Principal, IT Operations 1

About the role

The Principal, IT Operations 1 is a senior technical authority responsible for shaping enterprise-wide IT operational strategy and driving large-scale infrastructure initiatives across DIRECTV's technology organization. This role serves as a recognized subject matter expert, providing strategic direction on complex, high-impact operational programs while acting as a key advisor to senior leadership and cross-organizational stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall management, strategic direction, administrative support, and communication for long-term disaster recovery implementation projects.
• Conduct Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk assessments to identify recovery gaps and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Partner with application owners and technical teams to develop, document, and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
• Serve as the primary liaison between business stakeholders, infrastructure teams, and application teams to support disaster recovery readiness.
• Defines and drives enterprise-level operational strategy, translating business goals into multi-year technology roadmaps and infrastructure investment plans.
• Lead large-scale, cross-functional programs and initiatives with significant organizational visibility, often spanning multiple teams, departments, or business units.
• Serves as principal technical advisor to senior management and executive stakeholders, providing recommendations on infrastructure architecture, operational risk, and technology investment decisions.
• Establishes and governs operational standards, policies, and best practices that guide IT operations across the organization.
• Evaluates emerging technologies and industry trends, assessing their applicability and potential impact on DIRECTV's infrastructure strategy.
• Oversees vendor and partner strategy at a program level, negotiating terms, setting performance expectations, and ensuring alignment with long-term operational goals.
• Leads root-cause analysis and resolution for high-severity, high-visibility operational issues that carry significant business risk.
• Champions continuous improvement initiatives, identifying systemic inefficiencies and architecting scalable solutions that improve reliability, performance, and cost-effectiveness.
• Mentors and develops senior and mid-level engineers and IT operations staff, fostering technical growth and succession planning across the team.
• Collaborates extensively with architecture, engineering, security, and business teams to ensure operational readiness for new initiatives and product launches.
• Represents IT Operations in governance forums, steering committees, and strategic planning sessions.
• Anticipates future operational needs and proactively identifies risks, gaps, or opportunities before they impact the business.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree or relevant industry certifications preferred.
• Recognized subject matter expert with deep, authoritative knowledge of DIRECTV technologies, systems, and IT infrastructure.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale, complex technology programs from strategy through execution.
• 3 – 5 years of progressive experience in IT operations, infrastructure, or a related technical discipline, with demonstrated growth into strategic leadership.
• Exceptional communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence and align senior leadership, technical teams, and external partners.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, capable of navigating ambiguous, high-stakes situations with minimal guidance.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring and developing technical talent, including senior-level staff.
• Experience managing strategic vendor relationships and complex procurement or partnership negotiations.

Qualifications

• May require a background check due to job duties requiring routine access to DIRECTV and DIRECTV customer’s proprietary data.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and operational leadership.
• Technical expertise in IT operations, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
• Strong project management and program management skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to lead and mentor a team.
• Experience with emerging technologies and industry trends.
• Vendor management and negotiation skills.
• Problem-solving and root-cause analysis capabilities.
• Continuous improvement mindset.

Benefits

Not specified.

Pay

$111,122 - $201,653

Schedule

Remote position that can be located anywhere in the United States, with the exception of Alaska.