Senior IT Operations Engineer

OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Senior Manager, IT Infrastructure, the Senior Support Engineer is responsible for the design, operation and continuous improvement of the organization’s Microsoft centric technology environment. This role provides hands on technical leadership across platforms, identity, endpoints, and infrastructure while ensuring operational stability, security, and audit readiness.

The position operates as a senior individual contributor, acting as a technical escalation point and trusted advisor to IT leadership. A key component of this role includes supporting the progressive transition of selected operational responsibilities from external Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to internal ownership, strengthening internal capability while maintaining service continuity.

This is a permanent position, salaried paid and requires residency in Canada.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Application Support

• Provide senior level support for Microsoft 365, Azure, Entra ID, and related business applications
• Act as an escalation point for complex application, identity, access, and authentication issues
• Troubleshoot cross platform issues spanning services, endpoints, networking, and integrations
• Support application availability, performance, and reliability in production environments

Incident, Problem & Change Support

• Participate in and support major incident response, investigation, and resolution
• Conduct root cause analysis for recurring or high‑impact incidents
• Support change and release activities to ensure operational readiness and minimal production risk
• Contribute to incident documentation, post‑incident reviews, and preventative recommendations

Security & Operational Governance

• Support operational security practices aligned with CIS Controls and organizational standards
• Assist with patch management, vulnerability remediation, and endpoint compliance
• Contribute to operational security controls, access governance, and risk reduction initiatives
• Support audit readiness through documentation, evidence collection, and control validation

Endpoint & Identity Management

• Support and maintain Intune managed endpoints, compliance policies, and device configurations
• Assist with identity and access management across Entra ID / Azure AD, MFA, and Conditional Access
• Troubleshoot endpoint security and compliance issues in collaboration with security stakeholders

Operational Documentation & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain runbooks, SOPs, and technical documentation
• Identify opportunities to improve operational stability, supportability, and response times
• Support standardization and operational maturity initiatives across the environment
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and mentoring of junior support resources

Managed Service Provider (MSP) Transition & Internal Capability Building

• Support the transition of selected operational responsibilities from MSPs to internal teams
• Assume hands on ownership of operational activities previously delivered by MSPs, including administration, endpoint management, identity services, and infrastructure support
• Partner with MSPs to ensure effective knowledge transfer, documentation handover, and service continuity
• Identify opportunities to internalize repeatable or high value operational tasks and reduce long‑term vendor dependency
• Provide recommendations to IT leadership regarding sourcing decisions and operational improvements

Vendor & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work with external vendors and managed service providers to resolve complex issues
• Support vendor troubleshooting, escalation, and follow‑up activities
• Communicate clearly with internal stakeholders during incidents and service disruptions

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience

• 5–8 years of experience in IT operations, application support roles
• Strong hands‑on experience with:
  • Microsoft 365
  • Azure
  • Entra ID / Azure AD
  • Endpoint management (Intune or equivalent)
• Proven experience supporting production environments with service‑critical workloads
• Experience with incident management, root‑cause analysis, and operational support processes

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in regulated or audit sensitive environments
• Familiarity with CIS Controls or similar security frameworks
• Experience supporting MSP or multi‑environment operations
• ITIL Foundation or equivalent operational training
• Microsoft certifications (e.g., MS‑900, Azure fundamentals or associate‑level)

Knowledge/Competencies/Skills

• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills
• Calm, structured approach during incidents
• High degree of ownership and accountability
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Ability to balance security, stability, and operational pragmatism
• Continuous improvement mindset

WORKING CONDITIONS

• While CM employees work 40 hours per week, remotely from a Canadian home office environment, this role requires occasional working in the Toronto head office.

PAY TRANSPARENCY

Expected Compensation:

• An annual base salary in the range of $115,000 to $135,000.

 Job Vacancy Reason

• This position is a new role.

 Artificial Intelligence

• AI is not used during our hiring processes.

 Applicant and Interviewee Communication

• We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those under consideration will be contacted.
• Applicants who have been interviewed will be informed whether a hiring decision has been made within 45 days of their final interview.

 Record Retention

• Job posting records and associated application forms will be retained for at least three years.

ABOUT CIRCULAR MATERIALS

Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations across Canada. Created by producers for producers, we design, ,  and deliver effective recycling programs that drive advance innovation, improve environmental outcomes and create value across the recycling supply chain.

Through full-service program delivery,  including collection, management, promotion, education, and reporting, we are advancing systems where more materials are recycled and returned to producers for use in new packaging and products. 

Learn more at circularmaterials.ca. 

Circular Materials is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a workforce that reflects diversity of thought, skills, experiences,  and backgrounds as we work together to accelerate a circular economy for people and the planet.

Our inclusive hiring practices aim to foster a culture where all employees feel a strong sense of belonging. We are proud of our recent diversity survey results which showed that: 

• 54% of Circular Materials employees identify as women.
• 50% of Circular Materials employees identify as visible minorities.
• 90% of employees believe Circular Materials fosters a strong sense of belonging for employees of all backgrounds. 
• 86% of employees recommend Circular Materials as an inclusive workplace.  

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), persons with disabilities, racialized individuals, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  Circular Materials is committed to reconciliation and to advancing Indigenous representation and partnerships across our organization and programs.  We recognize that we operate on the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous Nations, and are dedicated to respecting Indigenous rights, governance, and contributions in our work and communities.

Circular Materials supports reasonable requests for accommodation in accordance with all applicable provincial accessibility standards. Requests for accommodation will be provided by Circular Materials through the recruitment and/or assessment processes, upon contacting humanresources@circularmaterials.ca. This email is only used for accommodation requests.