Director, Technology Operations

Job Description

Job Description

About Smile Partners USA:

Smile Partners USA (SPUSA) is a leading Dental Service Organization (DSO) dedicated to providing exceptional administrative support and resources to dental practices across the United States. With a network of 120+ offices, we are committed to delivering high-quality dental care while maintaining operational efficiency and financial sustainability.

Role Summary:

The Director of Technology Operations will turn IT operations into a scalable, reliable foundation for growth, ensuring systems are stable, teams are effective, and technology enables an exceptional patient experience across Smile Partners USA.

This is a senior leadership role that blends operational discipline, people leadership, and technical depth. You will lead day-to-day IT operations, develop managers and teams, and build the structure, processes, and operating rhythm required to support rapid growth and ongoing M&A.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own Day-to-Day IT Operations and Service Quality - Ensure IT services are stable, responsive, and reliable by overseeing incident management, escalation handling, and service performance across the organization.
• Lead Project and Infrastructure Modernization - Drive disciplined delivery of infrastructure and systems initiatives by ensuring projects are properly scoped, sequenced, resourced, and delivered on time and with quality.
• Stabilize and Integrate Acquired Practices (M&A) - Lead post-acquisition IT stabilization efforts, including infrastructure standardization, access readiness, security hygiene, and transition to steady-state operations.
• Build Scalable Systems, Processes, and Standards - Design, document, and continuously improve systems and operational processes that scale IT service delivery, support company growth, and ensure consistency.
• Support Cybersecurity Through Operational Execution - Ensure consistent execution of security-related operational responsibilities such as patch management, vulnerability remediation, access controls, incident response participation, and adherence to security standards.
• Lead, Enable, and Hold the Team Accountable - Set clear expectations, assign ownership, develop team capability, and ensure work is executed effectively without becoming the bottleneck.

Position Requirements (Abilities & Skills):

1. IT Service Management (ITSM) Leadership - Ability to design, run, and continuously improve service delivery using structured incident, problem, and change management practices.
2. Operational Ownership & Escalation Management - Takes full accountability for service outcomes, owns escalations end-to-end, and resolves issues without deflecting or over-escalating.
3. Infrastructure & Systems Operations - Deep understanding of core infrastructure (servers, networks, identity, endpoints, cloud services) to ensure stability, resilience, and scalability.
4. Project & Execution Management - Ability to scope, sequence, and deliver multiple infrastructure and systems initiatives simultaneously with discipline and predictability.
5. Operational Stabilization (M&A) - Leads the operational IT work required to onboard, integrate, and stabilize acquired practices, including infrastructure standardization, access, security hygiene, and transition to steady-state operations.
6. Problem Management & Root Cause Analysis – Identifies systemic issues, driving permanent fixes, and eliminates repeat incidents rather than accepting workarounds.
7. Process Design & Documentation - Designs practical, repeatable operational processes that add clarity and control without unnecessary bureaucracy.
8. Team Leadership & Workload Orchestration - Effectively assigns ownership, sets expectations, balances capacity, and ensures the right work is being done by the right people.
9. Stakeholder Communication & Expectation Management - Communicates clearly and proactively with executives, peers, and the business to create confidence and eliminate surprises.
10. Cybersecurity Operations Support - Ensures strong day-to-day security hygiene through operational execution, including patch management, vulnerability remediation, incident response participation, access controls, and adherence to security standards—while partnering with security leadership rather than owning strategy.
11. Vendor & Partner Management - Manages MSPs, vendors, and integrators with clear accountability, performance expectations, and service standards.
12. Modernization & Technical Debt Reduction - Ability to assess aging systems, prioritize modernization efforts, and reduce operational drag over time.

Essential Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in IT, technology, business administration, computer science, or other quantitative field preferred.

Minimum Experience: Minimum seven (7) years in IT operations/service management, preferably in the healthcare industry. Minimum five (5) years as a manager of service desk analysts and infrastructure engineers/support staff.