Information Technology Leader

About Us

Cronin is an award-winning and rapidly growing integrated advertising and marketing agency based in Glastonbury, CT. Our team leverages superior creativity to help clients build strong brands and accelerate demand for their offerings. We deliver a breadth of services including insight-driven strategy, brilliant creative, innovative production, performance-driven media management, attention-getting PR, and advanced data analytics. This approach leads to tangible results and above-average retention of clients and team members.  While our work spans all industries, we are best known for our work in Financial Services, HealthCare, Consumer Packaged Goods, Consumer Services, and B2B. We’re building on our 75-year history of innovation, strategic smarts, and creativity to deliver powerful, end-to-end client experiences. We’re innovating in AI, data science, and service models to create exceptional value for clients. We are a member of AMIN - a global network of over 60 independent agencies - and work globally, nationally, and regionally with clients on multiple continents.

We are “All goat, no sheep”, which means we boldly lead our clients into new territories. Our culture is based on living ten core values: Integrity. Curiosity. Creativity. Connectedness. Balance. Uniqueness. Genuineness. Accountability. Empathy. Tenacity.

Come grow with us. Learn more at www.cronin-co.com.

About You

As the Information Technology Leader, you are the expert on Information Technology for a growing agency / professional services organization, including a strategic role as well as hands on tactical implementation.  You thrive on daily engagement and collaboration with employees at all levels, resolving technical issues in a timely and friendly manner and suggesting areas to enhance and improve the way we work through modern and innovative technology. The idea of pushing beyond “standard” platforms such as Microsoft Office, making recommendations, mastering, and deploying the right type of technology for our unique business needs excites and inspires you. You possess problem-solving skills, such as critical thinking and research, to identify challenges, consider various solutions and implement strategies to resolve problems. You have a high level of enthusiasm, motivation and resilience; a sense of urgency to maintain uptime and improve reliability; an ability to maintain a positive attitude when under pressure. A reputation for doing what you say you are going to do; a willingness to go beyond the ask; you seek to find solutions, aka “no” is not in your vocabulary. You have a track record of doing the right thing for the right reason, earning the trust of clients and employees, maintaining strict standards of confidentiality.

You espouse characteristics of our inspirational mascot - the goat. Like Birch, our Chief Motivating Officer, you are curious, nimble, inquisitive, and pretty darn smart. You are also a team player who leads by example and inspires all those around you to bring out the best in others.

POSITION OVERVIEW

As the sole onsite resource for the Agency’s technology function, the Information Technology Leader, will be responsible for overseeing and managing the technical infrastructure, support and operations for the Agency in partnership with our IT Managed Services Provider. Your primary objective will be to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of all technical systems and processes, and to drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness. You will collaborate with cross-functional departments to align technical operations with overall business objectives for our internal structures. The IT Leader plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability and efficiency of the Agency’s technical infrastructure. By overseeing IT operations, mitigating risk, and implementing best practices, you will contribute to the success of the Agency, its technological capabilities and employee satisfaction.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

•        Lead IT operational and strategic planning - including fostering innovation and planning projects, making recommendations for the improvement and growth of the IT infrastructure and IT systems.
•        Manage our strict security protocols - including oversight of our IT infrastructure and data protection policies, security risk management procedures, monitor technology systems to discover and neutralize potential threats to security, and manage our data retention and destruction procedures.
•        Lead employee communication - including proactive communication regarding system maintenance and related downtime and training in proper security protocol and threat recognition.
•        Partner with our IT managed service provider.
•        Evaluate and/or recommend purchases of computers, network hardware, peripheral equipment, and software; provides technical consulting services regarding the use of computers and networks to satisfy business needs.
•        Install, configure, and maintain all workstations, network cabling, and other related equipment, devices, and systems. Add or upgrade and configure modems, printers, and related equipment.
•        Troubleshoot networks, systems, and applications to identify and correct malfunctions and other operational difficulties.
•        Develop and conduct various training and instruction for system users on operating systems, databases, security and other applications; assist users in maximizing the use of networks and computing systems.
•        Negotiate and administer IT vendor, outsourcing, and consultant contracts and service agreements.
•        Develop and implement all IT policies and procedures, including those for architecture, security, disaster recovery, standards, purchasing, and service provision.
•        Provide day-to-day support of all network infrastructures, including servers, printers, firewalls, routers, VPN devices and backup devices responding promptly to requests and issues from end users.
•        Practice asset management for IT hardware, software, and equipment.
•        Handle special projects as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

N/A at this time

Reporting relationships

SVP, Communications

Qualifications

•        BS Information Systems, Computer Science or related field, preferred.
•        A minimum of 7 years of hands-on technical experience in Information Technology.
•        Experience in an advertising agency, digital marketing agency, or other professional services environment is preferred.
•        Strong technical knowledge of current network hardware, protocols, and standards.
•        Proficient in macOS, Windows, working in cloud environments, specifically Microsoft 365, Entra, SharePoint, associated Microsoft products, and VoIP, Cisco DUO deployment and management, TCP/IP networking protocol, Android and IOS devices, DHCP, DNS, Active Directory. Paycor and Webvantage a plus.
•        Proven experience in IT infrastructure planning and development; extensive support experience and understanding of networking and computer equipment and common operating systems and applications.
•        In-depth knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws.
•        Strong understanding of project management principles.
•        Able to conduct and direct research into IT issues and products as required.
•        Able to present ideas in business-friendly and user-friendly language and respond to questions.
•        Ability to operate, prioritize, and execute tasks independently, in a fast-paced environment with keen attention to detail.
•        High level of self-motivation.

Other

•        Nights and weekends are required on occasion for upgrades, outages, etc.
•        Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are required on-site days for this role.

This is an exempt position.