Manager, IT User Services

MANAGER, IT USER SERVICES

Company Overview:

Gulf Copper LLC, a subsidiary of Davie Defense, is a leading Marine Repair and New Construction company based in Galveston, Texas with more than 75 years of shop repair and fabrication experience on the Gulf Coast. Gulf Copper's primary business is the repair and refurbishment of marine vessles, ship construction, and fabrication for transportation, government, and oil and gas markets.

Benefits:

• 401 (k)
• Group Health & Dental Plan
• Short-&-Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life & Voluntary Life Insurance
• Holiday & Vacation Pay
• Employee Assistance Program

Position Summary:

The Manager, IT User Services is a hands-on technology leader responsible for delivering reliable, secure, and responsive end-user IT services across the organization. This role leads a small internal support team and external Managed Service Providers (MSPs) while remaining actively involved in technical implementation, troubleshooting, administration, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate combines strong people leadership with deep technical expertise across Microsoft 365, endpoint management, identity, collaboration, and cloud-based workplace technologies. This is a “roll-up-your-sleeves” leadership role suited for a fast-paced environment where priorities change quickly and the expectation is to solve problems, implement solutions, and continuously improve the user experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This position is responsible for the following: Other duties may be assigned.

User Services & Support:

• Lead day-to-day IT support and end-user services for hundreds of users across office, remote, and operational environments.
• Manage and mentor a small internal IT support team while coordinating effectively with MSPs, vendors, and technology partners.
• Establish a responsive, customer-focused support culture with clear ownership of incidents, requests, and escalations.
• Remain hands-on with complex troubleshooting and escalations when needed.
• Monitor recurring support issues and implement permanent solutions rather than relying on repeated break/fix support.
• Maintain effective onboarding, offboarding, device provisioning, access, and user lifecycle processes.

Microsoft 365 & Identity:

• Administer and support Microsoft 365 services, including Exchange Online, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and related collaboration services.
• Manage identity and access using Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) and traditional Active Directory environments.
• Support user provisioning, authentication, group membership, permissions, licensing, and access-related troubleshooting.
• Work closely with cybersecurity personnel to implement identity, endpoint, and access-control requirements.

Endpoint & Mobile Device Management:

• Manage Windows endpoints using Microsoft Intune, including device enrollment, configuration profiles, compliance policies, application deployment, and endpoint lifecycle management.
• Manage corporate and BYOD mobile-device environments using Intune MDM and Mobile Application Management/App Protection Policies.
• Maintain standardized endpoint configurations and ensure user devices remain secure, supportable, and current.
• Proactively manage operating-system and application patching, endpoint health, software currency, and device compliance.
• Improve endpoint automation and reduce manual administration wherever practical.

IT Service Management:

• Apply practical ITIL/IT Service Management (ITSM) principles for incident, request, problem, change, asset, and knowledge management.
• Maintain meaningful service metrics, identify recurring problems, and drive measurable improvements in service quality.
• Develop and maintain support procedures, technical documentation, knowledge articles, and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure effective escalation and accountability between internal IT staff, MSPs, application owners, and vendors.

Implementation & Continuous Improvement:

• Lead and execute fast-paced technology deployments and user-facing IT initiatives.
• Translate business needs into practical technology solutions and drive implementation through completion.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, automate repetitive tasks, improve reliability, and enhance the employee technology experience.
• Support technology integrations, migrations, organizational changes, and new-site or business expansion activities.
• Participate directly in implementation work rather than functioning solely as a project coordinator.

Required Education & Experience:

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure, end-user computing, systems administration, or IT support, including experience leading technical teams.
• Strong hands-on expertise with:
  • Microsoft 365
  • Exchange Online
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Entra ID / Azure Active Directory
  • Active Directory
  • Microsoft Intune
  • Windows endpoint management
  • Mobile Device Management and BYOD
  • Cloud-based enterprise applications
• Strong understanding of endpoint security, patching, device compliance, software deployment, and identity/access management.
• Working knowledge of ITIL and practical IT Service Management principles.
• Demonstrated ability to manage MSPs and technology vendors while maintaining internal ownership and accountability.
• Experience supporting a large user population with a relatively lean IT team.
• Strong technical troubleshooting skills with the ability to personally handle complex escalations.
• Strong communication, organization, and service-oriented IT skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple simultaneous priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Microsoft Defender, Windows Autopilot, PowerShell, and automation.
• Experience supporting Apple iOS/iPadOS and modern BYOD environments.
• Experience implementing or improving ITSM platforms and service-management processes.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks, endpoint security controls, and regulated or compliance-driven environments.
• Microsoft, ITIL, or comparable technical certifications are beneficial but not required.
• Experience with JIRA, Zendesk or ServiceNow.
• Experience with ERP systems, Manufacturing sector.

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in office, remote-support, and operational environments as business needs require.
• Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods and regularly use a computer and standard office equipment.
• May require after-hours availability for escalations, deployments, maintenance, or service-restoration activities.
• May require travel to company facilities or business locations.
• Must follow site-specific safety requirements and wear required personal protective equipment when entering operational areas.

Necessary Equipment Operation:

• Computer, laptop, mobile phone, and standard office equipment.
• Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Microsoft Entra ID, Active Directory, and Microsoft Intune.
• Endpoint-management, mobile-device-management, IT service-management, remote-support, collaboration, documentation, reporting, and automation tools.
• Standard personal protective equipment when entering designated operational areas.

Special Skills:

• Leadership style: Hands-on, accountable, service-oriented
• Environment: Fast-paced, lean team, high implementation activity
• Primary focus: End-user services, Microsoft 365, identity, endpoint/mobile management, ITSM
• Operating model: Small internal team augmented by MSPs and specialized vendors
• Success mindset: Own the problem, resolve it, improve the process, and prevent it from recurring.

*An equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Know Your Rights. If you'd like to view a copy of the company's affirmative action plan or policy statement, please email: hrcorp@gulfcopper.com. If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accomodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please e-mail: hrcorp@gulfcopper.com