Our client, Health Research Operations Kenya Limited (HROKL), the operating entity for the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, a world class health research Programme based in Kenya, conducting multi-disciplinary research that spans infectious diseases, vaccines, maternal child and neonatal health, health systems, and emerging health threats. The Programme’s research leverages an integrated platform that includes bioscience laboratories, a clinical trials facility and clinical team, the clinical information network, the Kilifi demographic and health surveillance site, and robust community engagement, generating evidence that informs local and global health policy.

HROKL is seeking to hire a highly skilled and strategic Head of Information and Technology to provide strategic leadership and oversight of all IT functions across the organization.

JOB PURPOSE:

The individual will provide strategic leadership and direction for the Programme’s information technology function, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and delivery of efficient, secure and compliant IT operations.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

IT Strategy, Policy and Governance (12% of time)

• Develop and implement the IT strategic plan in line with the Programme's overall strategic goals and objectives
• Develop, execute and maintain IT policies, standards and operating procedures across the Programme.
• Assess the impact of relevant legislation and entrench compliance in the provision of IT services.
• Lead the Programme's digital transformation agenda, including cloud adoption, automation and responsible use of AI
• Identify and champion opportunities for innovation and foster the development of creative IT solutions for the Programme.

Team Leadership and People Management (18% of time)

• Guide and lead the IT team across the five functional areas (Service Delivery, Software, Development, Infrastructure, Project Management, Risk & Security).
• Oversee individual performance of staff, set objectives and conduct performance reviews.
• Ensure continuous professional development and capability building within the department.
• Make recruitment and salary negotiation decisions for the team.

IT Service Delivery and Operations Management (18% of time)

• Oversee the efficient operation of all IT functions within the Programme
• Monitor, manage and ensure continuous improvement of IT service delivery and service quality
• Ensure IT services enable the Programme's research and scientific computing needs, including HPC and research data platforms
• Oversee change management governance (including the Change Advisory Board) to minimize service disruption
• Ensure IT best practice and service management frameworks are followed
• Drive proactive and effective communication on IT matters across the Programme

IT Project and Risk Management (12% of time)

• Lead and implement project activities for strategic IT projects
• Manage and communicate risks and issues for IT projects
• Oversee project implementation, ensuring delivery to scope, time and budget.
• Identify departmental risks and develop and monitor mitigating measures

IT Security and Cyber Risk Management (12% of time)

• Develop, implement and maintain the information security and cybersecurity strategy, policies and controls for the Programme
• Oversee the identification, assessment and mitigation of cybersecurity risks and threats across systems, networks and data
• Ensure protection of data and systems through access management, monitoring, vulnerability management and incident response
• Direct security incident management, security awareness and compliance

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (10% of time)

• Develop and implement strategies that support IT Business Continuity planning in the Programme
• Develop, maintain and manage testing of the disaster recovery plan for IT resources
• Ensure resilience, backup and recovery arrangements for critical systems and data

Budgeting & Financial Management (8% of time)

• Develop budget proposals for the IT department and oversee implementation and monitoring of approved budgets
• Make decisions on the procurement of departmental IT resources and manage related expenditure
• Oversee management of IT vendors, contracts and service-level agreements, ensuring value for money and service performance
• Lead supplier evaluation and contract negotiations for significant IT investments

Reporting and Compliance (8% of time)

• Prepare and submit regular, periodic and ad hoc technical and management reports as required
• Report on IT performance, risks, projects and budgets to senior management and governance committees
• Ensure ongoing compliance with relevant standards, regulations, audit requirements and internal controls

Key Performance Indicators:

• Effectiveness of IT strategy and governance (measured through alignment of IT initiatives with organizational priorities and compliance with established policies, standards and frameworks).
• Quality of IT service delivery (measured through service reliability, user experience feedback and adherence to agreed service management processes).
• Timeliness of IT project execution (measured through delivery against approved schedules and achievement of defined project milestones).
• Effectiveness of cybersecurity management (measured through incident response outcomes, risk mitigation actions and adherence to security protocols and controls).
• Quality of business continuity and disaster recovery preparedness (measured through outcomes of recovery testing, system resilience and restoration effectiveness).
• Effectiveness of financial and vendor management (measured through budget utilization trends, procurement efficiency and vendor performance against agreed service expectations).
• Quality of stakeholder engagement and communication (measured through feedback from internal and external stakeholders and responsiveness to IT-related needs).

Job Dimensions:

• Manage & oversee the IT departmental budget.
• Develop budget proposals and monitor approved CAPEX and OPEX; set and oversee delegated budgets held by the team; make salary negotiation decisions for the team; and drive cost optimization and value-for-money in IT investments.
• The role is accountable for safeguarding and managing critical IT assets including data centre infrastructure, networks, end-user devices, software and licenses, enterprise systems and cloud environments, sensitive research and organizational data, access controls, IT policies and documentation, as well as vendor contracts, business continuity arrangements, and security tools and assurance records.
• Lead a structured IT function comprising direct oversight of departmental managers and overall accountability for a multi-disciplinary team spanning service delivery, software development, infrastructure, project management, and risk and security functions.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Master’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or related field
• Relevant certifications such as ITIL, PRINCE2/PMP, COBIT, CISM/CISSP
• Membership to a recognized ICT professional body
• Minimum 12 years’ relevant IT experience
• At least 5 years at senior management level
• Project management, IT governance, risk management, business continuity and disaster recovery planning

Technical Competencies (job related)

• IT strategy development and digital transformation
• IT service management and operations governance
• Cybersecurity and risk management
• IT infrastructure and enterprise systems oversight
• Project and programme management
• IT budgeting, procurement and vendor management

Behavioural Competencies (personality)

• Strategic leadership and decision-making
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• High integrity and professionalism
• Team leadership, motivation and delegation
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Ability to operate under pressure and manage complexity

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Office-based with oversight of IT infrastructure environments including data centres and occasional field/site interactions
• Standard working hours with occasional extended hours and on-call support for critical incidents
• Exposure to cybersecurity threats, system failures and high-pressure incident response scenarios that may impact critical organizational operations.

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