Job Description: Assistant Manager - IT
Role Overview
The ideal candidate will have a wealth of experience tackling various hardware and software problems. They should be comfortable providing technology solutions to employees and working closely with third party software companies to adopt new technologies and efficiently use existing ones. This candidate should have prior experience working with information technology and understand the latest technology trends to ensure the technology in place is up to date.
The IT Manager/Assistant Manager - IT will be responsible for overseeing, maintaining, and optimising Hill Spring International School's entire IT infrastructure, including physical servers, virtual environments, network systems, and cloud applications. This role requires a hands-on technical leader who can seamlessly bridge the gap between daily IT operations, vendor management, budget control, and strategic planning.
The ideal candidate will ensure maximum system uptime, data security, and seamless digital operations for students, faculty, and administration, while ensuring strict alignment with management goals.
Key Responsibilities
1. Infrastructure & Core IT Operations
- Network & Server Management: Monitor, configure, and maintain all network equipment (switches, routers, firewalls, Wi-Fi access points) and physical/virtual server infrastructure to ensure 99.9% uptime.
- Connectivity: Actively manage and monitor Internet Leased Lines (ILS) and backup connectivity to ensure uninterrupted digital learning and administrative operations.
- Virtualization & Cloud: Administer and maintain Virtual Machines (VMs), Microsoft 365 ecosystem (emails, SharePoint, Teams), and other school-deployed cloud applications.
- Daily Support: Oversee routine IT maintenance, troubleshooting, data backups, and disaster recovery protocols while working closely with IT team members.
2. Financial Management & Strategic Planning
- Budgeting & Cost Control: Assist the MD in preparing annual IT budgets; identify opportunities for cost optimisation without compromising system integrity or security.
- Renewals & Assets: Track and manage hardware lifecycles, software licenses, annual maintenance contracts (AMCs), and timely renewals.
3. Vendor & Project Management
- Vendor Relations: Act as the primary point of contact for IT vendors, ISPs, and service providers. Evaluate vendor performance, negotiate contracts, and ensure strict adherence to SLAs (Service Level Agreements).
- Project Delivery: Plan and execute IT projects (e.g., infrastructure upgrades, software rollouts, security enhancements) within approved timelines and budgets.
4. Training, Compliance & Reporting
- Internal Training: Design and conduct routine IT orientation and training sessions for academic and non-academic staff to improve digital literacy and data security awareness.
- SOP Implementation: Develop and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for IT support, especially during critical academic periods like examination seasons.
- Executive Reporting: Provide regular uptime, security, budget compliance, and project status reports directly to the Managing Director.
Required Qualifications & Experience
Education & Background
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
- Experience: 5 to 8 years of proven experience in IT infrastructure management, with a strong background in handling networks, servers, Windows client/ server, MacOS, Cellular OS, cloud ecosystems and basic knowledge of HTML, C or C++ with MS SQL. Prior experience in an educational institution is a strong plus.
Professional Certifications (Highly Preferred)
- Networking:CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) or equivalent validation of routing, switching, and network security competencies.
- Systems & Cloud:MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate) or modern equivalent role-based Microsoft Certifications (e.g., Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert / Azure Administrator Associate).
- IT Service Management:ITIL v3/v4 Foundation or higher, demonstrating an understanding of standardised IT service delivery, incident management, and change governance.
Technical & Soft Skills
- Proficiency in network administration (Cisco, Sophos firewalls, Ruckus, Aruba or similar enterprise hardware) and virtualisation technologies.
- Expertise in Microsoft 365 administration and cloud-based application management.
- Strong negotiation, project management, and cross-functional communication skills. Ability to translate complex technical issues into clear business insights for executive leadership.
