IT Operations Lead | Manama, BH

IT Operations Lead

Arab Banking Corporation Manama, Bahrain ABC seeks to recruit IT Operations Lead in the Group IT Department. The IT Operations Lead plays a critical role in overseeing the Bank’s IT operations (both cloud and on-prem operations), ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and security of all IT systems and processes. This position is responsible for driving technical excellence, leading transformational initiatives, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation with the IT Operations team. The job holder is responsible for leading a team of collaborative and results-orientated IT team members tasked with delivering global IT services across the Bank. The IT Operations Lead is in charge of scaling, increasing performance, and providing great team member experience in order to help drive forward IT and business success based on world-class IT operations. Scope of the Job Technical Responsibilities

1. Oversee the management and optimization of IT Cloud and On-prem operations, including servers, networks, storage, and cloud services, to ensure high availability and performance.
2. Develop and implement strategies for automating tasks and processes, leveraging tools and technologies to enhance operational efficiency and reduce manual intervention.
3. Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of robust data backup and disaster recovery solutions, ensuring data integrity and business continuity in the event of outages or disasters.
4. Proactively support the adoption of cloud technologies and facilitate the migration of on-premises systems to cloud-based platforms, optimizing infrastructure and operations for scalability and cost-effectiveness.
5. Work with System Admin lead and his/her team to provide downtime of the systems for patching and vulnerabilities resolutions without breaching OLAs and SLAs.
6. Directly participate in IT operations and support as required (i.e., be hands-on).
7. Proactively manage and support IT and cyber incident response efforts, actively collaborating with relevant teams to identify, assess, and manage technology incidents in a timely and effective manner.

IT Transformation Responsibilities

1. Identify opportunities for process improvements and optimization within IT Operations, driving initiatives to streamline workflows, reduce complexity, and enhance service delivery.
2. Continuously improve processes like IT Operations, Incident, Problem, Change, Configuration and Release Management to achieve operational excellence and higher levels in process maturity.
3. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align IT Operations strategies with business objectives, ensuring IT services meet the evolving needs of the Banks and its customers.
4. Champion technology innovation and continuous improvement with the IT Operations Team, fostering a culture of experimentation, learning, and knowledge sharing.
5. Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends, assessing the potential impact on IT Operations and recommending strategic investments and initiatives to maintain competitiveness and relevance.
6. Work with DRC administrator and IT Resilience to keep DRC systems ready for any eventuality.

Leadership and People Management

1. Foster customer-centricity in IT Operations, manage a responsive IT team, focusing on banking operations and end-user satisfaction.
2. Provide strategic leadership and direction to the IT Operations team, setting clear objectives, priorities, and performance expectations to drive accountability and excellence.
3. Coach, mentor, and develop team members, fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment where individuals can grow and succeed.
4. Attend regular meetings to present on the IT Operations in the bank.
5. Develop meaningful dashboards/presentation to present what’s happening in IT Operations.
6. Measure, monitor, and maintain team’s ability to meet agreed SLAs and OLAs.
7. Make sure all IT Operation tasks like EOD (End of Day) and Start of Day (SOD) adhere to pre-defined timelines and finish on time.
8. Work with Operations manager and DevOps manager to manage shifts and the staff manning that shift.
9. Promote a culture of diversity, equality, and inclusion within the IT Operations teams, championing diversity initiatives and fostering a sense of belonging and respect for all team members.
10. Collaborate with GIT Management and HR to recruit and onboard top talent, ensuring the IT Operations teams have the skills, capabilities, and resources needed to achieve its goals and objectives.

Job Context The IT Operations Lead operates in a dynamic and fast-paced environment where technological advancements, regulatory requirements and customer expectations are constantly evolving. This position requires a strategic mindset to navigate complex challenges and drive success. IT Operations play a pivotal role in the functioning of a financial institution, serving as the backbone of banking operations and ensuring reliability, efficiency, and security of critical IT systems and processes. In today’s digital age, where banking transactions are increasingly conducted online and through mobile devices, the importance of IT operations cannot be overstated. From processing customer information and managing account information to facilitate banking services and supporting electronic payments, IT operations are integral to the day-to-day of banking operations. Moreover, with the growing prevalence of cyber threats targeting financial institutions, the role of IT operations in ensuring IT resilience and security of banking systems is paramount. IT operations are responsible for following and implementing robust security measures and orchestrating incident response efforts to mitigate the impact of technology incidents. In an environment where downtime can result in significant financial losses and reputational damage, the ability of IT Operations to maintain high availability, reliability, and resilience is crucial for the overall success and stability of the Bank. As such, the IT Operations Lead plays a critical role in setting priorities and driving initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, optimize infrastructure investments, and strengthen IT resilience posture. By fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the IT Operations department, the team Lead ensures that the Bank remains agile, responsive, and resilient in the face of evolving challenges and opportunities in the financial industry. Areas of Knowledge, Qualification and Experience

1. Proven track records of managing medium-large scale IT environments, including cloud and on-prem operations, disaster recovery, and cloud migration/implementation projects.
2. Strong technical expertise in IT infrastructure, including servers, network, storage, virtualization, and cloud services.
3. Comprehensive knowledge of Cobit and/or ITIL frameworks, IT service management principles, and industry-standard practices.
4. Experience working in financial services or other fast-paced 24x7 highly regulated organizations.
5. Excellent troubleshooting, root cause analysis and permanent problem resolution skills.
6. Demonstrated experience with cloud platforms, preferably AWS.
7. Experience of various Banking Applications will be added advantage.
8. Well versed in various IT tools, like Project, Visio, Excel, Power-BI etc.
9. Hands-on experience with automation tools and technologies, such as scripting languages and configuration management tools.
10. Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining data backup and disaster recovery solutions, including backup strategies, replication mechanisms, and failover procedures, to ensure data integrity and IT resilience.
11. Strong knowledge of cloud computing technologies and migration strategies, with experience in evaluating, selecting, and implementing cloud-based solutions and services.
12. Familiarity with regulatory requirements and compliance standards relevant to IT operations, such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, SWIFT CSP, and SOC 2, with experience ensuring compliance and implementing necessary IT controls.
13. Bachelor’s degree in Cloud Computing, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
14. AWS relevant certifications (e.g., Solutions Architect, SysOps, DevOps, Advanced Networking, etc.) will be highly advantageous.
15. Other relevant Technology Certifications also preferred.
16. 14+ years of IT experience.
17. 5+ years in IT operations management.
18. At least 5 years in a managerial and leadership role.
19. Proven leadership skills.
20. Strong attention to detail.
21. Results-oriented and proactive mindset.
22. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
23. Ability to work independently and under pressure.
24. Effective communicator in verbal and written form.
25. Ability to deliver multiple initiatives while maintaining high quality of work.

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