Cloud & Network Services Manager

Overview The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is seeking a Cloud & Network Services Manager to join our Information Technology department. The Cloud & Network Services Manager will lead and continuously improve WFAA’s cloud and network infrastructure, day-to-day operations, engineering practices, and service performance. This role plays a key part in advancing the organization’s cloud and network strategy while driving operational excellence, automation, and AI-enabled improvements across cloud and network operations. This position provides direct people leadership and technical oversight across cloud infrastructure, including AWS, Azure, Microsoft 365, and VMware; enterprise networking, including LAN, WAN, and WLAN; and the systems and endpoint functions that support these environments. The Cloud & Network Services Manager partners closely with the Sr. Managing Director, Infrastructure & Security to translate organizational priorities into actionable project roadmaps, maintain a consistent security posture, and develop the engineers and administrators within the group. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical credibility across cloud and network domains, proven people leadership experience, sound judgment under pressure, and the ability to communicate infrastructure strategy effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. This is a hybrid position that will require you to work on-site in our Madison, WI office location at least two days weekly.  Who is WFAA? The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association® to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers. Diversity and Inclusion: Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive.   Essential Functions Operational Optimization, Automation & AI Enablement  Oversee the day-to-day operations of both the Cloud Services and Network Services teams, ensuring reliable, secure, and high-performing infrastructure across cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Microsoft 365, VMware) and network environments (LAN, WAN, WLAN). Ensure timely triage, escalation, and resolution of cloud and network incidents, acting as an escalation point for complex or high-impact issues. Review and approve cloud and network changes, ensuring adherence to change management practices and minimizing operational risk. Oversee root cause analysis, post-incident reviews, and remediation planning for significant cloud and network outages or degradations. Ensure disaster recovery plans, failover mechanisms, and business continuity procedures are maintained and regularly tested across cloud and network environments. Champion automation, scripting, Infrastructure-as-Code, and AI-enabled tooling to reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency across both teams. Maintain oversight of technical documentation, configuration standards, and monitoring/alerting baselines for cloud and network systems. Manage and prioritize the cloud and network project portfolio, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with business needs. Work cross-functionally within the Infrastructure & Security team to identify and assist with operational optimization for other teams. Strategic Direction & Stakeholder Management  Partner with the Sr. Managing Director, Infrastructure & Security, and other leaders to define and execute the strategic roadmap for cloud and network infrastructure. Translate organizational and business priorities into actionable project plans, resourcing decisions, and operational standards for both teams. Provide architectural and operational oversight for cloud and network initiatives, ensuring alignment with infrastructure standards, security policies, and scalability requirements. Contribute to the development and maintenance of policy and procedure covering IT services provided by WFAA. Serve as an escalation point and primary liaison with external cloud and network vendors, MSPs, and service providers, overseeing service delivery, performance, and SLA compliance. Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and vendor roadmaps to inform cloud and network strategy, tooling, and investment decisions. Report on team performance, project status, capacity, and risk to the Sr. Managing Director and other stakeholders, including budget and resourcing recommendations. Drive cross-functional collaboration with other Infrastructure & Security teams on infrastructure requirements and shared initiatives. Team Leadership & Development  Lead, coach, and develop engineers and administrators across the Cloud Services and Network Services teams, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, and career development. Set team goals, workload priorities, staffing plans, schedules, on-call rotations, and after-hours coverage to support reliable cloud and network operations. Conduct regular one-on-ones, performance reviews, and development planning to build technical depth, bench st