Director of Infrastructure - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international, nonprofit conservation organization with two front doors: the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. We integrate wildlife health and care, science, and education to develop sustainable conservation solutions.

HOW YOU WILL IMPACT OUR MISSION
The Director of Infrastructure is responsible for providing strategy, design, reliability and performance of the organizations core technology environment. This role oversees and provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction for the organization's IT infrastructure, network services, cloud platforms and service desk. The Director partners closely with the Head of Information Security to embed security into every layer of the infrastructure stack and collaborates with business partners across the organization and establishes the short and long-term IT infrastructure strategies. The Director is responsible for managing both the operating expense and capital budgets on IT infrastructure and managing and coordinating the activities of the assigned professional and technical staff. This position reports to the Vice President of Information Technology.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the IT Infrastructure team. Supervise, hire, train, mentor and coach other IT staff, work with employees to correct deficiencies and implement discipline procedures, write performance evaluations and establish staff development plans.
• Collaborates with business partners and staff to understand the short and long-term IT infrastructure strategies. Develop and communicate, to VP IT, a path to achieve those strategies including analysis of labor, operating expense and capital spending need to be successful. Manage all resources to ensure success in multiple projects.
• Oversees the maintenance, support and optimization of all systems infrastructure including but not limited to servers, network equipment, software and connectivity. Including installing or upgrading hardware and/or software. Ensure high availability, performance, and reliability of core infrastructure.
• Oversees IT Infrastructure related projects including but not limited to Servers, Network, Storage, Backup, Cloud, Disaster Recovery, etc.
• Oversees development of operating expenses and capital spend budget for all IT Infrastructure needs.
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery plan.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

JOB EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of experience managing enterprise IT systems, cloud environments, and networks required
• 7+ years of progressive IT experience, with 5+ years in an IT leadership role required
• 5+ years' of experience working in a Cisco, MIST and Palo Alto environment required
• 5+ years' of experience working in a HCI (hyper-converged infrastructure) required

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field. Or 10+ years of equivalent experience required.
• Certification as Cisco Certified Network Professional required
• Certification as Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert required
• Certification as a Palo Alto Network Security Professional required
  

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Strong working knowledge of a variety of programs including but not limited to, ServiceNow, Office 365, Microsoft Azure/Entra and hyperconverged infrastructure environments as well as systems/network infrastructure requirements and components. (cisco, Juniper MIST and Palo Alto)
• Demonstrated ability to lead highly effective teams.
• Demonstrated ability to handle highly complex interpersonal situations with a high level of tact and diplomacy.
• Able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Strong background working with networks, servers, storage, backup & security principals and best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery
• Negotiate and oversee relationships with vendors, providers and contractors.

SOME OF THE REWARDS YOU WILL ENJOY AS A TEAM MEMBER

• Free admission to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• Family Passes
• Complimentary Tickets
• Free Parking at the San Diego Zoo & San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• Local and In-House Discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program
  

IMPORTANT DETAILS

• Location: San Diego, CA
• Position Type: Salaried Full-Time Exempt
• Salary Range: $149,984 - $168,732

About The Salary Ranges

The posted salary range represents the full compensation potential for this role over time. Initial hiring offers are typically made within the lower to mid portion of the range and are based on a combination of relevant experience, skills, qualifications, internal equity, and organizational considerations. Placement near the top of the range is generally reserved for individuals who demonstrate sustained performance, growth, and expanded responsibilities in the role over time.

Fraudulent Recruiting
Beware of fraudulent recruiting. Legitimate San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance contacts will use an @sdzwa.org email address. We do not request money, checks, equipment orders, or sensitive personal data during the recruitment process. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance only conducts interviews via phone, Zoom, Teams or in-person.

If you have been asked for any of the above, or believe you have been contacted by someone posing as a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance employee, please e-mail sdzwacareers@sdzwa.org. If you feel that you have been the victim of fraud, please contact your financial institution(s) immediately.

At San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, we celebrate our differences and foster a culture of belonging. Diversity strengthens our employees, enriches our guests' experiences, deepens our connection to our community, and supports the wildlife we serve.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, please email your request to sdzwacareers@sdzwa.org and provide the job title and location to which you are applying.

As a Federal Contractor, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is required to participate in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. We are not offering sponsorship for this position at this time.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a drug free workplace.