Senior IT Manager
Job Description: Senior IT Manager
Location: South San Francisco, CA (Hybrid)
Reports to: Executive Director, Software and Data Systems
Department: Information Technology
About Cytovale
Cytovale is a medical diagnostics company focused on providing a faster, more insightful way to diagnose fast-moving and immune-mediated diseases. Cytovale’s IntelliSep test is the first and only stand-alone sepsis detection assay to quickly and accurately analyze white blood cell structure to stratify a patient’s risk of sepsis. The test simply and clearly shows the risk of sepsis using a biomechanical evaluation of white blood cells from a standard blood draw, generating results in less than 10 minutes.
For more information, please visit www.cytovale.com.
Role Overview
Cytovale is seeking a hands-on Senior IT Manager to lead day-to-day IT operations while helping build and scale the company’s internal IT capabilities for future growth. This role combines technical execution, operational leadership, strategic planning, and security-minded infrastructure management.
At this stage of growth, the Senior IT Manager will personally perform core systems administration and operational IT work, while also serving as a key partner to the Executive Director of Software & Data Systems in shaping IT strategy, roadmaps, governance, and scalable operating models.
The ideal candidate is equally comfortable resolving immediate operational needs, improving systems and processes, and planning for where the business is going next.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being in the tools, taking ownership end-to-end, and helping build a modern IT function in a growing healthcare technology company.
Key Responsibilities
IT Operations & Systems Administration
Personally execute day-to-day IT operations and systems administration activities.
Administer enterprise platforms including Microsoft 365, Azure, endpoint management, identity systems, and core business applications.
Support cloud environments and operational tooling across platforms such as AWS and SaaS ecosystems.
Perform employee onboarding/offboarding, access provisioning, device lifecycle management, and routine maintenance.
Execute system upgrades, patching, and infrastructure improvements.
IT Strategy, Planning & Scaling
Partner with the Executive Director of Software & Data Systems to develop Cytovale’s IT strategy and multi-year roadmap.
Anticipate business growth needs and proactively evolve systems, tools, processes, and support models.
Recommend scalable technology solutions that improve efficiency, security, and employee experience.
Help define future organizational structure, staffing needs, and outsourced vs in-house operating models.
Security, Controls & Governance
Maintain strong operational security posture across endpoints, identity systems, collaboration tools, and cloud environments.
Support and help mature control frameworks such as SOC 2, HIPAA, and other relevant compliance standards.
Implement and monitor IT security best practices including MFA, least privilege access, patch management, logging, backup, and lifecycle controls.
Author, maintain, and improve IT policies, standards, and operational procedures.
Participate in audits, evidence gathering, remediation tracking, and control improvements.
Operational Ownership & Service Delivery
Own incident, request, and change management workflows to ensure timely service delivery.
Define and improve SLAs, ticket workflows, escalation paths, and support performance metrics.
Track and manage assets, software licensing, vendor renewals, and inventories.
Build runbooks, documentation, and repeatable support processes.
MSP & Consultant Collaboration
Partner with the Executive Director of Software & Data Systems in coordinating work with Cytovale’s IT MSP and external consultants.
Help define priorities, review recommendations, and ensure strong execution from external partners.
Hold vendors accountable to Cytovale’s standards for quality, responsiveness, security, and cost-effectiveness.
Translate external recommendations into practical implementation plans.
Strategic Focus
Reliable, secure, and scalable IT operations
Strong security and control discipline
Proactive planning ahead of business growth
Excellent internal customer experience
Building long-term IT maturity without unnecessary bureaucracy
Qualifications
Required
10+ years of experience in IT operations, systems administration, or IT infrastructure management
Demonstrated success in a hands-on IT leadership role within a growing organization
Strong experience administering Microsoft 365 and Azure environments
Experience supporting or managing AWS and cloud-based systems
Strong knowledge of modern IT security best practices and operational controls
Experience supporting security/compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO 27001, or similar
Experience writing IT policies, standards, and operational procedures
Experience working with MSPs, consultants, and external vendors
Ability to balance strategic thinking with direct execution
Preferred
Experience in healthcare, diagnostics, biotech, or regulated industries
Familiarity with Intune, Entra ID, Defender, Vanta, ticketing systems, and endpoint tooling
Experience scaling IT in a startup or growth-stage company
Prior team leadership or people management experience
Cytovale Culture & What Great Looks Like Here
We’re looking for someone who will thrive in Cytovale’s environment, the ideal candidate will be:
Comfortable with ambiguity: You can move forward without perfect information and adjust quickly as new data emerges.
High ownership, low ego: You take accountability for outcomes, seek feedback, and care more about impact than credit.
Execution-focused: you don’t just build strategies; you deliver results, iterate fast, and follow through.
Intellectually curious: You enjoy digging into data, asking hard questions, and continuously improving your understanding.
Resilient and adaptable: You stay steady and effective in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Mission-driven: You are motivated by Cytovale’s goal to improve outcomes for patients and want your work to matter.
What Success Looks Like in This Role
IT operations run smoothly and reliably with minimal disruption
Security controls and IT processes mature measurably over time
Systems scale ahead of business demand rather than react behind it
Employees receive responsive, high-quality IT support
External partners are well-managed and productive
Cytovale has a stronger, more scalable IT foundation one year from now