Description
Job Summary
We are seeking a visionary and experienced IT Infrastructure Director to lead our information and communication technology (IT) Infrastructure Department. In this critical role, you will be responsible for shaping the technological foundation of our organization, ensuring its alignment with business goals, and championing our IT Support teams in delivering exceptional service to all users. You will provide strategic oversight of our IT infrastructure, ensuring its reliability, scalability, security and modernization to support our present and future business needs. As a leader, you will be responsible for guiding and mentoring IT support and infrastructure teams, fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, collaboration and driving excellence in issue resolution and excellent end- user support.
Key Responsibilities
IT Infrastructure
- Provides technical leadership to optimize the performance of IT infrastructure (networks, servers, databases, hardware).
- Provide guidance on adoption of tools, techniques, and processes (including automation) for the management of systems and services.
- Oversees the planning, installation, maintenance and acceptance of new and updated infrastructure components and infrastructure-based services, including emerging technologies such as cloud computing. Aligns to service expectations, security requirements and other quality standards.
- Ensures that operational procedures and documentation are fit for purpose and kept up to date. Ensures that operational issues are monitored and resolved.
- Oversees the testing of IT infrastructure for disaster recovery capability and business continuity.
Technology Service and Service Level Management
- Sets strategy for the management of the portfolio of technology services.
- Aligns technology service management with organizational strategies, objectives, and emerging opportunities.
- Authorizes the establishment of new or modified technology service delivery capabilities
- Integrates in-house and outsourced options, as well as delivery options leveraging multiple service delivery capabilities.
- Authorizes allocation of resources for the planning and delivery of all technical services and products.
- Maintains an overview of the contribution of technology services to organizational success.
- Authorizes allocation of resources for monitoring service delivery arrangements including via IT help desk.
- Reviews performance of IT Systems to determine areas of improvement and optimization.
- Develops relationships with business users at the highest level to identify potential areas of improvement and future development.
- Reports on and makes recommendations for the improvement of the IT infrastructure and IT systems.
- Oversees provision of end-user services, including help desk and technical support services.
- Oversees and champions efficient incident resolution, request fulfilment and problem management.
- Oversees the development and maintenance of a comprehensive knowledge base for troubleshooting, FAQs, and training materials.
- Oversees the automation of IT asset and configuration management in line with technology service delivery.
Strategic Vision and Enterprise Architecture
- Collaborates with strategic functions such as Enterprise Architecture and Innovation to formulate and deploy long-term strategic plans for acquiring and enabling efficient and cost-effective information processing and communication technologies.
- Translate technology architecture and design to concrete infrastructure components.
- Manage IT Operations Department operational and strategic planning, including business requirements, project planning, and organizing and negotiating the allocation of resources.
- Guide business and overall IT leader in making investment decisions that balance and prioritize current operational demands, disruptions, and opportunities with the longer-term strategic vision of the organization.
- Provide technology guidance, road maps, principles, standards, and best practices.
- Maintains a pulse on emerging infrastructure trends such as edge computing, hyper-converged infrastructure, AI-driven automation, and new security solutions.
- Fosters a strong partnership between infrastructure and support teams, developers, business units, and other IT stakeholders to encourage collaboration on innovation initiatives.
Vendor Management
- Build relationships with C-suite counterparts at key vendor organizations to resolve escalations and negotiate favorable terms.
- Facilitate communication between IT teams, procurement, legal, and finance departments to ensure alignment on vendor contracts and interactions.
- Lead high-value contract negotiations, ensuring SLAs, liability clauses, and data protection align with business requirements.
- Manage processes for regular vendor audits, ensuring adherence to industry regulations, data privacy laws (GDPR, etc.), and internal policies.
Departmental Administration
- Oversee the development and implementation of relevant IT policies and procedures, including those for disaster recovery, infrastructure standards, purchasing, and service provision.
- Manage IT Operations Department staffing, including demand management, recruitment, supervision, development, and mentoring.
- Engage in regular communication with the organization’s senior executive team regarding key IT Operational activities.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
Master’s degree in computer science, information systems or business administration with technology as a core component.
- Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience, with at least 2 years managing and/or directing an IT Operations function with key focus areas on ICT Infrastructure and ICT Support.
- Proven experience in IT infrastructure, strategic planning and development, project management, and/or policy development
- Having Certifications like PMP in IT Program, IT Service Management such as ITIL® 4 Managing Professional, ITIL® 4 Strategic Leader, Business Continuity such as Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP®) or Vendor specific certifications e.g., Cisco – CCNA/CCNP, VMware – VCP, Linux – RHCSA is added advantage
Competencies
- Be an enthusiastic problem solver,
- Have advanced critical and strategic thinking skills,
- Have strong attention to detail,
- Have a strong understanding of business processes and the integration of technological processes,
- Work comfortably with executive business leadership,
- Work comfortably in a collaborative environment,
- Be self-motivated and proactive going beyond the call of duty,
- Have an ability to stay calm in the face of adversity and uncertainty,
- Possess exceptionally strong leadership skills, having an ability to influence a cross-functional group towards a unified direction and having an ability to influence senior business leadership, and;
- She/he must also be a people person who inspires trust and confidence in others, enabling them to easily trust in her/his insights and judgments and readily follow in her/his directives
|
|
