IT Manager

The Role

We are looking for an IT Manager who has done this before — built a professional IT program from near zero in a startup environment and grown it into something scalable, secure, and reliable.

This is not a maintenance role. You will own the entire IT function, define the processes, fix the gaps, and build the infrastructure that scales with the company. The person who joins now will shape how IT operates at Kai, not inherit someone else's playbook.

Responsibilities

Corporate IT Operations

Own the day-to-day health, reliability, and efficiency of the company's internal IT environment

Administer and optimize the Microsoft 365 tenant, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and associated services

Manage Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), including user provisioning, group policies, conditional access, MFA enforcement, SSO configurations, and app registrations

Maintain and continuously improve Jamf Pro MDM policies, configuration profiles, update policies, compliance baselines, and automated workflows across the macOS fleet

Support Enterprise Security with corporate IT security posture hardening — working hand-in-glove with the Security team

Own network and office IT infrastructure, including Wi-Fi, VPN, and related tooling

IT Asset Management

Maintain a complete, accurate inventory of all hardware and software assets across the organization

Manage the full hardware lifecycle — procurement, registration, deployment, refresh, and secure disposal of MacBooks and peripherals

Administer software license tracking and ensure compliance across all SaaS and on-premise tools

Develop and enforce policies for asset assignment, use, and return

Hardware & Software Procurement

Evaluate, recommend, and procure IT hardware (MacBooks, accessories, AV/conferencing equipment) and software licenses

Manage vendor relationships and ensure cost-effective procurement aligned with budget

Partner with Finance on purchase orders, budgeting, and IT spend forecasting

Vet and onboard new software tools in coordination with Security and Legal teams

Employee Onboarding & Offboarding

Design and own a seamless, repeatable IT onboarding experience — from hardware provisioning and Jamf enrollment to M365 account setup, Entra ID provisioning, and access grants

Partner with HR and department leads to ensure new hires are fully equipped and productive on Day 1

Execute thorough, auditable offboarding procedures, including timely account deprovisioning in Entra ID, MDM unenrollment, hardware retrieval, and license reclamation

Maintain and improve runbooks and checklists for both workflows

IT Help Desk

Serve as the primary escalation point for IT support, handling hardware, software, connectivity, and account-related issues

Define SLAs for help desk response and resolution, and track performance against them

Build and maintain a self-service knowledge base to reduce repeat ticket volume and empower employees

Evaluate and implement a ticketing/ITSM platform if not already in place

Must Haves

An ownership mentality that places the well-being of the company, our customers, and teammates at the forefront of everything the role does

Startup experience and hustle — preferably a successful zero-to-one environment

7+ years of IT experience, with at least 2 years in an IT Manager or Senior IT Administrator role

Deep, hands-on expertise with Jamf Pro — configuration profiles, policies, smart groups, patch management, and zero-touch deployment

Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 administration: Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, Intune, and licensing management

Solid experience with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD): SSO, conditional access, MFA, RBAC, and application provisioning

Demonstrated experience managing a macOS-first endpoint environment

Experience owning IT asset management programs and procurement processes

Strong understanding of IT security principles, endpoint hardening, and least-privilege access

Proven ability to build and document scalable IT processes and runbooks

Excellent communication skills and a customer service orientation toward employees

Nice to Haves

Familiarity with compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, or FedRAMP as they apply to corporate IT

Experience with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) frameworks and context-aware access platforms (e.g., Zscaler, Cloudflare Access, or equivalent)

Experience with privileged access management (PAM) tools (e.g., CyberArk, BeyondTrust, or equivalent)

Experience rolling out AI productivity tools (e.g., Claude, Microsoft Copilot, or equivalent), including policy development and user training

Experience with ITSM/ticketing platforms (e.g., Jira Service Management, Zendesk, or similar)

Scripting or automation experience (Bash, Python, or PowerShell) for IT workflow automation

Relevant certifications: Jamf Certified Admin, Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert, CompTIA Security+, ITIL Foundation, or equivalent

Why Join the Mission

Build from zero — define the IT function, own the program, set the standard

Be a plank owner in building an AI-native IT function inside an AI-native security company with little to no technical debt

Work hand-in-glove with the Security team in an environment where IT and security are deeply integrated

A company that invests in your growth — budget for conferences, certifications, and continuing education

If Kai succeeds, this role is a career-defining opportunity

Work Location

This is a 5-day-a-week in-office role based in North San Jose, CA.

Why Join Kai

Well-funded: With $125M raised, we have the capital, runway, and resolve to rebuild cybersecurity from first principles.

Proven: We've earned the trust of Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies, and we're just getting started. Their confidence in Kai reflects what we've built: an AI-powered cybersecurity platform that performs at the scale and speed the enterprise demands.

Experienced founders: Our founding team consists of second-time entrepreneurs, each with over 20 years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. Their proven expertise and vision drive our ambitious goals.

World-class leadership team: Our Heads of AI, Engineering, and Product bring extensive experience from some of the world’s most influential companies, ensuring top-tier mentorship, direction, and vision.

Frontier AI Applied Research Team: Our researchers operate at the leading edge of agentic AI systems, translating breakthrough capabilities into real-world cybersecurity applications.

Generous compensation: We offer highly competitive salaries, equity options, and a supportive work environment. Your contributions will be valued and rewarded as we grow together.