IFS - IT - Network and Infrastructure Senior Manager

Job description / Role

Line of Service
Internal Firm Services

Specialism
IFS - Information Technology (IT)

Management Level
Senior Manager

Job Description & Summary
A career in Information Technology, within Internal Firm Services, will provide you with the opportunity to support our core business functions by deploying applications that enable our people to work more efficiently and deliver the highest levels of service to our clients. You'll focus on managing the design and implementation of technology infrastructure within PwC, developing and enhancing both client and internal facing applications within PwC, and providing technology tools that help create a competitive advantage for the Firm to drive strategic business growth.

Our Technical Infrastructure and Transformation team assists PwC with information technology transformation efforts, helping us to improve our business value through optimising our information technology capabilities. You'll help PwC understand, plan for, and realise strategic business opportunities in information technology.

The Infrastructure Management team is a key subfunction within the Technology Function. Responsible for the lifecycle management of firmwide technology infrastructure and operations, with a primary focus on platform / infrastructure architecture, from Appraisal  through to Operational stages of the product lifecycle. Responsible for providing technical inputs to the Assessment and Selection of business technologies requested by LoS / Functions, particularly around existing or developing regional technology landscape. Plays a key role in the detailed design and implementation of new technologies, focusing on the integration of new technologies smoothly into the PwC ME Technology ecosystem. The infrastructure management team manage the ongoing operations of all technology infrastructure, not limited to improvement and upgrades, regular maintenance and providing troubleshooting support to end users. Finally, the jobholders are expected to contribute to the internal innovation agenda, identifying industry technology trends relevant to the PwC ME infrastructure architecture, operations and socialising these with the leadership of the function. 

Financial 
- Provide input into the annual budgeting process around the infrastructure management function
- Develop network requirements and provide input to network capital planning and budgeting
- Provide cost efficient IT infrastructure services to facilitate IT and business needs
- Identify and implement cost optimization initiatives within the Infrastructure Management function

Customer
- Act as the core architect supporting parts of the business that are undergoing transformation and strategic change, via the IT Business Partner
- Work within project teams with responsibility for delivering the Architectural recommendations and the high level design
- Provide design guidance across a range of infrastructure technologies, ensuring solutions are aligned with the enterprise architecture vision and meet with technical standards
- Consult to business where opportunities arise/insights and proactive advice is found regarding technical aspects related to their technologies, processes and equipment
- Collaborate with others in region, with others in the network, as well as the other shared IT service organisations on infrastructure technical design and implementation for projects
- Undertake Technical Research, Prototyping and Proof of concepts in line with the needs of the firm.
- Work collaboratively with vendors to address infrastructure related matters
- Provides design guidance to sourcing vendor for specific projects that follows the enterprise architecture vision and applicable infrastructure technology standards
- Manage and define Service Level Agreements (SLAs) related to Infrastructure Management function
- Monitor and track user level satisfaction with quality of IT Infrastructure support and implement corrective action as needed
- Ensure internal client satisfaction with IT Infrastructure services

Internal Process
- Acts as a peer reviewer on complex projects to ensure that architecture and high level design remain in line with standards
- Create and own Technology standards and Roadmaps for Infrastructure Management function
- Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture and Strategy to understand and deliver the overall IT strategy from an Infrastructure Management point of view
- Develop and enforce IT systems compatibility and consistency standards across the Middle East
- Manage the development and maintenance of a scalable, agile IT infrastructure meeting the organization's operational and capacity requirements
- Oversee the planning of maintenance of all IT infrastructure
- Design IT disaster recovery plans and raise to Technology Leader for approval
- Manage and ensure delivery of IT projects related to Infrastructure Management function

Network
- Network Management
- Ensure all IT infrastructure, tools, roles and configurations are aligned with agreed service and availability targets levels.
- Network Projects - Project Management and reporting
- Ensure Standardize IT Network / Infrastructure across the region
- Monitor network performance.
- Infrastructure / Network Design, Planning and Implementation
- Regionally Network upgrades and capacity planning and management
- Network Infrastructure configuration, development and Implementation
- Network Infrastructure performance monitoring and analysis
- Network Infrastructure vulnerability assessment and treatment
- Coordinate and facilitate Network Infrastructure projects and changes

Cloud Computing
- Cloud solutions strategic planning.
- Cloud Solutions Project Management
- Cloud solutions management and administration.
- Cloud solutions performance monitoring.
- Prepare Cloud status and performance reporting.

Learning & Growth
- Collaborate with UK IT, US IT, and shared services IT organisations to drive alignment of IT environments
- Proactively engage and directly interact with colleagues in the business, sharing ideas and providing thought leadership around topics of interest and expertise
- Actively participate in groups and networks within the business around technology topics and areas of interest
- Actively participate in a broader innovation community in terms of suggesting new ideas, collaborating with others and seeking/providing feedback
- Share knowledge into the wider IT organisation
- Enforce a knowledge management culture to capture and share policies, procedures, within a knowledge repository in accordance with PwC's knowledge management policies and procedures
- Develop Infrastructure Management team members on the team from a technical standpoint
- Act as a key resource and liaison to other functional areas of the business, building cross-functional relationships as needed
- Establish a healthy work environment for employees

Requirements

Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
- Certifications in (ITIL, MCSE, MCSE Cloud, CCNA, CCNP, CCIE) are preferred

Language
- Fluency in spoken and written English; Arabic is an advantage

Overall Experience
- 10+ years experience within a technology function, with at least 8 years working within Infrastructure and Operations capability set
- 4+ years in a leadership role

Specific Experience
- Solid track record in infrastructure architecture with experience of making architectural recommendations and defining and documenting designs for large enterprise scale deployments
- Exposure to Global best practices and technology trends
- Solid experience in Networking, Unified communications and A/V technologies design, implementation and support
- Deep knowledge and experience in IT Operations
- Solid knowledge in cloud technologies
- Knowledge and experience in mobility systems and devices implementation and support

Knowledge & Skills
- Strong technical background with broad knowledge across a diverse technical landscape
- Infrastructure Management team will have experience in several of the following areas:
- Cisco Network technologies, web hosting, Cyber Security. Enterprise SAN and Server/Desktop virtualisation.
- Cloud/SaaS, Data Analytics, Data Architecture, Data and system security (including authentication/authorisation and encryption).
- Azure Cloud
- SDWAN using Cisco Meraki
- Use of monitoring tooling e.g. Solarwinds
- Ability to work collaboratively with vendors/suppliers, both on and off-shore, to ensure technical application designs meet stakeholder expectation, and adhere to technology roadmaps, quality reviews and standards
- Ability to judge and assess the viability and feasibility of 3rd party solutions meeting business requirements, and to advise and influence project sponsors and teams on the technical direction.
- Acts independently to evaluate specific infrastructure technology design needs and issues within own sphere of specific technology
- Ability to provide infrastructure technical design guidance for specific technologies.
- Ability to work collaboratively with Enterprise Architecture to implement enterprise architecture IT vision in Firm infrastructure that will drive alignment of UK IT and US IT to identical systems.
- Deep understanding and knowledge of specific infrastructure technologies
- Ability to contribute to thought leadership of specific infrastructure technologies
- Ability to understand and interpret business requirements and translate them into technical specifications.
- Ability to offer technical solutions in a wide range of technology platforms
- Ability to judge and assess the viability and feasibility of proposed solutions
- Knowledge of technology requirements related to the Professional Services Industry
- Understanding of firmwide standards governing infrastructure both regional and across the network
- Excellent project management skills
- Ability to work as part of a broad project team, working with both technologists and end users
- Strong customer service orientation
- In depth knowledge of systems compatibility and standards
- Knowledge of implementing policies and procedures related to IT Infrastructure

About the Company

At PwC Middle East, we've set out an ambitious purpose and strive to live it everyday: to solve important problems and build trust in society.

We're a community of solvers that come together in unexpected ways to build trust and create sustained outcomes. We solve important problems, support one another as we grow, develop and build fulfilling careers.

PwC provides industry-focused services for public and private clients across Assurance and Audit, Deals, Consulting, Tax and Legal. We draw on our development legacy that brings together the collective experience of over 7,000 people in our region with offices across 12 countries to solve for tomorrow.

We're striving to consistently deliver innovative work that builds trust and delivers sustained outcomes. And we're proud of the strength that comes from all our different backgrounds and experiences and we value everyone's uniqueness. We thrive in uncertainty, operate with integrity and leverage the diverse perspectives of our teams.

If you're looking for a place that fuels your ambition to make a difference, that matches your curiosity with continuous learning opportunities and reimagines ways of working to enable you to lead a more balanced life, then you're a future PwCer.