Head of IT Infrastructure (Daskalos)

Job description

Head of IT Infrastructure — Daskalos (Multi-Campus, India)
Role Summary
Daskalos is launching and operating multiple higher-education campuses across India in collaboration with international partner institutions.

We’re seeking a Head of IT Infrastructure to architect, build, and operate a world-class, scalable campus technology foundation—end-to-end.

The ideal leader has stood up greenfield college campuses (or equivalent large, multi-site environments), makes strong solutioning decisions, and drives disciplined execution across vendors and stakeholders.
Responsibilities
Strategy & Architecture
- Define the multi-campus IT infrastructure blueprint (LAN/WAN/SD-WAN, Wi-Fi 6/6E, data center/edge, cloud, identity/SSO, endpoint management, collaboration, AV/classroom tech, security & surveillance integrations).
- Create a multi-year roadmap for scalability, resilience, and cost optimization (capex/opex, lifecycle, refresh cycles).
- Establish reference architectures and standards (network segmentation, zero-trust principles, cabling, power/UPS, redundancy).
Campus Build-Outs & Solutioning
- Lead site surveys, BoQs, and high-level/low-level designs; own RFPs, vendor tech evaluations, and final solution selections.
- Oversee installation and commissioning of network, servers/edge, Wi-Fi, classroom AV, access control/CCTV, and service rooms.
- Integrate academic systems (LMS, SIS/ERP, library systems) with identity, networking, and security controls.
Operations & Service Management
- Stand up an ITIL-aligned run model (incident, change, problem, asset/CMDB, capacity, DR/BCP).
- Define and track SLAs, uptime, MTTR, and performance metrics; run NOC/SOC collaboration as needed.
- Implement observability (NMS, log mgmt, SIEM) and backup/DR for on-prem and cloud workloads.
Security, Compliance & Quality
- Drive security by design (network segmentation, MFA, MDM, endpoint hardening).
- Ensure compliance with applicable data protection and education regulations (e.g., DPDP Act, GDPR where relevant) and standards (e.g., ISO 27001 practices).
- Run quality governance: design reviews, acceptance tests, audits, and continuous improvement.
Vendor & Partner Management
- Source and manage OEMs, system integrators, ISPs/telcos, AV partners, and managed service providers.
- Own contracts, RFP/RFQ, commercials, SOWs, SLAs, and quarterly business reviews; enforce penalties/earn-backs where applicable.
- Coordinate with international partner universities and domestic stakeholders to align requirements and approvals.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Build and lead a high-performing infra & operations team (central + campus IT).
- Collaborate with Academics, Student Services, Facilities, and Finance for integrated delivery (e.g., power/UPS, racks, cooling, access control).
- Communicate clearly with executive leadership; convert business needs into deliverable technical plans.
Key Outcomes (12–18 months)
- Launch-ready campuses: Complete IT build-outs for several campuses on time and within budget; day-one readiness validated by cutover tests.
- Always-on operations: ≥99.9% uptime for critical services (network, identity, LMS/SIS integrations, AV in classrooms, security systems).
- Coverage & performance: 100% classroom and common-area Wi-Fi coverage with defined throughput targets;
- Governance & quality: SLAs/OLAs in place; monthly service reviews; audit readiness for security, privacy, and compliance.
- Stakeholder satisfaction: Faculty/Student IT CSAT ≥4.5/5; partner university IT sign-offs completed per MoU.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- 12–18+ years in IT infrastructure with 5+ years leading multi-site or campus build-outs; demonstrable greenfield campus experience is a must.
- Proven delivery of at least two end-to-end campus (or large corporate campus) setups in India (from design to go-live and steady state).
- Deep hands-on and architectural knowledge across:
- Networking: routing/switching, SD-WAN, Wi-Fi design, network security, QoS.
- Identity & Access: Microsoft Entra ID/Azure AD (or equivalent), SSO/SAML/OIDC, RBAC.
- Endpoints & Collaboration: MDM/UEM (e.g., Intune), Office 365/Google Workspace, meeting/classroom AV.
- Compute/Storage/Cloud: virtualization, edge compute, backups/DR, hybrid cloud.
- Security & Observability: firewalls, NAC, SIEM, NMS, logging/monitoring.
- Strong vendor management and procurement chops: RFPs, BoQs, commercials, SLAs, acceptance testing.
- Process orientation (ITIL), project/program management (PMP/Prince2 or equivalent mindset), and governance rigor.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management (international & domestic), and cross-cultural collaboration skills.
- Bachelor’s in Engineering/CS or equivalent; Master’s preferred.

Relevant certifications (ITIL, CCNP/Enterprise, Azure/AWS, PMP) are a plus.
Competencies
- Solutioning & Decision Quality: balances standards with pragmatic delivery; documented trade-offs.
- Execution Excellence: plans → builds → tests → operates with discipline; hits dates and budgets.
- Forward Thinking: designs for scale, reuse, and lifecycle; proactive risk management.
- Negotiation & Influence: gets the best from partners; escalates and resolves fast.
- People Leadership: hires, coaches, and retains strong talent; fosters accountability.
Practical Details
- Location: India (with frequent travel across campuses; ~40–60% travel).
- Employment Type: Full-time.
Reports To: COO / Head of Operations (or CTO), with dotted line to Academic Partnerships.

Required Skill Profession

Computer Occupations