Senior Information Technology Manager

Position Summary

The Senior Manager – IT will be responsible for planning, implementing, and managing the university's IT infrastructure and digital ecosystem end-to-end. The role involves overseeing network infrastructure, surveillance and security systems, firewall and cybersecurity, cloud platforms, and enterprise applications, while ensuring seamless and reliable technology support for academic, research and administrative operations. The incumbent will act as a strategic partner to university leadership & driving digital transformation.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. IT Infrastructure & System Administration

• Plan, implement and manage university-wide IT infrastructure, including servers, data centres, storage systems and virtualization platforms.
• Administer Active Directory, Windows Server environments, user account provisioning and group policy management.
• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery and business continuity planning for all critical IT systems.
• Manage the complete IT asset lifecycle — procurement, deployment, maintenance, upgrades and decommissioning.
• Establish and enforce IT policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service level agreements (SLAs).

2. Networking & Connectivity

• Design, deploy, and manage campus-wide LAN/WAN/Wi-Fi infrastructure across academic blocks, hostels, libraries, and administrative buildings.
• Manage core and edge switches, routers, structured cabling, and network monitoring/performance tools.
• Ensure robust, high-availability connectivity for smart classrooms, laboratories, ERP systems, and residential facilities.
• Plan network capacity expansion in line with the university's growth and academic strategy.
• Liaise with ISPs and telecom vendors to manage bandwidth, uptime SLAs, and last-mile connectivity.

3. Surveillance & Security Systems

• Oversee the installation, integration and monitoring of CCTV/surveillance systems across the campus for the safety of students, faculty and staff.
• Manage access control, biometric attendance and visitor management systems across academic and residential zones.
• Ensure surveillance data storage, retention and access comply with institutional policy and applicable regulations.
• Coordinate with campus security teams during incident investigation, audits and emergency response drills.

4. Firewall & Cybersecurity

• Implement and manage firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), VPNs and endpoint security solutions.
• Develop and enforce cybersecurity policies, data protection protocols, and compliance with the IT Act 2000, UGC guidelines and applicable data privacy norms.
• Conduct periodic vulnerability assessments, penetration testing and third-party security audits.
• Own incident response, threat monitoring and cyber disaster recovery planning.
• Drive cybersecurity awareness programs for faculty, staff and students.

5. Cloud Platforms & Digital Services

• Manage cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP) and the Microsoft 365/Google Workspace ecosystem, including email and collaboration platforms.
• Oversee enterprise applications including SAP, Learning Management System (LMS) and Library Information System .
• Drive digital transformation initiatives — process automation, self-service portals and mobile applications for students and faculty.
• Ensure robust data backup, cloud migration strateg, and cloud cost optimization.
• Evaluate and pilot emerging technologies (AI/ML tools, analytics dashboards) to enhance academic and administrative efficiency.

6. IT Operations & Support

• Lead the IT helpdesk/service desk function, ensuring timely resolution of academic and administrative IT issues.
• Define, track, and report on SLAs and KPIs for all IT support services.
• Manage AV/multimedia systems in classrooms, auditoriums, seminar halls, and conference rooms.
• Oversee vendor management, AMC contracts, and third-party service provider performance.
• Ensure uninterrupted technology support during admissions, examinations, convocations and other key university events.

7. Strategic Planning

• Develop and execute the university's IT roadmap and digital transformation strategy aligned with institutional goals.
• Prepare and manage IT budgets, capital expenditure planning and cost optimization initiatives.
• Benchmark the university's IT infrastructure and practices against leading national and international universities.
• Partner with academic and administrative leadership to align technology initiatives with NAAC/NBA/NIRF accreditation and regulatory requirements.
• Lead, mentor, and build capability within the IT team; drive succession and career-development planning.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with UGC, AICTE and Ministry of Education guidelines relating to information technology.

Preferred Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Applications or a related field; an MBA or relevant professional certification is an added advantage.
• Minimum 10 to 15 years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure and operations, including at least 3–5 years in a leadership capacity, preferably within higher education institutions, universities, or large organizations.
• Proven expertise in networking, firewall management, surveillance systems, Active Directory, system administration, and cloud platforms.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, multi-location campus networks and enterprise-grade infrastructure.
• Desirable certifications: ITIL Foundation, PMP, CISSP/CISM, CCNA/CCNP, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator, or AWS Certified Solutions Architect.

Required Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills

• Strong working knowledge of the Microsoft ecosystem, Google Workspace, and leading cloud technologies (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Expertise in network architecture, security and firewall configuration (e.g., Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco, Sophos).
• Hands-on experience managing large-scale campus networks, surveillance systems, and access control solutions.
• Sound knowledge of ERP, LMS, and enterprise application integration in an academic environment.
• Working knowledge of ITIL processes, IT governance frameworks and regulatory compliance standards.

Leadership & Behavioural Competencies

• Strong leadership skills with the proven ability to manage, mentor and develop high-performing IT teams.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical and decision-making abilities in a dynamic environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with academic leadership, faculty, students and external vendors.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure while maintaining service quality.
• High degree of integrity, ownership, and accountability in managing critical institutional infrastructure.