving.
The role spans service delivery, network engineering, infrastructure, platform engineering, and cloud operations. It demands both technical depth and the organizational leadership to build teams that execute with consistency, respond to challenges with urgency, and scale alongside a company that is growing and transforming. The Director reports to the CIO and partners closely with Security & Compliance and Enterprise Applications.
Leadership & Organizational Ownership
- Direct five mission-based teams: Service Delivery & Experience, Network Services, Infrastructure Services, Platform & Operations Engineering, and Cloud Operations.
- Build a culture of ownership and resilience. Develop team leads who bring solutions and navigate competing priorities with confidence.
- Own IT Operations incident and problem management. When production systems are impacted, lead the response, drive root cause analysis, and own stakeholder communication end-to-end. Partner with Security & Compliance on security incidents where IT infrastructure is involved.
- Own the IT change management program - ensuring changes to infrastructure, platforms, and services follow a disciplined, risk-aware process that protects production stability.
- Manage the IT Operations budget, forecast accurately, and build business cases for technology investment.
- Conduct performance reviews, lead hiring decisions, and develop talent pipelines that grow the organization over time.
Service Delivery & Experience
- Own IT service desk and end-user support across all Neptune sites and remote employees, ensuring consistent, high-quality service.
- Lead device management and Modern Workplace programs including endpoint provisioning, Intune/Autopilot, and enterprise-wide PC rollout across U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Drive ITSM and knowledge management maturity - SLA adherence, ticket quality, self-service adoption, and continuous improvement of support processes.
- Ensure Microsoft 365 collaboration tools are well deployed, adopted, and supported across the enterprise.
Network Services
- Oversee enterprise network engineering and operations across LAN/WAN/wireless environments spanning manufacturing, office, and remote sites in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Own the SASE/FortiSASE architecture and SD-WAN strategy, ensuring secure and reliable connectivity across all Neptune locations.
- Drive network performance monitoring, capacity planning, and proactive optimization.
- Partner with Security & Compliance on firewall management, segmentation, and zero trust network access.
Infrastructure Services
- Own data center and compute infrastructure including servers, virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V), storage, SAN, backup, and disaster recovery.
- Ensure business continuity plans are current, tested, and executable.
- Lead infrastructure migrations, upgrades, and datacenter modernization programs.
- Own physical infrastructure systems including enterprise telephony and unified communications, physical security systems (badge access, cameras, and access control), and other facility-integrated technology across all Neptune sites.
- Partner with Security on infrastructure hardening, endpoint protection, and physical security technology governance across the managed environment.
Platform & Operations Engineering
- Oversee database administration (Oracle, SQL, PostgreSQL) and middleware/integration platforms supporting Neptune’s enterprise applications, including SAP S/4HANA, CRM, and MES.
- Own ITSM tooling, CMDB, automation/orchestration frameworks, and monitoring and observability platforms.
- Own IT incident and problem management processes - ticket workflows, escalation paths, SLA definitions, post-incident reviews, and continuous improvement of resolution practices.
- Own the IT change management program - CAB processes, risk assessment, scheduling, and compliance with change governance requirements.
- Drive asset management and patch management programs - accurate inventory, timely patching, and risk-based prioritization across the environment.
- Partner with Enterprise Applications & Data to ensure platform stability and performance through and after the ERP transformation.
Cloud Operations
- Lead multi-cloud platform management across AWS and Azure, ensuring reliability, performance, and governance of cloud workloads.
- Own FinOps and cloud cost optimization - providing visibility into cloud spend and driving accountability across teams.
- Drive cloud automation and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/IaC) practices to increase deployment velocity and reduce operational toil.
- Integrate AI tools into IT operations - monitoring, triage, patch management, capacity planning — to deliver measurable efficiency gains.
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Requirements
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
Experience
- 10+ years in IT, with 5+ years in a leadership role managing enterprise infrastructure across multiple teams and sites.
- Proven track record leading and developing specialized technical teams with clear accountability structures.
- Hands-on experience leading through production incidents - RCA, executive communication, and resolution under pressure.
Technical Skills
Candidates should bring working knowledge across the domains covered by all five team pillars:
- Service Delivery & Workplace Technology: Enterprise endpoint management, device lifecycle, modern workplace architecture, identity and access management, ITSM platforms, and enterprise collaboration platforms.
- Networking: Enterprise LAN/WAN/wireless design and operations, SD-WAN and secure access architecture (SASE/zero trust), network segmentation, performance monitoring, and multi-site connectivity including international and manufacturing environments.
- Infrastructure & Datacenter: Server and compute infrastructure, virtualization and hypervisor platforms, storage and SAN, backup and disaster recovery, datacenter architecture including on-premises, colocation, hybrid, and hyperscaler/cloud-adjacent models, enterprise telephony and unified communications systems, and physical security infrastructure (badge access, cameras, access control).
- Platform & Operations Engineering: Database platforms, middleware and integration platforms, ITSM and CMDB tooling, monitoring and observability frameworks, automation and orchestration, and asset and patch management programs.
- Cloud Operations: Multi-cloud platform management, cloud governance and cost optimization (FinOps), Infrastructure as Code, workload and container management, and cloud security posture.
- Unified Communications & Telephony: Enterprise voice and communications platforms, contact and call center infrastructure, and collaboration systems integrated into the enterprise environment.
- Manufacturing & OT/IT: Industrial network environments, factory floor connectivity, OT/IT integration, and IT support for multi-site manufacturing operations.
- Security Alignment: Infrastructure-level security controls, endpoint protection, network security architecture, vulnerability and patch management, and compliance support.
Leadership & Soft Skills
- People Management: Proven ability to lead multiple specialized teams simultaneously, build high-performance cultures, and develop leaders at all levels.
- Strategic Execution: Demonstrated ability to translate business priorities into infrastructure roadmaps and deliver results in a fast-moving, growth-oriented environment.
- Communication: Strong verbal and written skills. Comfortable with C-suite reporting and direct, candid conversations at all levels of the organization.
- Problem Solving: Brings options and tradeoffs to complex situations. Builds teams and organizations that do the same.
Certifications
- Relevant certifications such as ITIL, PMP, Microsoft Certified (Azure/M365), AWS Solutions Architect, or CISSP are a plus.
Languages
- Proficiency in English required. Spanish is a plus.
Travel Requirements: Typically requires overnight travel less than 20% of the time.
Location: Tallassee, AL or Duluth, GA
