Principal IAM Engineer at Harvard University

Job description

Job Summary: Are you a collaborative, hands-on leader energized by driving technical excellence, vendor management, and operational strategy? Do you have a passion for overseeing advanced computing services and ensuring best-in-class system integrity, security, and reliability? If so, consider joining our team!  HBS IT seeks a Principal IAM (Identity and Access Management) Engineer to provide operational leadership and service management for our identity and access technology platforms. This role collaborates in the design, development, testing, delivery, and support of high-quality and innovative services. As both a strategist and contributor, you’ll partner with HBS colleagues and vendor staff to deliver high-impact solutions that advance the School’s mission.   The ideal candidate will be an agile self-starter who navigates ambiguity with focus and clarity. You are an effective communicator who builds strong stakeholder relationships, and a strategic problem-solver with service management and service experience.  Job-Specific Responsibilities: Serve as Service Owner and Technical Oversight Lead for HBS identity and access management platforms, providing technical leadership and accountability for operational excellence, system administration, and continuous improvement  Define and execute the long-term strategic roadmap for the IAM ecosystem, aligning technology capabilities with institutional priorities  Provide technical leadership on design, advanced support, troubleshooting, process improvement, and documentation  Lead the full IAM service lifecycle, from strategy and design through implementation, optimization, and ongoing support, while evaluating business and risk implications  Translate complex problems into clear, detailed requirements for engineers and end-users  Build and maintain partnerships with IT colleagues, HBS Partners, Managed Service Providers (MSP), and vendors to support enterprise goals and high-quality service delivery  Oversee MSP relationships and vendor performance, ensuring operational effectiveness and compliance with university standards  Serve as a mentor to engineers and provide supervision of temporary resources who deliver reliable, scalable, and secure environments.  Model and promote collaborative, and service-oriented culture that strengthens trust, accountability, and shared ownership  Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents  Complete other related duties as assigned  Working Conditions: Additional support outside of regularly scheduled hours, including early mornings, nights, weekends, and holiday breaks, may occasionally be required  Must be available by personal cell phone during business hours, and occasionally off-hours (stipend will be provided)  Must participate in a shared 24x7x365 on call rotation with other IT staff  Basic Qualifications: Minimum of seven years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience Additional Qualifications and Skills: The following are preferred:  Experience with identity and access management technologies, including platform administration, directory services, authentication protocols, and security  Experience leading services through full lifecycle using Agile delivery methodologies  Demonstrated success delivering or managing advanced technology services and infrastructure, including on-premises and/or cloud  Proven ability in MSP/vendor management, including driving accountability, manag