Johannesburg: Head of IT Operations posted by ICTEngage

The Head of IT Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for the efficient delivery, stability, and scalability of the organizations IT systems, infrastructure, and support services. This role focuses on day-to-day operational excellence, vendor management, platform optimization, and service delivery, while aligning IT operations with business objectives. The ideal candidate combines hands-on technical knowledge with strong leadership and process management skills, ensuring IT services are reliable, secure, and continuously improving.

Key Responsibilities

IT Operations & Infrastructure

• Lead the management, monitoring, and optimization of IT infrastructure and hosted environments.
• Oversee day-to-day IT service delivery, ensuring high system availability, performance, and resilience.
• Implement best practices for incident, change, and problem management.
• Develop, document, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across IT operations.
• Ensure all IT operations are compliant with security, regulatory, and governance standards.

Service Delivery & Support

• Provide oversight and direction to IT support teams, ensuring SLA adherence and customer satisfaction.
• Act as the escalation point for critical incidents and system issues.
• Drive root cause analysis, continuous improvement, and preventative maintenance practices.
• Develop training programs to upskill support staff and standardize service quality.

Vendor & Platform Management

• Manage multi-vendor platforms including Microsoft, Silicon Sky, Sophos, N-able, Cambium, Unifi, and Grandstream.
• Oversee supplier relationships, contracts, escalations, and service reconciliations.
• Ensure effective implementation, administration, and lifecycle management of platforms and services.
• Negotiate pricing, licensing, and service agreements to ensure cost efficiency and value.

Internal Systems & Tools

• Administer internal systems including Kaseya Autotask, VSAX, Quote Manager, and CloudQuote.
• Oversee IT operations tooling and automation initiatives to drive efficiency.
• Provide technical advisory support for internal projects and cross-functional initiatives.
• Support marketing and PR teams with technical input for campaigns and proposals.

Security & Risk Management

• Ensure operational compliance with security frameworks and policies.
• Oversee endpoint, network, and cloud security operations.
• Lead business continuity, disaster recovery, and contingency planning.
• Partner with senior leadership to assess risks and implement mitigation strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 810 years of progressive experience in IT operations, infrastructure, or service delivery leadership.
• Proven track record of managing IT support teams, multi-vendor platforms, and vendor relationships.
• Strong background in cloud services, SaaS platforms, security systems, and enterprise networking.
• Hands-on experience with operational frameworks (ITIL, ISO standards preferred).

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership with the ability to manage teams, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of IT operations management, monitoring, and automation tools.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities.
• Strong understanding of incident, problem, and change management best practices.
• Effective communicator with the ability to translate technical operations into business outcomes.
• Risk-focused mindset with experience in disaster recovery and business continuity planning.

Desirable Certifications

• ITIL Foundation or higher
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator / M365 Enterprise Administrator
• Sophos Certified Engineer
• Kaseya and N-able platform certifications
• Networking certifications (CCNA, CompTIA Network+, etc.)