Specialist - Systems Cloud & Infrastructure

Role Overview

Specialist - Systems Cloud & Infrastructure at Al Ghurair. The role manages strategic architecture, governance, and lifecycle of on-premises and cloud infrastructure while leading 24x7 data center operations supporting critical healthcare services.

Role Purpose

Own the strategic architecture, governance, and lifecycle management of the organization's on-premises and cloud infrastructure. Drive modernization, cost optimization, and operational excellence while ensuring scalability, resilience, security, and alignment with business objectives. Lead 24x7 data center operations support and incident management to maintain end-to-end availability and reliability of IT infrastructure supporting critical healthcare services.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture & Strategy

• Manage the strategic architecture, governance, and lifecycle of on-premises and cloud infrastructure, ensuring scalability, resilience, security, and alignment with business objectives.
• Develop and execute infrastructure road maps that modernize technology platforms while maintaining high availability and operational excellence.
• Continuously evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to replace legacy platforms with modern, cost-effective, and efficient solutions that improve performance and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO).
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry best practices.

Cost Optimization & Financial Planning

• Drive CAPEX and OPEX optimization initiatives through infrastructure consolidation, cloud cost management, capacity planning, asset lifecycle optimization, and license rationalization.
• Participate in annual infrastructure budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning, ensuring expenditures remain within or below approved budgets while meeting business growth and service availability requirements.

Governance & Compliance

• Establish governance mechanisms to monitor infrastructure utilization, licensing compliance, cloud consumption, and operational costs, ensuring maximum return on technology investments.
• Manage and enforce security governance and compliance frameworks.
• Establish and maintain governance documentation.
• Lead system audits and compliance reviews.
• Oversee server and systems administration governance.

Operations & Support

• Lead 24x7 data center operations support, ensuring end-to-end availability, performance, and reliability of the entire IT infrastructure supporting critical healthcare services.
• Oversee support operations for on-premise and cloud collaboration and infrastructure services, including email systems, file and application servers, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, ensuring seamless integration and high availability.
• Govern administration of essential IT systems and cloud service operations, including operating systems, applications, servers, email platforms, and underlying software and hardware, ensuring consistent performance and audit-readiness.
• Ensure the reliability and security of core business-essential services, including Directory Services, Email, MS Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, along with infrastructure supporting critical healthcare applications, safeguarding uninterrupted delivery of patient-care-related systems.
• Provide guidance and enhanced L2 support for end user-related issues across the enterprise.
• Support healthcare applications such as Mediware, Tracker, and PACS with integrations including user onboarding, offboarding, application monitoring, DR setup, and DR rehearsals.

Incident & Problem Management

• Own Incident and Problem Management processes, leading resolution of critical issues across email, mobility, and business application systems, ensuring adherence to SLAs and driving continuous improvement to reduce recurrence and downtime.
• Lead root-cause analysis and resolution of complex system and network issues.

Projects & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Own and lead cross-functional infrastructure projects and migrations.
• Experience leading Microsoft 365, email, OneDrive, and Teams server and domain migration projects, ensuring seamless transitions with minimal business disruption.

Technical Advisory

• Serve as a technical advisor and mentor.
• Support Information Security teams with firewall-related activities, troubleshooting, and connectivity requirements.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in Systems Cloud and On-Premise Infrastructure management.

Skills & Competencies

Cloud & Virtualization

• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud and their associated services.
• Experience managing virtualization in on-premises and cloud environments, including virtual machines and containers.
• Strong knowledge to administrate and manage data center resources such as servers, networks, and storage.

Microsoft & Directory Services

• Proficiency in managing Windows Server infrastructure, including Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, GPO, Hyper-V, Failover Clustering, Backup/Restore, storage, quorum, and disaster recovery.
• Proficiency in managing Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), including users, groups, Conditional Access, App Registrations, Enterprise Applications, and cross-tenant identity provisioning.
• Experience administering ManageEngine ADManager Plus and Endpoint Central for Active Directory and endpoint management, software deployment, patching, compliance, and automation.
• Experience managing Exclaimer Cloud for centralized email signature management, branding, and troubleshooting.

Server & Systems Operations

• Skilled in server operations management, including patching, monitoring, troubleshooting, capacity planning, infrastructure upgrades, and business continuity planning.

Security & Compliance

• Familiarity with security best practices and compliance standards for cloud environments.

Infrastructure Services

• Knowledge of SMS Gateway services administration, including configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting for bulk and transactional messaging.

Core Competencies

• Proficiency in troubleshooting and resolving system and network issues.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Certifications

• Relevant certifications are a plus, such as AWS Certified SysOps Administrator or Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator.

Additional Information

• Lead 24x7 data center operations support as a core responsibility.
• Relevant certifications such as AWS Certified SysOps Administrator and Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator are a plus.