IT Operations Director - AirtelTigo

The successful candidate for this role will join our Information Technology team as the IT Operations Director. (S)He will report to the Chief Information Officer and will be responsible for the production support for a suite of IT infrastructure and applications. (S)He would be responsible for the availability and stability of all IT infrastructure and applications that are business-critical and will also create and implement IT policies and procedures that will enhance security and risk management capabilities. The successful candidate will oversee business continuity, disaster recovery within the department as well as make recommendations and implement new investments within the technology infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish operational and capital budgets to address the needs of various areas of the IT department;
• Coordinate the selection, implementation, and upgrade of the business’s software/applications and services;
• Develop and implement a business recovery strategy for the IT department;
• Establish security architecture and implements procedures and controls to ensure information and data are secured and in compliance with the security and storage regulations of the business;
• Lead the team in the analysis, enhancement, and tailor current practices and existing systems to increase operating efficiencies as well as reduce costs within the business;
• Ensure consistency and maintainability of existing infrastructure environments with well-documented standards and procedures for the implementation of technical solutions;
• Ensure adherence to the overall financial objectives of the business and track the annual departmental expenditures;
• Explore new technologies and software as appropriate and in conjunction with the Chief Information Officer oversees the architecture and implementation of the ongoing support of the network;
• Build a collaborative culture within the department and partner with various departments within the organization to ensure the common business objective is achieved;
• Maintain strong relationship with stakeholders and consistently update them on all maintenance & operations efforts;
• Manage application and database changes and ensure the potential impact on any up-line or down-line application is also tested and coordinated;
• Manage application-level testing and support for changes in other infrastructure areas;
• Collaborate with the finance department in deciding the IT department’s financial needs;
• Work closely with the customer support team in gathering consumer feedback and develop insights to improve IT services;
• Ensure availability of applications as defined by business need per formal service level agreements;
•  Ensure applications are maximized to guarantee business productivity;
• Assess the effectiveness of the existing solutions, software/applications, data, and processes developed by the department;
•  Analyze complex business requirements and make a recommendation to the Chief Information Officer for technical solutions and ensure that these solutions are aligned with the overall business vision, mission, and direction;
• Keeps track of licensing on all IT related items;
• Champion, implement and manage process and productivity improvement programs and preventive maintenance initiatives;
• Manage the data collection and reporting on all application-related service levels and periodic reviews with customers and vendors.

Required Qualification and Experience

• A University degree in any field with emphasis on Computer Science, Information Technology and other related disciplines. Possession of a Master’s will be an advantage;
• A minimum of ten (10) years working experience in a senior IT position and in a constantly evolving environment, preferably a Telco environment;
• Must demonstrate experience with a wide variety of business software and have a proven track record of creative solution delivery and delivery on business needs;
• Must demonstrate a good understanding of network infrastructure technologies, inclusive of security solutions, for example, anti-SPAM and anti-virus technologies;
• Must demonstrate a deep understanding of telecommunications and have vast experience in disaster recovery planning and implementation as well as data storage solutions;
• Exhibit expert knowledge in building and leveraging open source technology;
• Demonstrate exceptional communication skills both in written and verbal form;
• Excellent reporting writing skills and can engage at the C Level;
• Must be an enthusiastic problem solver and have advanced critical and strategic thinking skills
• Demonstrate exceptionally strong leadership skills;
• Excellent people management abilities.