Director of IT Operations

Overview

The Townsend Company, LLC is an industry leader in utility vegetation management, right-of-way services, and utility infrastructure solutions, supporting electric utilities and critical infrastructure across the United States. Headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, Townsend operates in more than 30 states, delivering vegetation management, power line clearance, utility line construction, landscape management, and emergency storm response services.

Position: Director of IT Operations

Location: Muncie, IN

Job : 1433

# of Openings: 1

Who we are:

Join a team that values safety, reliability, and professional development. Townsend Company LLC supports the nation’s electric infrastructure through quality vegetation management and right-of-way services. If you enjoy working in a dynamic environment and want to contribute to critical infrastructure, consider applying.

The Director of IT Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for the day-to-day performance, reliability, and strategic direction of the organization s technology infrastructure and support functions. Reporting directly to the CIO, this leader manages a cross-functional IT team spanning systems administration, technical support, project management, solutions architecture, and regional IT operations. The Director ensures technology services align with business objectives, are delivered efficiently, and scale to meet organizational growth.

• Leadership & Team Management — Lead, mentor, and develop a team of systems administrators, IT support specialists, a solutions architect, and an IT project manager.
• Leadership & Team Management — Set performance goals, conduct regular reviews, and build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and service excellence.
• Leadership & Team Management — Coordinate with the Director, IT – West Tree to ensure consistent standards and alignment across all operational regions.
• IT Operations & Infrastructure — Oversee the design, maintenance, and optimization of the organization s IT infrastructure including networks, servers, endpoints, and cloud environments.
• IT Operations & Infrastructure — Ensure system uptime, disaster recovery readiness, and business continuity plans are documented, tested, and current.
• IT Operations & Infrastructure — Define and enforce IT policies, standards, and operational procedures across the enterprise.
• IT Support & Service Delivery — Oversee the IT help desk and support operations to ensure timely, high-quality resolution of user issues.
• IT Support & Service Delivery — Define and monitor SLAs and KPIs for service delivery; provide regular reporting to the CIO.
• IT Support & Service Delivery — Champion end-user experience, ensuring technology tools empower employees to work effectively.
• Strategic Planning & Project Execution — Partner with the CIO to develop the IT operational roadmap and annual technology budget.
• Strategic Planning & Project Execution — Oversee planning and delivery of IT projects, ensuring on-time and on-budget completion in collaboration with the IT Project Manager.
• Strategic Planning & Project Execution — Evaluate and recommend technology solutions that improve operational efficiency and reduce risk.
• Security & Compliance — Ensure the organization s systems and data are protected in alignment with security best practices and applicable regulations.
• Security & Compliance — Work with internal stakeholders to identify, assess, and remediate cybersecurity risks.
• Security & Compliance — Maintain compliance with data privacy, security, and IT governance standards.

Required

• Bachelor s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of progressive IT experience, including 3+ years in a leadership or management role.
• Proven track record managing IT infrastructure, systems administration, and technical support teams.
• Excellent communication skills — able to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred

• Experience with multi-site or distributed IT operations.
• Familiarity with ITIL, PMP, or similar frameworks.
• Experience with ERP platforms (e.g., Net Suite) and BI tooling in an operational context.
• Relevant certifications such as ITIL 4, PMP, CompTIA Network+, or Microsoft/AWS credentials.

• Strategic thinking with an operational mindset
• People leadership and team development
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication
• Vendor and budget management
• Risk awareness and security consciousness