IT Manager

At Kepler Communications , we're not just imagining the future of on-demand space connectivity - we're leading it! Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities.

Industry-leading technology is only part of the story. What sets Kepler apart is our team: bold thinkers, skilled builders, and passionate problem-solvers who thrive on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space. We believe great ideas come from diverse perspectives, and we’re committed to creating an environment where you can grow, lead, and make a global impact. If you’re ready to reach higher, move faster, and do work that shapes the future space economy - this is your launchpad. Come build the future with Kepler! What We Offer: * Competitive compensation with a robust equity plan to share in our success. * Comprehensive coverage for health, dental, and vision insurance —including dependents. * Unlimited vacation, supportive parental leave policy, and company-wide holiday shutdown. * Semi-annual company-wide parties and frequent in-office team events. * Relocation packages available for approved roles. * $1,500 annual professional development fund to support your growth. * Fully stocked Toronto office kitchen with snacks, drinks, games and top-notch kitchen appliances. * Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and Company-wide events to stay connected and engaged. * We’re a certified Great Place to Work ®, five years in a row! Kepler is seeking an experienced, hands-on IT Manager to lead its IT Operations team, spanning network administration, systems administration, DevOps, and IT support. You'll be accountable for the reliable, secure, and scalable operation of the technology environment that Kepler's engineers, operators, and mission systems depend on every day.

This is a player-coach role . You'll set priorities and develop the team, and you'll also be in the work with them, troubleshooting escalations, designing infrastructure, running incident response, and executing projects. You'll also need to learn quickly: Kepler's environment spans on-premises infrastructure and public cloud, changes often, and no candidate arrives knowing every tool in it. What matters is that you can pick up an unfamiliar system fast enough to make sound decisions, evaluate trade-offs, and credibly support the specialists who own it.

Expected Time Breakdown:

35% - Team leadership and operational management

30% - Hands-on technical work and escalations

20% - Technical strategy and roadmap development

15% - Recruiting, onboarding, and administration

Key Responsibilities: Lead, mentor, and grow a cross-functional IT team that may include Network Administrators, Systems Administrators, DevOps Specialists, and IT Specialists, fostering a culture of accountability, documentation, and continuous learning that exemplifies Kepler's Values

Provide ongoing coaching, technical guidance, and career development through regular 1:1s and structured performance reviews

Work alongside the team as a technical contributor, leading through hands-on involvement rather than delegation alone, while growing the team's independence rather than becoming a bottleneck

Serve as senior technical escalation point for complex incidents across networks, servers, cloud platforms, identity systems, DevOps tooling, and business-critical applications

Own IT operations end to end: service delivery, prioritization, support quality, incident response, root-cause analysis, and after-hours escalation coverage

Own the reliability, scalability, and lifecycle management of Kepler's infrastructure, including network operations, Linux and Windows systems, identity and access management, virtualization, AWS, monitoring, backups, and disaster recovery

Drive DevOps practices and automation, including CI/CD, infrastructure as code, configuration management, containerization, and controls around production access, deployments, and secrets

Lead IT security practices and technical controls, including privileged access, endpoint protection, network security, vulnerability remediation, patching, and system hardening; partner with Security and Legal on customer, contractual, and compliance requirements

Develop and maintain the IT operations roadmap, balancing immediate operational needs against longer-term investment in reliability, security, and operational maturity

Contribute to annual planning, budgeting, vendor management, and technology lifecycle planning, and guide make/buy decisions

Ensure accurate technical documentation and provide regular reporting to senior leadership on service performance, infrastructure health, security posture, operational risks, and resource needs

Support hiring plans, lead interviews, onboard new team members, and act as primary liaison between IT Operations and Engineering, Security, People and Culture, Finance, and Facilities

Required Skills & Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience

7+ years of progressive IT experience, with 3+ years of which were leading or managing multidisciplinary technical teams

Demonstrated success in a player-coach role combining people management with meaningful hands-on technical responsibility

Track record of picking up unfamiliar technologies quickly and self-directing your own learning, with specific examples of systems you learned on the job well enough to lead work on

Strong practical experience with network administration, Linux and Windows systems, identity and access management, virtualization, and infrastructure operations

Ability to independently troubleshoot complex issues across infrastructure, networking, cloud services, identity platforms, and operational tooling

Experience with cloud platforms, preferably AWS

Working knowledge of modern DevOps practices, including CI/CD, infrastructure as code, configuration management, containers, and scripting

Familiarity with network security technologies, endpoint management, monitoring platforms, backup systems, and disaster recovery practices

Proven ability to manage incidents, projects, operational risk, and shifting priorities, and to drive execution through ambiguity

Track record of building healthy team culture and driving performance through clear expectations and feedback

Strong communication skills and the ability to explain technical concepts, risks, and trade-offs to senior leaders and non-technical stakeholders

Bonus Points: Relevant certifications such as CCNA, CISSP, AWS, Linux Professional Institute, or ITIL

Experience supporting hybrid environments spanning on-premises infrastructure and public cloud

Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, or Ansible

Scripting and automation experience with Bash, Python, or PowerShell

Familiarity with security and compliance frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, or SOC 2

Experience leading disaster recovery, infrastructure modernization, cloud migration, or security-improvement programs

Experience developing IT roadmaps, operational metrics, budgets, and technical business cases

Experience working in fast-paced startup or aerospace environments

Min: $144,894 CAD - Max: $169,894 CAD annually Actual total compensation will be determined at the Company’s discretion and is based on a variety of job-related factors, which may include, but are not limited to, relevant knowledge, skills, experience, performance, and education and/or training. The Company encourages all qualified applicants to apply, even if the posted salary range does not align with their expectations, as it does not reflect our total compensation package. Job Type: This is for a current vacancy Employment Equity & Accommodation Statement Kepler Communications is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our People & Culture team at [email protected] , and we will work with you to meet your needs.