Group IT Manager (Cape Town)
This position is responsible for the management of all IT related aspects and IT teams across the group of companies in Cape Town, Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Reports to: Director of Strategic Operations
Job Specifications
– Responsible for all Information Technology (IT) at a Group Level
– Represent IT at a Senior Management level and to be a part of the development of the company strategy as well as to share updates on technical projects. Listen to the business challenges and build IT solutions to meet these needs.
– Management of the Group IT function which incorporates all IT infrastructure and systems as well as the ongoing review and maintenance thereof to provide the following;
– One standard IT approach for all countries where our client operates
– Easy to use and secure access to company resources such as Internet, Email, Finance and Sales systems for all staff regardless of their location
– 99% uptime access to Email and critical sales and reservations systems for all sales consultants
– Industry-leading back-up and disaster recovery software. A solid backup schedule for each office with monitoring and quarterly restore testing
– World class firewall infrastructure and antivirus software to provide a safe and secure working environment for all staff
– Support an external audit team every year to audit the IT function.
– Management of the IT Service Desk. Control queues flows and assignment of IT tickets to the correct technicians. Act as an escalation point when junior staff do not or cannot meet SLAs.
– Management of the IT Budget. Work with Operations and Finance departments to create and maintain a CAPEX and OPEX budget while tracking spends throughout the year to keep it within limits.
– Act as a backup to the technicians providing level 1 and 2 desktop support to users when required.
– Attend Industry technical conferences and stay ahead of technology changes. Keeping IT current.
– Perform quarterly reviews with the Systems Manager and the Senior IT Technician of all systems and server infrastructure. Specifically focused on user access control, systems health, and hardware health.
– Technical Advisor and researcher for new IT systems and programs. Handle the procurement and act as the overall IT Project Manager regarding the technical implementation of new systems and programs.
– Understand, be able to maintain and troubleshoot on all existing systems:-
– Internet access
– Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDS)
– Network infrastructure:-FortiGate Firewalls. FortiClient VPN and HP Switches
– Server infrastructure and software platforms:-Windows Server 2012R2, Windows Server 2016
– Microsoft Officer 365 Administration
– Mimecast
– Sophos Antivirus
– Res Request
– Pastel and Sage 300
– Bazaruto (developed in house)
– Software on users laptops such as Windows 10, Office 365 suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)0, Acrobat Reader, Skype and Microsoft Teams
– Create and maintain robust IT procedures for the Group which include:
– Policies around computer and Internet usage
– IT procurement policy for hardware and software
– Other associated IT policies and procedures
– Create and maintain networking technical diagrams for the Group
– Procurement and Logistics of IT hardware for the Cape Town office and group level IT projects
– Technical advisor on country specific data laws and IT practices. Act as a company data projection officer for POPI and GDPR compliance
– Management of all relationships with 3rd party software and hardware suppliers. This includes all meetings, contract negotiation and escalation/incident management.
– Management of all relationships with Internet providers. This includes all contract negotiations and rates (usd/mb) and escalation/incident management.
– Maintain Inventory of IT equipment specifically Laptops, Network Infrastructure, Servers and Software.
– Responsible for the management of Kenyan, Tanzanian and South African IT staff members. Responsible for performance management in the form of yearly reviews and assisting in setting goals/career development. Additionally also responsible for overseeing any external IT consulting or support vendors who are contracted to maintain systems or infrastructure.
Required Qualifications
– Degree qualification in Computer Science or Commerce specializing in IT Management.
– Minimum of 10 years IT experience (5 years of which) is in a similar IT Management or IT project management role.
– Able to manage people and assist in setting goals, be approachable and a mentor.
– Proven IT project management experience
– Solid experience with managing an IT budget – must be cost conscious and resourceful in sourcing solutions that suit company requirements
– Ability to manage multiple elements of IT. A good all-rounder in IT rather than a specialist.
– Self-starter, self-sufficient and able to move projects forward to completion.
– Must have the rights to work in South Africa
– Up to date with all current technology that can be best used by a growing business
– Able to cope with diverse personalities and cultures
– Must always be a Team player and be willing to go above and beyond all circumstances
– Ability to operate in multiple countries with flexibility to travel.
– Dynamic personality with a hands-on approach
– Ability to be available after hours to assist with support to get systems and backups back online
– Proactive in addressing situations and new requirements.
Advantageous Experience
Previous experience in the Hospitality Industry as an IT Manager with a solid understanding of the hospitality industry including but not limited to sales and reservations systems.
Please note: only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.