Director, Cloud Operations

Unclassified - Albany, NY

Full-time - Senior

Remote - Albany, NY

About the position

As the Director of Cloud Operations at NASCO, you will lead the management and optimization of cloud-based systems, focusing on AWS. This role emphasizes hands-on leadership and collaboration to ensure NASCO's cloud applications exceed expectations. You will build and mentor a cloud services team, design and implement innovative cloud solutions, and directly influence NASCO's digital transformation journey.

Responsibilities

• Builds and mentors the Cloud Operations team to drive delivery excellence and ensure high-quality outcomes
• Cultivates strong internal relationships and serves as an advocate and subject matter expert, sharing insights, implications and alternatives to drive cloud innovation
• Interprets customer requirements and guides the execution of client engagements, translating needs into actionable technical solutions
• Identifies and mitigates program risks, implementing remediation plans to ensure project success
• Deploys highly available, scalable, and secure cloud infrastructure with a focus on AWS, adhering to best practices and industry standards
• Implements networking solutions using AWS services
• Defines and implements infrastructure migration strategies and techniques to migrate workloads into AWS cloud environments
• Designs and develops automation frameworks to support continuous delivery and integration processes, optimizing efficiency and reliability
• Acts as the primary point of contact between internal customers and the MSP executing cloud services, ensuring alignment on execution strategies, timelines, and deliverables
• Contributes to organizational growth by driving AWS cloud strategy, fostering innovation, and leading initiatives that support the organization's digital transformation journey
• Leads, influences and manages a team of resources to include conducting talent acquisition activities, coaching and/or mentoring, and identifying training requirements for associates
• Conducts performance management activities, including performance reviews, goals, development and continuous feedback
• Determines the appropriate staffing mix of contractors and associates to maintain steady work and stay within budget
• Creates, manages, and administers an annual departmental budget which may include billable hours and percentage targets
• Defines department strategic objectives and drives business outcomes in alignment to the organizational strategy

Requirements

• Expert knowledge of AWS cloud services and infrastructure, including but not limited to EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, VPC, IAM, CloudFormation, and Route 53
• Ability to apply cloud architecture principles, including scalability, high availability, data retention, disaster recovery, and security best practices
• Skill in AWS cost management and optimization strategies
• Ability to work within compliance frameworks and regulations relevant to cloud environments (eg,HITRUST, HIPAA, SOC 2)
• Skilled in performance tuning and optimization of AWS services for cost, reliability, and performance
• Ability to troubleshoot complex AWS infrastructure issues and provide timely resolutions
• Ability to lead technical discussions and influence decision-making processes related to cloud architecture and solutions
• Strong project management skills with a focus on delivering projects on time and within budget
• Proficient in automation tools and Scripting languages for infrastructure provisioning and configuration management (eg, Terraform, CloudFormation, PowerShell, Python)
• Ability to cultivate internal relationships, share insights, and drive innovation
• Proficient in cloud networking concepts
• 5 years' experience in people management, fostering professional growth and leading teams to success in a senior management capacity
• 8 years of experience in AWS cloud strategy, operations, and infrastructure, with a focus on innovation, technical leadership, digital transformation and cloud migrations
• 8 years of experience in strategic planning, processes improvement, or IT leadership
• 8 years of experience in process improvement, customer and vendor relationship management, and resource optimization
• 8 years of experience in networking technologies, implementing AWS networking solutions using automation tools and scripts

Nice-to-haves

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate or Professional)
• ITIL Certification
• AWS Training
• Cloud Security Training relevant to AWS environment

Benefits

• Choice of Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans
• Telehealthcare - for Medical and Behavioral visits
• Generous PTO with buy/sell options
• 9 Company holidays, a floating day off, and a day off for volunteering
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness program - earn insurance discounts or credit towards health-related items
• 401K Plan with employer matching contributions
• Company-funded spending/reimbursement accounts to help with out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Bonus and Recognition programs
• Tuition Assistance
• Consultation with financial planner
• Basic Life & AD&D Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance provided, and Supplemental Term Life Insurance is available
• Group Discount programs -mobile, technology services, etc., to help you save money
• E-Learning - Comprehensive and current library of E-learning and performance support assets, available on demand and at no cost