MC HEAD OF IT & AI

Purpose of the job:

• Provide reliable and effective IT services to support business unit requirements, including the administration and management of local IT infrastructure and information assets. Ensure continuous service availability and timely user support in accordance with MBPS guidelines, standards, service levels, policies, and procedures, enabling efficient and uninterrupted business operations.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

1. Lead the MBPS IT team in delivering effective and reliable IT services to all users, acting as the primary local IT focal point for MBPS.
2. Manage the MBPS IT application portfolio, infrastructure, systems, and IT assets to ensure effective utilization, availability, and lifecycle management.
3. Provide strategic IT planning inputs to support MBPS short-, medium-, and long-term business and technology requirements.
4. Ensure compliance with Corporate IT policies, procedures, standards, information architecture, and applicable governance requirements.
5. Develop, implement, and manage Service Level Agreements with relevant stakeholders and service providers to ensure effective IT service delivery.
6. Monitor IT service delivery and project progress and provide regular status reports, updates, and recommendations to IT management.
7. Monitor, analyze, and optimize system performance to identify and resolve performance issues and ensure service availability.
8. Manage and perform data backup, restoration, business continuity, and disaster recovery activities in accordance with established IT policies and procedures.
9. Provide IT support and coordination to new project implementation teams, ensuring the successful integration and deployment of IT systems and infrastructure.
10. Administer user accounts and access rights, including creating, modifying, and disabling user access to applications and systems in accordance with established approval and access-control procedures.
11. Plan and execute system upgrades, patches, and enhancements in accordance with approved IT plans, change management procedures, and business requirements.
12. Regularly assess IT security risks and provide recommendations to IT management on appropriate measures to mitigate identified risks and vulnerabilities.
13. Educate and guide users on newly implemented IT solutions, systems, applications, and relevant procedures to promote effective adoption and utilization.
14. Manage UES-specific vendors, IT service contracts, software licenses, and locally maintained lease agreements, ensuring compliance with contractual, financial, and organizational requirements.

Principal Challenges:

• Acting as primary focal point for MBPS for all IT activities and address any IT issue through direct reports and the central corporate IT team
• Championing MBPS IT interests and while conforming to group IT direction and guidelines
• Meeting Service levels agreements
• Ensuring system availability and support service on a 24X7 basis

Minimum Academic / Professional Qualification:

 * Bachelor’s or equivalent in Computer Sciences 

Minimum Work Experience:                                                             

• 7-10 years of managing IT service desk operations

Skills & Competencies Required:

• Good knowledge of all aspects of IT systems including infrastructure, applications, processes, people and project management;
• Expert knowledge of Internet technology, client/server architecture;
• Ability to set own & team priorities and work with minimal supervision;
• Ability to analyze user needs and suggest IT solutions to business issues;
• Perform capacity planning and risk assessment and advise management on risk mitigation,
• Ability to analyze problems and suggest solutions;
• Skilled in troubleshooting computer hardware and software problems;
• Ability to maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of work activities; and
• Skilled in communicating technically complex information both verbally and in writing.