Remote Mern Stack Freelance Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Equity Smart Home Loans (ESHL) is a technology-driven mortgage brokerage and real estate organization. We are building a modern infrastructure for residential lending and real estate services, with a strong focus on automation, integration, and team empowerment. Our IT team plays a vital role in driving innovation and enabling scalable growth across all departments.

As we restructure our IT department, we are seeking a strategic and operationally skilled IT Manager to oversee and drive our internal technology initiatives. This is a leadership role responsible for orchestrating IT operations, enabling digital transformation, and managing special projects to align with the company’s long-term vision.

The IT Manager will lead the planning, execution, and coordination of IT operations across the company. You will oversee system administration, software provisioning, onboarding automation, and cross-departmental technical projects. This role is not about deep technical specialization in a single area, but about project management, systems logic, and strategic implementation across our tech stack. You’ll supervise a team that includes a virtual assistant (VA), an IT Support Coordinator, and a Web Developer.

This role requires a tech-savvy operations leader who can bridge technical and business goals, help implement AI-driven automation, and serve as a partner to other departments.

• Oversee the IT department's daily operations

• Own IT ticketing workflows and ensure timely issue escalation and resolution.

• Supervise onboarding and offboarding workflows (e.g., system access, workspace setup).

• Serve as the systems liaison between internal departments and the IT team.

• Maintain a working knowledge of our full tech stack including: Google Workspace, RingCentral, LendingPad, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac integrations, internal portals, and various websites.

• Provision and manage software and user licenses, ensuring role-based system access across departments.

• Collaborate on the configuration and integration of business-critical systems; act as a facilitator, not necessarily the system owner.

• Lead cross-departmental tech-related projects with defined milestones, timelines, and deliverables.

• Propose and implement tech improvements, including automation and AI-driven solutions for business processes.

• Monitor and help reduce system sprawl by identifying underutilized platforms and recommending consolidation or sunset plans.

• Work closely with department heads to understand technology needs and coordinate implementations accordingly.

• Ensure documentation of systems, workflows, and support processes is consistently updated and accessible.

• Participate in strategic planning to help scale the IT function as the company grows.

Preferred Experience with the Following Tech Stack:

• AWS (cloud hosting and infrastructure)
• Bitdefender Admin (endpoint protection management)
• Zapier (automation and integrations)
• Stripe (payments and billing workflows)
• RingCentral Admin (VoIP/communications systems)
• CRM platforms (general knowledge; mortgage-specific CRMs a plus)
• Google Workspace Admin (email and productivity suite administration)
• ChatGPT Admin (AI tool integration and management)
• Cybersecurity Training platforms and user compliance monitoring
• IC3 Reporting and Documentation (cyber incident handling)
• MongoDB (database familiarity for web apps or internal tools)
• Retool (a low-code tool to speed up production time)
• MERN Stack (experience with full-stack development)
• Trello (Project Management Software)
• LendingPad/ARIVE (Loan Origination System)

• Proven experience in IT or Operations management with an emphasis on project management and team leadership.

• Strong organizational and systems-thinking skills; ability to manage many moving parts simultaneously.

• Comfort working across a diverse range of platforms and rapidly learning new systems.

• Experience implementing or supporting automation workflows, ideally with exposure to AI or process automation tools.

• Experience managing teams across departments, ensuring collaboration and alignment toward shared goals.

• Strong Integration skills with a proven track record of organizing complex projects and teams.

• Strong data analysis skills, with the ability to interpret complex datasets, identify trends, and deliver actionable insights.

• Exceptional communication skills—clear, concise, and collaborative.

• Experience working in mortgage, lending, or real estate technology environments.

• Familiarity with system provisioning, Google Workspace admin console, CRM tools, or loan origination systems.

• Experience managing remote technical or support teams.

• PMP certification or equivalent project management credentials.