GM/ SGM – IT - ApTask

About Client:
The client is a well-established and globally recognized outsourcing and technology services specialist. It has rapidly expanded its footprint and now operates a vast network of visa application centers and consular services centers in numerous countries across the world.
It primarily offers services that facilitate the visa application and passport issuance process. These services include visa application processing, biometric data collection, document verification, and appointment scheduling on behalf of its clients, which often consist of governments and embassies seeking to streamline and enhance their visa and consular services. In essence, it plays a pivotal role in the global mobility landscape by providing essential administrative support and technology-driven solutions that simplify visa and consular service processes.



Salary: $160K/Annum



Job Description:

• The Head of IT will lead the strategic and operational management of the IT department in the Americas region.
• This role involves overseeing the implementation of IT systems and policies, managing a team of IT professionals, ensuring alignment with global IT standards, and maintaining the highest standards of data protection, system integrity, and business continuity.

• Spearhead the development and execution of innovative IT solutions to drive new business ventures, overseeing deployment, monitoring, maintenance, development, upgrade, and support of all IT systems, encompassing servers, PCs, operating systems, telephones, software applications, and peripherals.
• Direct systems development and enhancement efforts, ensuring seamless integration of new systems with existing infrastructure.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to craft strategies and plans aimed at enhancing client services, optimizing user effectiveness, and fostering a culture of innovation.
• Provide pre-sales and technical support to the Business Development team, facilitating sourcing, assessment, management, and implementation of new business opportunities, including lead generation, credential pitch, and solution presentation.
• Continuously support business development efforts by scouting new opportunities, gathering competitive intelligence, and identifying initiatives to propose to clients in dynamic market environments.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the new business landscape, including market potential and competitor analysis, and strategize approaches while identifying technical partners to support business development objectives.
• Take charge of establishing IT infrastructure for new business ventures and ensure smooth IT rollout for new initiatives.
• Possess in-depth expertise in modern Biometrics, ePassport, and citizen services solutions, proposing cutting-edge technologies to meet business and system requirements.
• Manage relationships with biometric and smart card vendors and partners, overseeing the design and development of innovative biometric and identity management solutions for governmental clients.
• Monitor, maintain, and provide support for all biometric systems, hardware, software, servers, and PCs, ensuring uninterrupted operation.
• Develop and enforce standard operating procedures and best practices, providing guidance to IT staff and end-users.
• Ensure comprehensive documentation, including system and user manuals, license agreements, and records of modifications and upgrades.
• Supervise end-user services, encompassing help desk and technical support functions.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and assess their relevance in meeting business and system needs.
• Manage the financial aspects of the IT Division, including purchasing and budget oversight.
• Develop and enforce IT policies and procedures, covering architecture, security, disaster recovery, standards, purchasing, and service provision.
• Supervise servers, security solutions, network hardware, and equipment, ensuring optimal performance.
• Lead IT infrastructure and development initiatives, overseeing policies, projects, and procedures.
• Negotiate and administer vendor, outsourcer, and consultant contracts and service agreements.
• Uphold VFS Global’s mission and adhere to all standards, policies, procedures, and confidentiality guidelines.
• Enforce IT governance policies and perform corporate IT risk management functions.
• Facilitate procurement and implementation of projects and equipment.
• Manage client relationships and overall stakeholder engagement.
• Provide leadership and talent management expertise to the IT team, fostering team building and development.
• Conduct performance evaluations for the IT Infrastructure and applications team.
• Promote the judicious use of natural resources and adhere to environmental health and safety policies.
• Develop and execute IT strategies aligned with company goals and global IT direction.
• Manage IT projects for timely delivery within budget and scope constraints.
• Oversee IT systems operation to ensure efficiency and reliability.
• Lead the Americas IT team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
• Collaborate with global IT leadership to align regional initiatives with business objectives.
• Manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts for cost-effective services.
• Ensure compliance with IT policies, data protection regulations, and cybersecurity standards.
• Drive adoption of new technologies to enhance operational effectiveness and customer experience.
• Implement data protection policies and ensure legal compliance.
• Oversee comprehensive testing and quality assurance processes.
• Manage efficient IT service ticketing system.
• Identify training needs and conduct regular sessions for operations team.
• Maintain accurate hardware inventory records and manage lifecycle.
• Optimize AWS infrastructure for performance and cost.
• Review and procure license renewals for business continuity.
• Manage ISP transitions and implement effective outage notification systems.
• Oversee setup and management of biometric security systems.
• Ensure timely patching and updates for remote IT systems.
• Conduct comprehensive reviews of IT centers across North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
• Develop technical solutions for new business tenders.
• Provide global support across all time zones.
• Maintain transparent ticketing system for IT issues and resolutions.
• Implement feedback system to enhance employee, mission, and customer engagement.
• Quarterly ratings from Operations should exceed 3.5. Develop and design a survey form to gather ratings aligned with the perspectives of regional heads, zone managers, country managers, and senior managers.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Certifications in DevSecOps and Cloud Computing, showcasing expertise in leading cloud services and integrating security throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies such as Generative AI, Computing Power, and Internet of Things (IoT).
• Proven experience as an IT Director or similar senior-level IT role.
• Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, systems integration, and digital transformation.
• AWS or Azure Certification: Obtaining relevant certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect demonstrates proficiency and expertise in cloud computing platforms.
• Hands-on Experience: Practical experience in deploying, managing, and optimizing applications on AWS or Azure is crucial. This includes familiarity with services like AWS Lambda, EC2, S3, RDS, or Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Blob Storage, Azure SQL Database, etc.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Knowledge of tools like AWS CloudFormation or Azure Resource Manager for automating the deployment of infrastructure resources.
• Networking: Understanding of cloud networking concepts such as Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) for AWS or Virtual Network (VNet) for Azure, along with knowledge of routing, security groups, and load balancing.
• Security: Awareness of cloud security best practices, including identity and access management (IAM), encryption, network security, and compliance standards specific to AWS or Azure.
• Monitoring and Logging: Proficiency in utilizing monitoring tools such as AWS CloudWatch or Azure Monitor for tracking performance, monitoring resource utilization, and setting up alerts.
• Scalability and High Availability: Ability to design and implement scalable and highly available architectures using AWS Auto Scaling, Azure Availability Sets, or similar features.
• Cost Management: Understanding of cost optimization strategies and tools provided by AWS Cost Explorer, AWS Budgets, or Azure Cost Management to manage and optimize cloud spending.
• Disaster Recovery: Knowledge of backup and disaster recovery solutions offered by AWS Backup, Azure Site Recovery, or similar services to ensure business continuity.
• Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD): Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines using tools like AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeDeploy, Azure DevOps, or GitHub Actions for automated testing and deployment of applications.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in managing budgets and IT governance.
• Familiarity with the specific IT challenges and opportunities in the Americas region

About ApTask:
Join ApTask, a global leader in workforce solutions and talent acquisition services, as we shape the future of work. We offer a comprehensive suite of offerings, including staffing and recruitment services, managed services, IT consulting, and project management, providing unparalleled opportunities for professional growth and development. As a member of our dynamic team, you'll have the chance to connect businesses with top-tier professionals, optimize workforce performance, and drive success for our clients across diverse industries. If you are passionate about excellence, collaboration, and innovation, and aspire to make a meaningful impact in the world of work, come join us at ApTask and be a part of our mission to empower organizations to thrive.

Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.

Candidate Data Collection Disclaimer:
At ApTask, we prioritize safeguarding your privacy. As part of our recruitment process, certain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) may be requested by our clients for verification and application purposes. Rest assured, we strictly adhere to confidentiality standards and comply with all relevant data protection laws. Please note that we only collect the necessary information as specified by each client and do not request sensitive details during the initial stages of recruitment.

If you have any concerns or queries about your personal information, please feel free to contact our compliance team at businessexcellence@aptask.com .