Head of IT - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Sommet Education

Description

Head of IT

Permanent contract /Abu Dhabi

Les Roches GlobalHospitality Education, in the top 3 for Employer Reputation of Hospitality& Leisure Management graduates by the QS World University Ranking, is abrand of the Sommet Education Group. Founded in 1954, Les Roches is a privateinstitution based on the Swiss model of experiential learning, offeringundergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of hospitality, tourism andevent management. Les Roches prepares entrepreneurial and innovative graduatesacross a global network of campuses.

Our values: Development, Distinctiveness, Joint commitment, Openness and Sense of service.

Les Roches, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, is opening a world-class hospitality management academy in Abu Dhabi in September 2024. As part of the pre-opening preparations, we are recruiting the members of the Les Roches Abu Dhabi Executive Management Committee.

The Head of Information Technology (IT) will be based in Abu Dhabi and will report to the Campus Managing Director.

Our future Head of IT is responsible for managing the IT local department, its resources, and supporting and coordinating the setup and development of IT projects for Les Roches Abu Dhabi school as required.

He/she acts as the interface and coordinator between the entity and the central IT department, ensuring the appropriate service level is received for IT infrastructure, systems, and required applications within the Campus.

He/she contributes to the development of a sustainable, customer focused environment to enhance and improve the quality of technology services used by the school for the benefit of all Staff, Faculty and Students.

For the role of Head of IT of this new pioneering academy, we are looking for a senior IT expert with a successful, proven track record in an international complex organization.

To be eligible for the role, you imperatively need to have experience in the UAE's professional environment, hold a university level technical degree or equivalent and have at least 10 years of experience in an IT management function, and have already been involved in creating a new work environment or setting up a new department.

You have expertise in project management, coaching, training, negotiating and have a fluent level of spoken and written English; Arabic is a plus. You understand the overall business strategy and align IT initiatives to support organizational goals. You are skilled in fiscal management and budget presentations, and you have abilities to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines, demonstrates a methodical approach for all tasks, strategic planning.

As Head of IT your main missions will be at different levels:

Strategic alignment:

·Aligning IT strategies defined at group level with the overall local strategic goals,

·Assisting in the Development of the school's strategy and aims to support and achieve its objectives,

·.....

Stakeholder relationship management:

·Coaching and supporting the business in the prioritization and management of projects, ensuring brand project management methodology is followed,

·Building strong links with the school and Business Community and strong alignment between business and IT,

·...

Project Management:

·Overseeing the planning, execution, and delivery of IT projects for the campus set-up and medium-term project,

·Coordinating IT projects in relation with central IT department and local business and suppliers,

·...

Budget oversight:

·Preparing and controlling the local IT budget planning, in providing numbers related to projects and licenses for OPEX and CAPEX budgets.

Vendor Management:

·Ensuring external IT / Suppliers deliver expectations,

·Maintaining a repository of key software license agreements and contracts for campus IT suppliers.

Change Management:

·Influencing the design of business processes at local level,

·Manage any IT-related changes end-to-end, ensuring successful completion and recording,

·...

Operations Management:

·Attending student and academic meetings to gain customer and colleagues feedback, ensuring service level agreements are met,

·Managing IT aspects of Student intake and main contacts for IT issue during intake,

·Understanding the business-critical components of the schools, including their inter relationships,

·Providing support to IT team handling incidents and problems,

·Ensuring that communication is actively conducted across all levels of business management and IT department,

·Coaching and supporting the local team in managing the daily work (helpdesk), resolving issues, communicating to stakeholders, and delivering a high level of service,

·Manage local infrastructure with the central support,

·Managing the setup, operation, and support of the computer applications required by Les Roches school.

Regulatory compliance:

·Ensure IT solutions comply with data protection, privacy, and other regulations, especially linked to the United Arab Emirates.

Innovation and Technology Adoption:

·Stay abreast of emerging technologies and trends in the education sector.

Information Security

·Implement robust information security policies and procedures to safeguard sensitive data,

·Lead initiatives to assess and mitigate cybersecurity risks, ensuring the resilience of IT systems,

·Stay abreast of emerging threats and technologies, providing strategic guidance for enhancing information security measures.

IT Governance & Compliance

·Establish and maintain an effective IT governance framework to ensure alignment with organizational strategies, relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards,

·Define and communicate IT governance policies and decision-making structures across the organization,

·Regularly assess and improve IT governance processes to enhance efficiency and accountability.

Policies and Procedures

·Develop and implement comprehensive IT policies and procedures to guide IT activities.

·Ensure that IT policies align with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.

·Conduct regular reviews and updates of policies to adapt to changing business needs and emerging threats.