Role purpose
The Senior Manager – Infrastructure and IT Operations is responsible for the organization's complete IT infrastructure, cloud platforms, cybersecurity and information security, and the day-to-day IT operations and support function. The role ensures that all infrastructure and end-user services are secure, available, scalable, and delivered within agreed service levels. The position drives modernization and automation using Microsoft technologies, strengthens the organization's security posture and compliance position, manages infrastructure vendors and budgets, and leads the infrastructure, security, and IT support teams to deliver a reliable, cost-efficient, and continuously improving IT service to the business.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES & ACTIVITIES
- IT Infrastructure Management
- Own the design, implementation, and day-to-day operation of the organization's complete IT infrastructure, including data centre, servers, storage, virtualization, network, and end-user computing.
- Manage the Microsoft server estate including Windows Server, Active Directory, and Microsoft Entra ID, ensuring availability, capacity, and performance.
- Maintain infrastructure standards, configuration baselines, patching cycles, and lifecycle and refresh plans for all hardware and software assets.
- Plan and manage infrastructure capacity, licensing, and budgets, and identify cost optimization opportunities.
- Manage infrastructure vendors, service providers, and contracts, ensuring deliverables and service levels are achieved.
- Cloud
- Lead the organization's cloud strategy, migration, and operations, with primary focus on Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365.
- Design and maintain secure, scalable, and cost-efficient cloud architectures, including hybrid and identity integration with on-premises systems.
- Implement cloud governance covering landing zones, subscription and tagging standards, access control, backup, and disaster recovery.
- Monitor and optimize cloud consumption and cost, and report spend against budget.
- Cybersecurity and Information Security
- Own the cybersecurity and information security agenda across endpoint, network, identity, email, and data protection.
- Operate and continuously improve the Microsoft security stack, including Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Purview, Entra ID Conditional Access, and Microsoft Intune compliance policies.
- Lead vulnerability management, patch compliance, penetration test remediation, and security hardening across all platforms.
- Lead security incident detection, response, investigation, containment, and post-incident reporting.
- Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and industry requirements such as NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls and ISO 27001, and lead internal and external security audits.
- Drive security awareness programs and enforce access, acceptable use, and data classification policies.
- Maintain and regularly test business continuity, disaster recovery, and backup plans for all critical systems.
- IT Operations and Service Management
- Ensure IT operations run smoothly and that all IT services are delivered within agreed SLAs.
- Own the service desk and technical support function, including incident, service request, problem, and change management in line with ITIL practice.
- Define, monitor, and report SLA and KPI performance including availability, response and resolution times, first-contact resolution, and ticket backlog, and drive corrective action where targets are missed.
- Establish proactive monitoring, alerting, and event management to detect and resolve issues before they impact the business.
- Lead major incident management and root cause analysis, ensuring permanent fixes and documented lessons learned.
- Maintain an accurate asset and configuration inventory, a current knowledge base, and operational runbooks.
- Automation and Continuous Improvement
- Drive automation of infrastructure and IT operations activities using Microsoft technologies including PowerShell, Azure Automation, Logic Apps, and Microsoft Power Automate.
- Implement infrastructure as code and standardized deployment pipelines using Azure DevOps and GitHub.
- Automate patching, provisioning, user onboarding and offboarding, endpoint configuration, and routine service desk workflows to reduce manual effort and error.
- Identify and deliver continuous improvement initiatives that improve service quality, reduce cost, and increase operational efficiency.
- Team Leadership
- Lead, coach, and develop the infrastructure, security, and IT support teams.
- Set team objectives, priorities, performance expectations, and development plans.
- Manage shift coverage, on-call rotation, and workload distribution to sustain agreed service levels.
- Build a culture of ownership, accountability, service quality, and continuous improvement.
- Project Delivery
- Plan and deliver infrastructure, cloud, and security projects from initiation through to handover into operations.
- Ensure projects are delivered within agreed timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
- Manage risks, dependencies, change requests, and stakeholder expectations.
- Reporting and Governance
- Provide regular reporting on service performance, SLA compliance, security posture, risks, and improvement plans.
- Maintain complete documentation of infrastructure, configurations, policies, and procedures.
- Ensure all changes follow the approved change management and governance process.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ROLE
Experience & qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Master's degree is preferred.
- Microsoft certifications are strongly preferred (Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Administrator Associate, Microsoft 365 Administrator, Security Operations Analyst, or Identity and Access Administrator). ITIL v4 and a recognized security certification such as CISSP or CISM are desirable.
- 10+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud, and IT operations in an enterprise environment, with a proven track record of running services to defined SLAs and of leading cloud migration and security improvement programs.
- Minimum 5 years in a leadership or management role, managing infrastructure, cybersecurity, service desk, and vendor teams.
Knowledge & skills
- Strong leadership and people management skills, including experience leading operational and on-call teams.
- Deep expertise in Microsoft technologies across infrastructure, cloud, productivity, and security.
- Strong knowledge of cybersecurity and information security frameworks, controls, and risk management.
- Strong ITIL service management discipline across incident, problem, and change management, with a consistent record of meeting SLAs.
- Strong automation mindset and scripting capability, with a focus on eliminating manual operational work.
- Excellent project management and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong vendor management and negotiation skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability under pressure, with high accountability and execution discipline.
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
Cloud and Infrastructure
- Microsoft Azure (IaaS, PaaS, Landing Zones, Azure Arc, Azure Monitor)
- Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams
- Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, DNS, DHCP, PKI
- Virtualization (Hyper-V, VMware), storage, backup and disaster recovery (Azure Backup, Azure Site Recovery, Veeam)
Cybersecurity and Information Security
- Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM / SOAR)
- Microsoft Purview (DLP and data classification), Entra ID Conditional Access and PIM
- Microsoft Intune and Endpoint Configuration Manager, vulnerability and patch management, ISO 27001 and NCA ECC controls
Automation and DevOps
- PowerShell, Azure Automation, Azure Logic Apps
- Power Platform: Power Automate and Power Apps
- Infrastructure as Code (Bicep, ARM, Terraform), Azure DevOps, GitHub
- Networking: LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, firewalls, VPN, Wi-Fi
- ITSM platforms, ITIL v4 service management, monitoring and observability (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, System Center)
