Manager, IT Operations at EKOEXCEL

Job Description

• Working for the technical implementing partner for the programme, you will work towards preparing Lagos and its youth for a bright future with a strong educational foundation.
• Being part of this transformative programme will be a challenging but fulfilling experience. You will have the opportunity to impact young lives and help build the future of Nigeria’s “Center of Excellence”, developing the quality workforce needed for the future in Lagos State.
• The programme is one of the most exciting and ambitious education programmes not only in Nigeria, but also across Africa.
• A quality education has the power to transform the opportunities for Lagos’ youth and the State.
• In joining us, you will join a group of dynamic and passionate Nigerians taking concrete action to help ensure a better future for the children of Lagos.

Technology Group:

• Technology plays a critical role enabling us to provide transformative education at massive scale in highly resource constrained environments. This is one of the key elements that gives us the ability to deliver radically impactful programmes, creating brighter futures for a generation of children across the world each day. Technology spans several key functions, including product management, business intelligence, software development and IT operations. 
• Working with us, passionate technologists have a chance to directly change the world. No kidding.

IT Operations Department:

• IT Operations is responsible for last mile delivery of technology, ensuring that everyone from school staff to executives, all have the functioning technology they need to excel at their jobs. It also oversees the technical infrastructure that supports and connects all of our global offices, as well as the back-office systems that power our customer care centres, finance teams, warehouses, and more.
• Within the technology group, IT Operations also holds the distinction of being the only department with a dedicated presence in each of our operating territories, meaning that is also the key conduit and primary advocate for all aspects of technology at our, ensuring the work done by the other technology departments delivers on its potential.

About the role

• The IT Manager role will ensure the provision of superior customer service throughout the business, through the maintenance, enhancement, and efficient operation of IT functions.
• Additionally, the role will include responsibility for ensuring the security and integrity of IT operations and systems, as well as the line management of IT officers and associates.
• The flexibility to work outside normal business hours is integral to this role, as is the ability to work under broad direction and minimal supervision.

What will you do

• Provide first point of IT Support contact for all local NewGlobe staff, covering all hardware, software, and associated peripherals
• Deploy computers, school technology, and associated peripherals including new installations and redeployment of existing equipment
• Install and configure operating systems and software to agreed standards under the direction of the Director of IT and other senior IT personnel
• Manage the local area network and internet connection
• Recommend, source, install, and maintain network equipment such as firewalls, routers, and switches
• Maintain existing equipment to standards, by performing upgrades, new installations, and carrying out routine procedures
• Assist in the compilation and maintenance of an accurate inventory of hardware and software, and ensure that records are kept up-to-date within the service desk system
• Ensure network security through installation of appropriate hardware and software, as well development of IT policies
• Troubleshoot technical issues to resolution and/or escalate to colleagues, suppliers, or partner organizations as required
• Log all incidents and service requests in NewGlobe’s designated service desk system
• Manage service desk tickets, planning and prioritizing systematically to minimize backlog and ensure operational efficiency
• Expedite the repair of hardware faults and software configuration problems, notifying or forwarding to the relevant suppliers in a timely manner
• Work with colleagues to monitor performance of NewGlobe systems, ensuring that issues are appropriately escalated and resolved
• Supervise, train, and mentor junior staff members in all of the above
• Provide technical assistance to project teams and undertake technical project roles when required
• Manage IT infrastructure improvement projects, including scheduling and budgeting
• Demonstrate commitment to and promotion of a culture of service excellence and continual improvement within the IT Department
• Maintain and develop excellent working relationships with key suppliers, conducting dealings in a professional and appropriate manner
• Provide at all times a professional, courteous, and rapid response to individual users

What you should have

• A Degree from a recognized university with top marks in Computer Science or a related discipline.
• 5 - 10 years relevant IT/industry work experience
• Experience working within a fast-paced environment
• Relevant Microsoft certification
• Excellent technical knowledge of PC hardware
• Working technical knowledge of current protocols, operating systems, and standards
• Software and hardware troubleshooting
• Windows desktop (7/8/X) and Windows Server (at least 2012) experience
• Routers, switches, and firewall experience
• Microsoft Office support
• Active Directory administration
• TCP/IP
• Experience working and training on a variety of IT subjects and applications
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Good research skills, including ability to identify and propose solutions to issues/crisis
• Knowledge of Android technologies, smartphones, LAN and Wifi configurations
• Experience with admin of Microsoft systems such as Navision, IIS, or Sharepoint.
• Experience with AWS.

You’re also:

• A detailed doer - You have a track record of getting things done. You’re organized and responsive. You take ownership of every idea you touch and execute it to a fine level of detail, setting targets, engaging others, and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. You can multi-task dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details. Likely, you have some experience in a start-up or other rapid-growth company.
• A networking mastermind - You excel at meeting new people and turning them into advocates.  You communicate in a clear, conscientious, and effective way in both written and oral speech. You can influence strangers in the course of a single conversation. Allies and colleagues will go to bat for your ideas. You have an existing network from prior experience in the country, preferably in the regulatory, education, or business sectors.
• A creative problem-solver - Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, KwaraLEARN works in often fragile, sometimes volatile low-resource communities and with complex government systems. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.
• A relentless advocate - The children we serve and teachers we empower never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). You would never shrink back from shaking a parent’s hand or picking up a crying child, no matter what the person was wearing or looked like.  Every decision you make considers their benefit, experience, and value.
• A malleable learner - You believe you can always do better. You welcome constructive criticism and provide it freely to others.  You know you only get better tomorrow when others point out where you’ve missed things or failed today.
• A data-driven decision-maker - When making decisions, you don’t rely on your intuition alone. You collect data, you analyze it and make decisions with clear justifications.
• A curious investigator - You ask why a lot. You don’t just take what you see and accept it. You wonder why it is that way, and are aware that the world we see is created by human choices and actions - and it could be different. You wonder, and see the world as wonderful even when you want to change a part of it that is unjust.