Head of IT Systems and Database

Job Purpose:

Overseeing the design, implementation, administration, and support of hospital-wide IT systems and database environments. The role ensures optimal performance, security, availability, and regulatory compliance of clinical and administrative systems, contributing to uninterrupted healthcare operations and strategic digital transformation initiatives.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Ensure work is performed based on approved policies, processes, procedures, and instructions
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement of systems, processes and practices taking into account leading practices, cost reduction and productivity improvement
• Ensure day-to-day activities are properly performed in line with policies and procedures.
• Follow-up on escalated cases/issues of subordinates to ensure they are closed efficiently and in a timely manner
• Develop, approve, and execute strategic and operational plans for IT systems and database environments in alignment with hospital goals and national healthcare mandates.
• Lead technology modernization projects, including upgrades of HIS/EMR, virtualization, cloud initiatives, and database optimization.
• Define operational objectives, KPIs, and SLAs for systems and database performance and security.
• Oversee the administration, monitoring, and optimization of server environments (Windows/Linux), virtualization platforms, storage systems, and enterprise applications.
• Manage hospital databases (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL) ensuring high availability, performance tuning, and data integrity.
• Implement high availability, backup, and disaster recovery strategies for critical systems and databases.
• Manage patching cycles, security hardening, and user access controls for all hospital systems and databases.
• Coordinate with cybersecurity teams for risk assessments, penetration testing, and security incident management.
• Lead, coach, and develop direct reports and their teams, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Establish training and certification pathways for team members to support evolving technology needs.
• Manage vendor relationships, service contracts, and licensing agreements related to systems and database solutions.
• Oversee third-party IT projects and ensure adherence to budget, scope, and timeline.
• Oversee comprehensive documentation of systems and database architectures, SOPs, and disaster recovery procedures.
• Provide executive-level performance, capacity, security, and risk reports, including trend analysis and improvement plans.
• Establish and oversee capacity planning and scalability roadmaps for systems and databases, ensuring readiness for hospital growth and new facilities.
• Lead the evaluation and adoption of cloud and hybrid infrastructure strategies, balancing performance, cost, and compliance.
• Embed security-by-design principles into all system and database architecture decisions in coordination with the Cybersecurity team.
• Define and monitor KPIs for uptime, incident response, change success rate, and performance improvements, and report regularly to the executive board.
• Ensure systems and databases comply with the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) in addition to MOH, CBAHI, JCI, NCA, and SFDA requirements.
Oversee lifecycle management, including technology refresh and end-of-life decommissioning plans.

10+ years of progressive IT experience, with at least 5 years in leadership of systems and database teams, preferably in healthcare settings.

Strong knowledge of hospital IT environments including HIS/EMR, PACS, ERP systems, and supporting infrastructure.

Master’s / Bachelor’s degree Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field.