Manager, IT Service Operations

Overview

This job contributes to REI’s success by leading and optimizing our technology support operations across multiple teams. This role involves direct management of internal full‑time employees (FTEs) and strategic oversight of a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure efficient, high‑quality, and reliable IT support services for the entire organization. In addition, this role provides direction to the team, establishes work priorities, and evaluates proposed solutions to ensure that technology contributes to the achievement of the division’s business objectives.

The job encourages a culture of continuous improvement, using lean methodologies and is responsible for ensuring cohesive and effective technology support experience for internal employees and contractors, business partners and external vendors. Models and acts in accordance with REI’s guiding values and mission.

Leading the Way (team leadership, coaching and development responsibilities for this “manager of staff”)

• Directly manage, mentor, and develop internal IT support staff (FTEs), fostering a culture of continuous improvement, customer service excellence, and technical proficiency.
• Identify and communicate key responsibilities and practices to ensure the organization promotes a successful attitude, confidence in leadership, and teamwork to achieve business results.
• Support the implementation of company programs, procedures, methods and practices to promote REI key messages.
• Challenge and inspire employees to achieve business results, instilling a continuous improvement mindset.
• Ensure employees adhere to legal and operational compliance requirements.
• Oversee training and development of employees directly and indirectly managed and make effective staffing decisions.
• Conduct and ensure the completion of performance reviews.
• Provide coaching, direction and leadership support to employees in order to achieve department, company and customer results.
• Establish and maintain visibility within the department.
• Monitor operational statistics, report trends, variances and issues, and take appropriate action.

Your Planning & Navigating Requirements (the plans the job is responsible for creating and executing, and how the job ensures they are implemented)

• Oversee Tier 1 technical support teams and technicians to identify, prioritize and resolve problems with technology products and services in a timely manner. Ensure that all phases of support are coordinated, monitored, logged, tracked, and that service requests are resolved appropriately or escalated to second and third‑level support staff.
• Create support structures to ensure that adequate technical support for end users and retail stores is maintained at all times. Ensure that required technical tools and training are available to the staff providing support.
• Primary point of contact and governance leader for the MSP relationship for Service Operations, including quality control, escalation, collaboration and training.
• Ensure seamless integration between internal support processes and the services provided by the MSP.
• Drive improvements into production operations and ensure program runs as an industry best practice.
• Prepare budget recommendations for staffing needs, costs of equipment and tools, maintenance and future projects.
• Ensure high‑priority incidents are addressed within SLA.
• Improve service monitoring and alerts, striving to deliver industry best practice.
• Coordinate the effort with other vendor support teams as required.
• Establish and implement service desk policies, procedures, standards and service level agreements.
• Monitor and analyze data to ensure support of current service level needs and to anticipate future needs.
• Oversee maintenance and integrity of service desk software, documenting reported incidents, troubleshooting and problem resolution.
• Analyze incident reports and logs for trends and ongoing issues. Collaborate and coordinate with other IT departments and disciplines to resolve continuing problems and ensure the latest methodology is used to address user service needs.
• Provide system evaluation reports to facilitate informed decision‑making and…