Open to opportunities

James Samford

@jamessamford

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Experienced IT operations leader with a focus on infrastructure and systems.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I am looking for a leadership role that emphasizes strategic improvements, team performance, and alignment of IT functions with organizational goals.

I am an experienced IT leader with over 10 years in infrastructure operations and systems administration. My career has been marked by a proven track record in leading enterprise service reliability initiatives and managing cross-functional teams. I excel in incident and problem resolution, vendor relations, and driving strategic improvements within organizations.

Throughout my tenure at DIRECTV, I successfully oversaw collaborative projects that enhanced system uptime and efficiency. My leadership in incident management initiatives led to a remarkable 75% reduction in MTTR and the elimination of recurring service issues. I am passionate about mentoring technical staff and aligning IT functions with organizational goals, committed to building high-performing teams and resilient systems.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Problem Manager

DIRECTV, LLC

Feb 2014 - Jul 2023 (9 years 5 months)

Oversaw collaborative projects involving engineering, operations, and vendor teams to improve CMS and database infrastructure, increasing system uptime and efficiency. Directed incident and problem management initiatives that reduced MTTR by 75% and eliminated recurring service issues.

AWS Containerization Incident Management Problem Management Vendor Management SLA Management Project Tracking Cross Functional Team Leadership

Psychological Operations Specialist

United States Army

Jan 2008 - Jul 2013 (5 years 6 months)

Supported operational and strategic communications during deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Managed personnel and logistical operations for troop movements across the Afghan RC Southeast region.

Support Operations Strategic Communications Personnel Management Logistics NATO Collaboration High Pressure Adaptation Team Leadership Military Operations

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Syracuse University

M.S. in Information Management, Information Management

Obtained a Master of Science in Information Management, complementing it with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Data Science. This program focused on the strategic management of information and data analysis techniques.

Bellevue University

B.S. in Information Technology, Information Technology

Completed a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, gaining foundational knowledge in IT systems, software, and hardware. This degree prepared me for various roles in the technology sector.