Manager of IT Operations - Rapid Progression

The Cowan Systems IT team is seeking a Manager of IT Operations that is an essential member of the IT leadership team and is responsible for the efficient and effective delivery of End User Computing across the organization. The Manager will develop and implement business support strategies, oversee operational functions, implement and improve existing systems and processes, and provide direct management oversight of the Service Desk team and third-party service providers. They will also be adept at developing reporting to ensure KPI’s and SLA’s are met and exceeded and will have experience building, leading, and growing multi-program teams. The position reports to the VP of IT Service Management.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for Cowan’s IT Service Management (ITSM) processes and the Ivanti service management ticketing and workflow system.
• Manage the internal Service Desk team of Technical Support Analysts, and the out-sourced level 1 support provider.
• Lead Incident and Change Management processes and run change advisory board meetings.
• Maintain and improve existing day-to-day operations by monitoring system performance; identifying and resolving problems; preparing and completing action plans; completing system audits and analyses; managing system and process improvement and quality assurance programs.
• Prepare team performance reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing data and trends.
• Investigate escalated business partner issues to determine root cause and recommend process or procedure revisions if appropriate
• Develops a trusted IT Partner relationship with Cowan business units, especially decision makers and significant users to ensure a good understanding of business requirements, issues and priorities.
• Support development and delivery of IT solutions by serving as a strategic advisor to our Level 1 Service Provider that will meet or exceed the needs of the internal business units and/or external customers.
• Track and report on service level agreements with internal/external clients. Ensure service level agreement adherence performance expectations of Level 1 Service Provider through detailed reporting and governance.
• Track and maintain end user computing equipment and software supporting IT Asset Configuration Management policies/procedures utilizing Microsoft 365 and on-premise inventory management controls.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in an Information Technology discipline.
• A minimum of 7-10 years of supervisory leadership experience in the Call/ Contact Center, Service Desk or IT Support Space is a requirement for this role.
• Thorough understanding of Microsoft technologies e.g. Microsoft Windows, Office 365, Exchange Online, Active Directory, SharePoint, etc.
• Ability to lead IT Service Management (ITSM), and operations functions.
• Awareness and use of IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework.
• Previous responsibility as incident and/or change manager is highly preferred.
• Ability to manage complex IT projects.

Additional

• Excellent leadership capabilities, strong judgment, and the ability to work effectively with and influence clients, team members, management, and external groups.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and presentation skills with the ability to present to all levels in the organization including executive leadership and employees.
• Ability to work as a team player with team, stakeholders, and peers to establish goals, objectives, and action plans.
• Ability to lift and carry related computer & networking equipment.

About Cowan Systems

Formed in 1924, Cowan Systems is headquartered in Baltimore, MD and enjoys a history of excellence and quality in the transportation business. Today, Cowan’s state-of-the-art fleet has grown to 2,100 power units and 4,500 trailers operating out of 40 locations nationwide. Cowan Systems is privately owned and retains a family atmosphere while growing and adapting to the ever-changing transportation logistics industry.

Our recipe for success is our people, and due to continued growth, we are looking to add top talent to our Information Technology team. At Cowan we provide the opportunity to learn, grow professionally, and have a meaningful impact on our business and its people. We run a full data center at our corporate office and utilize a wide variety of technologies both in-house and in the cloud, including Office 365, Citrix, VMWare, Microsoft SQL Server, Azure DevOps, iOS/Android mobile app services, and TMW – a leading transportation management ERP.

The logistics business is fast-paced and complex and requires sophisticated technology to manage fleets, provide accurate and timely information to our customers and business partners, and improve efficiency. We depend on a variety of software and hardware platforms and our own home-grown applications to accomplish these goals. Our IT team plays a key role in supporting our business through innovation, whether that be cloud integration with partner systems, enhancing workflows in existing applications, or making continued improvements to our driver mobile application to make their job easier. Truckload transportation plays a vital role in our nation’s supply chain and now more than ever technology is driving the future. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the transportation industry!

Notes for recruiters:

Top 3 required skills:

Supervisory leadership experience in the Call/ Contact Center, Service Desk or IT Support Space

Thorough understanding of Microsoft technologies e.g. Microsoft Windows, Office 365, Exchange Online, Active Directory, SharePoint, etc.

Awareness and use of IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework.

Top 3 preferred skills:

Previous experience with Ivanti ISM or similar ISM platform.

Familiarity with VoIP, general telecom and associated technologies a plus.

Experienced supporting enterprise-level ERPs or other enterprise software.

Top 3 daily tasks:

Monitor enterprise dashboards to ensure all IT staff are adhering to defined business SLAs for Incidents and Service Requests.

Monitor and complete all assigned tasks for internal IT functions and Agile tasks supporting various business functions and services.

Support of the company's enterprise virtual desktop and application delivery software systems in conjunction with other members of the IT staff.