Infrastructure & Development Manager

Universal Background provides industry leading people insights to safety sensitive organizations in a simplified experience through our best-in-class background screening, drug testing, occupational health, and verification services. We are proudly ranked as an industry leader in quality and service delivery. To support the company’s continued growth, we are seeking a Program Manager to join our growing team. Job Summary: The Infrastructure Manager is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, maintenance, and optimization of an organization's IT infrastructure. This role ensures that all hardware, software, networks, and data centers operate efficiently, securely, and reliably to support business operations and strategic objectives. The ideal candidate will possess a comprehensive understanding of information security principles and the software development lifecycle to effectively bridge infrastructure, security, and development teams. This position requires experience collaborating with and supporting distributed teams across multiple time zones and geographic locations. Key Responsibilities: Infrastructure Planning & Strategy Develop and execute infrastructure strategies aligned with business goals and technology roadmaps. Assess current infrastructure capabilities and identify areas for improvement or modernization Plan for scalability, capacity, and future growth requirements Manage infrastructure budgets and optimize costs while maintaining service quality Design infrastructure solutions that support global, distributed development teams Team Leadership & Management Lead, mentor, and develop a team of infrastructure engineers and technicians Assign tasks, set priorities, and monitor team performance Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing coaching and professional development Foster a collaborative team environment and promote knowledge sharing Coordinate with offshore and distributed team members across different time zones Operations & Maintenance Oversee daily operations of servers, storage systems, networks, and data centers Ensure high availability, reliability, and performance of all infrastructure components Implement and maintain backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans Manage infrastructure monitoring, alerting, and incident response processes Provide infrastructure support to global development teams with 24/7 availability considerations Security & Compliance Implement and maintain security protocols, policies, and best practices across all infrastructure layers Ensure compliance with industry regulations and organizational standards (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, etc.) Coordinate with security teams on vulnerability assessments and remediation Manage access controls, authentication systems, and security infrastructure Oversee security incident response procedures and participate in security reviews Implement security-by-design principles in infrastructure architecture Conduct regular security audits and risk assessments of infrastructure components Ensure secure access and connectivity for offshore development teams SDLC Integration & DevOps Collaboration Collaborate with development teams to support the full software development lifecycle Design and maintain infrastructure that supports CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices Provide infrastructure expertise during application design, development, testing, and deployment phases Ensure infrastructure environments align with SDLC requirements (development, staging, production) Facilitate smooth transitions between SDLC phases with appropriate infrastructure support Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) practices to support rapid deployment and consistency Work with QA teams to ensure testing environments mirror production infrastructure Coordinate infrastructure needs and support with offshore development teams Establish efficient communication channels and processes for distributed team collaboration Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) practices to support rapid deployment and consistency Work with QA teams to ensure testing environments mirror production infrastructure Coordinate infrastructure needs and support with offshore development teams Establish efficient communication channels and processes for distributed team collaboration Vendor & Stakeholder Management Manage relationships with vendors, service providers, and technology partners Negotiate contracts, SLAs, and licensing agreements Collaborate with cross-functional teams including development, security, and business units Communicate infrastructure status, projects, and initiatives to leadership Manage infrastructure service delivery across multiple geographic locations Project Management Lead infrastructure projects from conception through implementation Coordinate infrastructure upgrades, migrations, and technology refreshes Manage project timelines, resources, and deliverables Ensure minimal disruption to business operations during changes Coordinate project activities across onshore and offshore teams Education Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Cybersecurity, or related field Master's degree preferred Experience: 7+ years of experience in IT infrastructure management 3+ years in a leadership or management role Proven track record of managing complex infrastructure environments Demonstrated experience working with development teams and supporting SDLC processes Background in implementing and maintaining security controls across infrastructure 3+ years of experience working with and supporting offshore development teams Experience managing infrastructure for distributed global teams across multiple time zones Technical Skills Deep knowledge of server technologies (physical and virtual), storage systems, and networking Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) Proficiency in virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper-V) Understanding of network protocols, architecture, and security Familiarity with automation and configuration management tools (Ansible, Terraform, Puppet) Knowledge of monitoring and management tools Experience with disaster recovery and business continuity planning Strong understanding of information security principles, frameworks, and best practices (CIA triad, defense in depth, least privilege, etc.) Knowledge of security tools and technologies (SIEM, IDS/IPS, firewalls, encryption, identity and access management) Comprehensive understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle (Agile, Waterfall, DevOps methodologies) Experience with CI/CD tools and platforms (Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions) Familiarity with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) Understanding of application architecture and how infrastructure supports software delivery Knowledge of secure coding practices and security testing in SDLC (SAST, DAST, dependency scanning) Experience with remote collaboration tools and platforms (Slack, Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) Understanding of network connectivity solutions for distributed teams (VPN, SD-WAN, direct connects) Key Competencies Strong leadership and people management skills Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills Strategic thinking and business acumen Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities Customer service orientation Change management expertise Budget management and cost optimization skills Cross-functional collaboration with security and development teams Security-minded approach to infrastructure design and operations Ability to bridge technical gaps between infrastructure, security, and development domains Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for working with global teams Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively across diverse cultures and time zones Flexibility to accommodate meetings and support needs across different time zones Experience establishing documentation and processes that enable asynchronous collaboration Proven ability to build rapport and trust with remote team members Special Requirements May require on-call availability for critical incidents Occasional evening or weekend work for maintenance windows Flexibility required for meetings with offshore teams across different time zones May require occasional travel to offshore locations Must be proficient in the English language, both written and verbal. Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Ability to lift 50 pounds. Selected candidates will be required to pass a comprehensive background check and drug screening. Universal Background is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment Visa. Universal Background is committed to creating a diverse work environment and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.