It Site Lead

We are a Supply Chain and Sales & Merchandising partner adding value to your business through a fully integrated, temperature-controlled network in Southern Africa. But we are also more than that. We are people serving people. While we boast the best in tech and infrastructure, our people are our greatest resource. With our skilled, curious, can-do people at the forefront, our assets become your assets, our service your solutions. Vector’s vehicle fleet includes a food industry first in ‘multi-temperature’ vehicles enabling the company to service business across frozen, chilled and ambient temperature zones on a single delivery.

JOB PURPOSE

As the IT Site Lead at Vector Linbro Park, you will be the driving force behind the performance and uptime of critical IT services that support our 24x7 logistics operations. In this hands-on role, you will proactively engage with end-users to deliver advanced desktop support, manage network and hardware infrastructure, and ensure seamless video conferencing and collaboration across teams. Operating in a high-pressure environment, where IT is essential to business continuity, you will serve as the primary technical expert, ensuring optimal system performance, security, and availability while providing exceptional customer service. You will also work closely with cutting-edge logistics technologies, including handheld scanners, voice-picking solutions, and EPOD devices, which are vital to our business operations. This role involves collaborating with central IT teams, leading small to medium-scale IT projects, and continuously improving IT services to enhance operational efficiency. This position offers significant career growth for technically talented professionals seeking to make an impact in IT operations, infrastructure management, and project leadership within a global organization. If you thrive in fast-paced, mission-critical environments and are passionate about driving IT excellence and innovation, this is the opportunity for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• IT Desktop Support: Provide expert-level technical support for desktops, monitors, laptops, docking stations (where applicable), mobile devices, and peripherals. Address operating system (Windows OS) issues and software application problems promptly and effectively to ensure minimal downtime. Ensure that all desktop and laptop operating systems are patch compliant and within OEM support.
• Network Administration: Administer and troubleshoot network services such as zScaler client, DHCP, DNS, VPNs, LAN and wireless networks. Manage cloud services (Azure) for backup and storage solutions. Ability to troubleshoot network issues across the LAN, Wireless networks and WAN. Escalate complex issues to external service providers when necessary.
• Video Conferencing Management: Manage and support onsite video conferencing systems, ensuring seamless communication across teams and sites. Troubleshoot connectivity, hardware, and software issues related to video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx).
• Fire Safety Systems: Ensure proper IT-related configuration and monitoring of fire safety systems (e.g., fire alarms) in server rooms and critical infrastructure areas. Collaborate with facilities management to ensure IT equipment complies with fire safety standards.
• Customer Service: Deliver top-tier customer service by proactively addressing and resolving IT issues and lead end-user training to aid improved awareness on commonly used technologies such as MS Teams and OneDrive. Engage with end-users to explain technical solutions clearly and ensure high satisfaction levels through ongoing communication and support.
• Third-Party Escalations: Coordinate with external vendors for advanced support when necessary, ensuring they meet service-level agreements (SLAs). Track third-party resolutions and maintain accountability.
• Internal Escalations: Coordinate with internal teams/departments/stakeholders for advanced support when necessary, ensuring they meet service-level agreements (SLAs) to track maintain accountability.
• Hardware Asset & Inventory Management: Maintain and manage all hardware assets, including desktops, laptops, network devices, and peripherals. Oversee inventory levels, ensuring timely procurement, disposal, and stock control to support business needs.
• IT Asset Management: Proven experience in managing IT hardware software assets and inventory control.
• Server Room & Network Cabinet Management: Ensure the server room and network cabinets are optimally maintained, secure, and well-organized. Manage server upgrades, maintenance/downtime, repairs, and monitoring in collaboration with central IT teams or vendors.
• Desktop Projects & Endpoint Management: Lead desktop-related projects such as system upgrades, hardware rollouts, software deployments, and user migrations. Ensure endpoints are patched and compliant with security standards, and implement group policies across devices.
• Scripting & Automation: Utilize scripting and automation (e.g., PowerShell) to streamline routine administrative tasks, enhancing system efficiency and reducing manual intervention.
• Security Compliance: Ensure that all devices are hardened against security vulnerabilities through appropriate configurations and settings.
• Hard Drive Encryption & Group Policies: Enforce hard drive encryption and group policies to protect sensitive data and control user access.
• Data Loss Prevention: Implement and monitor DLP solutions to prevent unauthorized data access or transmission.
• Zscaler & VPN Support: Manage secure web access via Zscaler and support VPN solutions for remote workers, troubleshooting any connectivity issues.
• Follow-Me Printing: Implement and manage secure follow-me printing solutions to prevent unauthorized access to printed documents.
• Advanced Security Practices: Participate in vulnerability assessments, security audits, and incident response. Collaborate with central IT and security teams to ensure compliance with company security standards.
• Change Management: Follow ITIL-based processes for change management, ensuring that infrastructure and systems changes are reviewed, approved, and executed with minimal disruption to operations.
• Backup & Disaster Recovery (DR): Manage local backup solutions and ensure that disaster recovery plans are in place for the site. Regularly test backups and recovery processes to ensure preparedness.
• Project & Change Management: Lead small-scale IT projects at the site level, such as office relocations, hardware upgrades, and system rollouts. Participate in company-wide projects, ensuring alignment with global IT strategy.
• Collaboration with Central IT Teams: Work closely with central IT infrastructure, security, and application teams to ensure seamless alignment of IT services with company-wide standards and goals.
• Learning & Development: Stay current with emerging technologies and contribute to continuous improvement by recommending new tools, techniques, or approaches. Engage in ongoing training and certification (e.g., ITIL, Cisco, Microsoft Azure) supported by the company.
• On-Call Support & Availability: Provide after-hours support when necessary to resolve critical IT issues. Participate in an on-call rotation as needed, ensuring that site IT services are always operational.
• Documentation & Reporting: Maintain comprehensive technical documentation for system configurations, incident reports, hardware inventories, and network setups. Provide regular performance reports on ticket resolution, aged tickets, asset usage, and security compliance.
• Ticket Resolution & Response Times: Ensure that all IT tickets are resolved within SLA timeframes.
• System Uptime & Performance: Maintain at least 99.9% uptime for key IT systems and infrastructure.
• User Satisfaction: Achieve high user satisfaction scores through prompt, effective IT support and excellent communication.
• Hardware & Stock Management: Maintain accurate and timely inventory records with proactive procurement to prevent shortages.
• Security Compliance: Ensure 100% compliance with endpoint patching, encryption, DLP, and group policy standards.
• Availability: Willingness to provide on-site and remote support during business hours and after hours as needed. Participation in an on-call rotation for critical issues.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal Relationships

• End-Users: Serve as the primary point of contact for internal staff, providing advanced technical support for desktops, mobile devices, software, and IT systems. Offer user training and ensure minimal downtime.
• Department Heads & Business Stakeholders: Collaborate with department leaders to align IT services with business objectives and drive system upgrades, rollouts, and improvements.
• Central IT Teams: Work closely with central IT, security, and infrastructure teams for escalations, strategic projects, and maintaining company-wide standards.

External Relationships

• Vendors & Service Providers: Manage relationships with external vendors for advanced support, hardware procurement, and ensuring service-level agreements (SLAs) are met.
• Third-Party IT Support Teams: Collaborate with third-party support for escalations on complex technical issues, network problems, and specialized services.

The IT Site Lead must provide top-tier customer service by addressing issues proactively, maintaining clear communication with stakeholders, and ensuring IT solutions are implemented effectively to support business operations.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THE ROLE

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a combination of formal education and equivalent professional experience will be considered.
• Must ideally hold certifications in:
• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) to ensure solid knowledge of IT service management best practices.
• Microsoft Azure for cloud services and infrastructure management.
• Microsoft Intune for mobile device and endpoint management.
• Office 365 Certification for managing cloud-based collaboration and productivity tools.
• MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert) to demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft server and network infrastructure.
• Networking Certifications such as CCNA or equivalent, to ensure expertise in network management, routing, and switching.

Skills and Competencies

• Technical Expertise: Advanced knowledge of desktop operating systems, patching, group policies, and hardware management and remote support thereof.
• Networking & Cloud Services: Experience with DHCP, DNS, VPNs, LANs, WANS, wireless networks, and cloud platforms (Azure).
• Automation & Scripting: Hands-on experience with scripting (e.g., PowerShell) to automate routine tasks and improve operational efficiency.
• Security & Incident Response: Proficiency in endpoint hardening, hard drive encryption, Zscaler, DLP, and VPN support. Experience with security audits and incident response is a plus.
• Hardware Asset Management: Proven experience in managing IT hardware assets and inventory control.

Soft Skills

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with an ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact with users, vendors, and central IT teams.
• Leadership qualities, including project management and the ability to collaborate effectively with different teams.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to providing high-quality IT services.

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