It Operations Manager

Job Description

IT Operations Manager

Hands-on management of day-to-day IT operations, with exposure to Microsoft 365, networking and basic cloud administration.

Experience :5 to 7 YEARS

Location: HYDERABAD

Reports To HEAD OF IT

Type: FULL-TIME

Job Summary

We are looking for a hands-on IT Operations Manager with 5 to 7 years of experience managing enterprise IT infrastructure, Microsoft 365 administration, office networking, endpoint management and vendor coordination. The role covers day-to-day IT operations, user support, basic Azure administration, security best practices and ensuring the smooth functioning of IT services across multiple office locations.

This is a hands-on operational role that combines practical Microsoft 365, endpoint, networking and security administration with team supervision, vendor coordination and continual service improvement. The focus is on execution and reliable day-to-day operations, supporting the Head of IT where required.

Indicative Focus Split

• Microsoft 365 administration 35%
• IT infrastructure & end-user support 30%
• Network & firewall administration 20%
• Basic Azure & security administration 15%

Key Responsibilities

Team Supervision & IT Operations

• Supervise, mentor and develop the internal IT support team.
• Own day-to-day IT operations (BAU), ensuring consistent service quality and a good end-user experience for ~1,000 staff.
• Maintain reliable IT services that scale with business and headcount growth.
• Maintain backup, recovery and data-protection routines, with particular attention to Microsoft 365 data backup, retention and recovery.
• Support service upgrades, office expansions, technology refreshes and migration activities.

Microsoft 365 & Cloud Administration

• Administer and support the organisation's Microsoft 365 environment and business-critical SaaS applications for reliable day-to-day operations.
• Manage Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) for user provisioning, access management, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Single Sign-On (SSO); support any existing on-premises Active Directory where applicable.
• Configure and maintain Microsoft 365 services including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and Teams.
• Support onboarding and administration of SaaS applications, user access, licensing and integration with Microsoft 365.
• Maintain public DNS records, domain registrations, SSL/TLS certificates and email authentication (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) for secure, reliable business communications.
• Provide basic administration of the Microsoft Azure resources used by the organisation.
• Support office IT infrastructure including local network devices, NAS/storage, printers and end-user computing resources.
• Monitor Microsoft 365 licensing, Azure usage and SaaS subscriptions, and suggest cost-optimisation where appropriate.
• Apply standard Microsoft 365 settings for sharing, external access and collaboration.

Network & IT Security

• Administer and support the organisation's office network for secure, reliable and uninterrupted business operations.
• Configure and maintain office firewalls / UTM devices (FortiGate, SonicWall, Sophos, Palo Alto or equivalent), including firewall policies, VPN connectivity and web filtering.
• Manage business Wi-Fi, network switches and ISP coordination, and carry out basic network troubleshooting.
• Manage endpoint security, Microsoft Defender, antivirus software and MFA to protect organisational systems and users.
• Monitor network and endpoint security alerts, investigate incidents, coordinate corrective actions and maintain incident records.
• Perform routine vulnerability checks, firewall reviews, patch management and firmware updates.
• Manage user access, authentication settings and periodic access reviews for business applications and SaaS platforms.
• Coordinate with external security vendors and service providers for monitoring, remediation and technical support when required.
• Support cybersecurity awareness through user guidance and enforcement of IT security best practices.

Endpoint Management

• Manage the endpoint management plane (Microsoft Intune / MDM) provisioning, configuration baselines, compliance settings and endpoint security for laptops, desktops and mobile devices.
• Standardise device builds and automate provisioning (e.g. Windows Autopilot); ensure timely patching and OS / app updates across the fleet.

Asset & License Management

• Run the IT asset lifecycle procurement, deployment, warranty, refresh and disposal with accurate inventory maintained across all sites.
• Manage software licenses and SaaS subscriptions entitlements, allocation, renewals and audit readiness.
• Manage mobile lines, peripherals and meeting-room / AV (Teams Rooms) equipment.

Service Delivery & Support

• Maintain IT operational standards, SOPs and documentation.
• Run the IT service desk against defined SLAs and KPIs; carry out proactive monitoring and preventive maintenance.
• Improve day-to-day operations through automation, monitoring, reporting and process optimisation.
• Produce regular service-health, security and asset / license reports.

Vendor & Stakeholder Coordination

• Manage relationships with OEMs, ISPs, cloud providers and software vendors; evaluate options and recommend improvements.
• Coordinate contracts, renewals, licensing and support agreements.
• Work with business and engineering teams to keep IT services aligned with operational needs.

Required Technical Skills

Area Expectation

Microsoft 365 & Cloud administration

Hands-on administration of Microsoft 365 including Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, Microsoft Entra ID and Intune. Experience with user lifecycle, licensing, MFA, SaaS application administration, public DNS, TLS certificates and email authentication (SPF, DKIM and DMARC). Exposure to basic Microsoft Azure administration and cloud resource management. Experience supporting Windows Server and Active Directory in hybrid environments is advantageous but not essential.

IT Security

Working knowledge of operational security controls including Microsoft Defender, endpoint protection, MFA, firewall administration, VPN, vulnerability remediation, patch management and security monitoring. Awareness of Microsoft Secure Score and general IT security best practices is desirable.

Network administration

Practical administration of office network infrastructure including firewalls, business Wi-Fi, switches, VPN connectivity and ISP coordination. Good understanding of TCP/IP, DNS and DHCP. Enterprise routing, SD-WAN and large-scale network architecture are not required.

IT Operations & Asset management

Experience in IT asset lifecycle management, software licensing, SaaS subscription management, helpdesk operations, endpoint management, backup and recovery, IT monitoring, vendor coordination, technical documentation and ITIL-based service management practices.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 5 to 7 years of hands-on IT operations experience, including practical experience managing Microsoft 365, office networking, endpoint management and basic cloud and security administration, with some experience supervising or coordinating a small team. (Treated as a guide, not a hard cut-off.)
• Experience running a Microsoft 365 / SaaS-based environment and supporting multi-site offices; experience with IT asset / license management is an advantage.