Senior IT Manager

Antora Energy delivers affordable, reliable energy to industry, data centers, and the grid. Our thermal batteries turn low-cost electricity into always-on heat and power, without supply-constrained critical minerals or multi-year construction timelines. We are growing our company with people who put team and mission first, value connection through laughter and joy, and work with humility and openness. We are committed to building a diverse, passionate, and creative team dedicated to a future powered by abundant, clean, low-cost energy. Position Summary Antora Energy is hiring its first Senior IT Manager to serve as the internal owner of the company's IT infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, and enterprise technology environment. This person will combine strategic leadership with hands-on execution — leading IT planning and governance while directly improving systems, security, and operational reliability across corporate, factory, and project-site environments. The IT Manager will partner with internal engineering teams and external technical specialists (including Antora's outsourced IT partners) to ensure our corporate, operational technology, and AI environments are secure, scalable, and well-managed. A core focus of this role is strengthening Antora's network, infrastructure, and cybersecurity foundations as the company prepares for its next stage of growth and investment. Over time, this person will lead the evolution of Antora's IT capabilities from a vendor-supported model to a more internally led function — building the team, processes, and systems to support that transition. Roles & Responsibilities IT Leadership & Strategy • Serve as the primary internal owner of IT infrastructure, systems, and cybersecurity across all Antora environments. • Lead IT planning, budgeting, and technology roadmapping; establish policies, standards, and operating procedures. • Coordinate cross-company IT initiatives, including employee and team training. • Act as the strategic internal counterpart to external IT partners, managing the relationship and shifting execution ownership over time. Network & Infrastructure • Document, maintain, and continuously improve the state of corporate, factory, and project-site networks. • Own network architecture and design, including hardware, operating systems, firewalls, and configurations. • Implement and maintain patch management, vulnerability management, and infrastructure monitoring processes. • Maintain comprehensive network diagrams, system documentation, and asset inventories. Cybersecurity & Risk Management • Own the company's cybersecurity posture across endpoints, applications, identity, and networks. • Implement identity and access management best practices, including centralized SSO and user lifecycle management (provisioning, transfers, deprovisioning). • Manage endpoint security, email security, spoofing prevention, and credential protection. • Develop and enforce security policies, incident response practices, and compliance standards (including SSP creation and alignment). • Provide the AI security overlay: governance and risk management for AI tools, agents, and platforms deployed across the company — partnering with AI strategic leaders who own architecture and tooling decisions. Application & Software Governance • Maintain a comprehensive inventory of Antora's approximately 140 software applications, including accurate user and account records. • Manage application access, permissions, and provisioning/deprovisioning to support access control and onboarding/offboarding hygiene. • Partner with business teams to evaluate and securely implement new tools while reducing tool sprawl. • Administer and provide security oversight for AI tools and platforms. IT Operations & End-User Support • Oversee device lifecycle management, IT asset inventory, and enterprise device standards. • Provide or coordinate day-to-day end-user laptop and IT support. • Ensure OS hardening and compliance across all company devices. Cross-Functional Collaboration • Partner with Product Development and Operations to support secure operational technology (OT) environments at factory and project sites. • Align infrastructure and network security with product development realities — a collaborative, dotted-line relationship. • Coordinate with external IT service providers to deliver reliable infrastructure and cybersecurity operations. Initial Success Metrics (First 6–9 Months) • Antora can clearly explain and defend its network architecture to auditors and investors. • Accurate network diagrams, hardware/OS inventories, and system documentation are in place. • Visibility into system vulnerabilities and patch status is continuous and managed. • Centralized identity and access controls (e.g., SSO) are implemented, with a clean hire/transfer/leaver process. • Application inventory is comprehensive and access risk is quantified and mitigated. • Cybersecurity controls are strengthened, with reduced credential and spoofing risk. • There is a credible internal IT owner — not just vendors — accountable for Antora's IT and security posture. Key Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience). • 7+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, networking, or cybersecurity roles. • Demonstrated experience managing corporate IT systems in a growing technology or hardware company. • Strong knowledge of network architecture and security, identity and access management (SSO, authentication systems), endpoint security and device management, and infrastructure monitoring and vulnerability management. • Experience working with external IT service providers or managed service partners. • Proven ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on technical execution. • Genuine enthusiasm for AI tools and a willingness to lean into AI-driven infrastructure and efficiency solutions. Additional Qualifications Desired • Experience supporting environments that include both corporate IT and operational technology (OT). • Experience with cloud infrastructure security and SaaS governance. • Familiarity with enterprise identity platforms such as Okta or equivalent. • Experience implementing IT security programs in preparation for audits, compliance frameworks, or investment readiness. • Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, or equivalent. Personal Attributes • Strong leadership and collaboration skills with the ability to influence across teams and levels. • Structured thinker who documents systems and builds scalable, repeatable processes. • Pragmatic problem solver who balances security rigor with operational speed. • Comfortable operating as a player-coach in a high-growth, evolving technical environment. Work Location: Onsite - San Jose, CA Salary Range: $175,000 USD - $210,000 USD Salary Basis: Annual Please note that the salary range listed above reflects Antora Energy's estimated pay for this position. The actual salary offered will be within the posted range and determined based on several factors including but not limited to a candidate's experiences, credentials and expertise, as they pertain to the position's requirements. In addition to a competitive base salary, Antora Energy’s Total Rewards program includes equity compensation in the form of stock options, a premium health benefits package with life and disability insurance, a 401K plan with employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, and an industry leading paid-time-off policy that features flexible and inclusive holiday observance, as well as paid volunteer time off. #LI-Onsite When it comes to stopping climate change, we need everyone. We believe that having a diversity of backgrounds and experiences strengthens all of us, and we strive to create an environment where every one of us is empowered to create meaningful change.