IT Infrastructure Operations Manager

Job Description Job Title: Infrastructure Operations Manager Department: IT Reports to: IT Manager Date: 2025 Job Summary: Responsible for leading the IT infrastructure operations team, ensuring the availability, performance, and security of on-premises and cloud systems. Acts as the technical escalation point and collaborates with stakeholders to deliver projects, enforce governance, and maintain business continuity. 1.Team Leadership & Escalation Support Lead and manage a team of system and network administrators/engineers. Serve as the technical escalation point for complex problems and incidents. Mentor, train, and support technical team members to build capability and resilience. Conduct regular team meetings and 1:1s to align on goals, progress, and address blockers. 2.IT Infrastructure & Systems Oversight Oversee daily operations of on-premises and cloud infrastructure, including: Business applications Virtual machines (Windows and Linux) Physical servers and storage (SAN/NAS) Firewalls (physical and virtual) Load balancers Wired and wireless networking Telephony systems (e.g., PBX) Ensure timely server patching, system updates, and compliance with security standards. Monitor system health, capacity, and performance; proactively remediate issues (e.g., disk space, hardware failures). Ensure completion and verification of backups through regular recovery testing. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge base with documented procedures for recurring incidents. 3.Availability & Continuity Ensure uptime and availability of critical on-premises and SaaS/cloud business applications. Coordinate and lead incident response and disaster recovery efforts. Implement and manage monitoring tools; review alerts, logs, and reports regularly. 4.Project Management & Delivery Support the Network and Systems Architect in major infrastructure projects, such as office builds, cloud migrations, application deployments, and hardware refresh cycles. Break down and assign project tasks, track execution, and ensure deadlines are met. Provide clear communication to management and stakeholders on task/project status. 5.Governance, Policy & Asset Management Create, maintain and enforce IT policies, standards, and operating procedures. Maintain accurate inventories of infrastructure assets, including hardware, software, and licenses. Plan and manage infrastructure lifecycle refreshes (physical and virtual). 6.Security & Access Management Manage firewall configurations, VPN tunnels, internet connectivity, and access controls. Enforce identity and access management principles (e.g., least privilege). Support internal and external security audits; implement corrective measures as required. Conduct Active Directory audits to detect and respond to anomalous activity. Collaborate with the Cybersecurity Manager on incident response and continuous improvement of the organisations security posture. Assist with the implementation of the NIS2 (Network and Information Security Directive) framework. 7.Vendor & Contract Management Manage relationships with hardware/software vendors, service providers, and cloud platforms. Oversee service contracts, license management, renewals, and vendor escalations. 8.Budgeting & Cost Control Contribute to IT budget planning and forecasting. Identify cost-saving opportunities in areas such as cloud usage, software licensing, and vendor support agreements. Soft Skills & Core Competencies Excellent communication skills (able to adapt to both technical and non-technical audiences). Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Experience in stakeholder engagement and expectation management. Skills: Windows and Linux PBX Firewalls