Senior Director of Infrastructure

Primary responsibility for this role is to oversee the IT infrastructure, system engineering team and cyber security compliance to ensure the Technology operations align with the organizations and business objectives and goals. This individual’s principal goals are to develop and manage systems portfolio for each department and to attain all IT service level agreements for the user community within the organization.

Successful candidate will plan, coordinate, direct, and design operational activities of the Technology department with a focus on network infrastructure, virtualized platforms (VMware), Windows and Linux servers, cloud computing, business applications, and cyber security protection as well as provide direction and support for IT solutions that enhance mission-critical business operations. As a member of the leadership team, executive will report to the CTO and work closely with decision makers in other departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions for all aspects of the organization.

Experience within the sports, event or entertainment industry and working with event technology is highly desirable.

Requirements

Strategy & Planning

• Develop and implement strategic initiatives for acquiring and utilizing effective and economical technologies that align with business and technological goals.
• Oversee the operational and strategic planning within the IT department, including the assessment of business needs, project management, organization, execution, negotiations, and resource allocation to ensure alignment with both short- and long-term targets of the Technology group.
• Establish and uphold data protection and compliance policies while maintaining the Enterprise Business Continuity Planning (BCP) framework.

Operational Management

• As needed, redesign systems to ensure alignment with business processes and the organization's strategic objectives.
• This role is hands-on, requiring the candidate to actively engage in the daily operations and management of the systems they supervise.
• Track and communicate project milestones, service level agreements, and resource allocations to the head of the IT department and key business stakeholders.
• Formulate and evaluate operational and capital budgets to ensure adherence to the IT goals, guidelines, and overarching organizational objectives.
• Assess the performance of IT systems to identify operating costs, productivity rates, and necessary upgrades.
• Benchmark, analyze, report on, and provide recommendations for enhancing the IT infrastructure and systems.
• Develop and maintain the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Incident Response (IR) plan, as well as related data protection and recovery procedures for on-premises data centers and cloud systems.
• Authorize and supervise the installation, monitoring, maintenance, development, and support of all hardware and software based on departmental requirements.
• Oversee technology provisioning and technical support services for all IT clientele, including fans, end-users, tenants, and partners.
• Create and enforce all IT policies and procedures, encompassing architecture, security, disaster recovery, standards, and service delivery.
• Manage relationships with vendors, consultants, contract employees, and service agreements.
• Direct IT staffing efforts, which include recruitment, supervision, scheduling, training, performance evaluation, and disciplinary actions.
• Establish and sustain regular written and face-to-face communication with the organization’s executives, department heads, and end users regarding relevant IT activities.

Formal Education & Certification

• A university degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field, along with relevant work experience.
• Certifications in areas such as Cybersecurity, Microsoft 365 Administration, Azure, and Network Engineering.
• Strong practical knowledge of project management methodologies and principles.

Knowledge & Experience

• A minimum of 7 years of experience managing IT operations.
• Demonstrated expertise in IT infrastructure strategic planning, project management, and policy formulation.
• Extensive understanding, technical knowledge, and hands-on experience with network systems, Windows and Linux server operating systems, hardware, protocols, and standards, including MS Active Directory, MSSQL, MS365, Azure, AWS, Extreme Networks, firewalls, and routing protocols.
• Familiarity with managing SIEM, MDR, and XDR solutions and associated vendors.
• Experience in designing and developing systems from business requirements analysis through to ongoing management.
• Proficient in facilitating server migration from on-premises to cloud environments.
• Knowledgeable about business theory, processes, management practices, budgeting, and office operations.
• Proven ability to leverage IT solutions to resolve business challenges.

Personal Attributes

• Exceptional leadership capabilities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, alongside effective interpersonal abilities.
• Capacity to conduct comprehensive research into IT issues and solutions.
• Adept at articulating concepts in business-friendly and user-centric terms.
• Highly self-motivated, organized, and detail-oriented.
• Proficient in prioritizing and executing tasks in a high-pressure setting.
• Rich experience in working within a collaborative, team-oriented environment.