IT Infrastructure & Operations Director (Saudi Citizens)

Overview

IT Infrastructure & Operations Director for a leading Saudi PIF manufacturing company. This is the most senior role in the IT I&O function, accountable for IT I&O strategy, delivery of infrastructure and related operations across the enterprise. The role reports to the CTO and has line management responsibilities for Infrastructure & Cloud Management (cloud-first), IT Operations, and IT Security, collaborating with CFO, CMO, CSO, CHRO and CSCO. The position is on-site in Riyadh and requires relocation.

Responsibilities

• Sets the mission, vision, and strategy of the I&O organization (infra on cloud) to maximize business and IT initiatives.
• Introduces innovative infrastructure and operations capabilities to enhance competitiveness and employee productivity.
• Works with the IT senior leadership team on service portfolio, governance, budgeting, and prioritization of resources, including remediation of technical debt.
• Builds stakeholder relationships with IT and business leaders, ensuring cost-effective delivery of IT services that meet business needs.
• Creates and aligns an I&O value map linking business outcomes to required future capabilities.
• Drives alignment of I&O strategies with ESG goals.
• Develops and controls the annual I&O budget, fostering a culture of continuous cost optimization.
• Defines, develops, and manages an integrated ITSM landscape and IT asset management program.
• Collaborates with the IT Security Officer to integrate security strategy into I&O.
• Operates governance mechanisms to monitor controls and supports audits and risk reviews as required.
• Improves awareness of the business value of I&O and aligns with customer needs.
• Designs a strong I&O leadership team and reporting structure; supports career progression and development of direct reports.
• Improves IT resilience, disaster recovery readiness, and reliability of services.
• Monitors emerging technologies and guides adoption to deliver IT strategy.
• Champions I&O involvement in innovation and experimentation to enable business opportunities.
• Provides strategic direction for the full lifecycle of IT systems and identifies opportunities for shared platforms.
• Directs the I&O sourcing strategy and oversees vendor/partner relationships.
• Works with HR and IT leadership to develop workforce plans to meet demand.
• Develops I&O maturity to improve efficiency and enable collaboration using Agile, DevOps, platform, and product approaches.
• Drives continuous improvement programs with measurable impact.
• Supports CTO and Enterprise Architect by implementing infrastructure aligned with the enterprise architecture.
• Serves on IT planning and policymaking committees; drives technology standards, governance, and performance metrics.
• Evaluates business value of I&O using KPIs and OKRs; collaborates with peer IT leaders to share knowledge.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, information systems, business administration, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• At least 12 years of experience in IT or business/industry.
• At least 5 years of leadership responsibilities, including strategy, budgeting, and staffing.
• Exceptional leadership with the ability to articulate and execute an I&O vision aligned with IT and business strategy.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills in complex environments.
• Experience with transformational initiatives including agile, DevOps, SRE, and cloud adoption at scale.
• Proven ability to consolidate operations in large enterprises and balance agility with efficiency.
• Analytical and strategic thinking with strong planning and execution skills.
• Ability to build consensus and secure support for major initiatives.
• Self-starter with commitment to continuous improvement and feedback.
• Experience developing fusion teams that leverage business technologists.
• Strong business acumen and industry knowledge of the enterprise and its business units.
• Experience delivering hybrid working models and enhancing customer and user experiences.
• Coaching, mentoring, and performance management of staff; ability to develop talent and succession plans.
• Experience with nearshore/offshore resource models and cloud management solutions.
• Knowledge of AI/ML applications to data challenges and customer experience enhancements.
• Budget planning and financial management, including showback/chargeback models.
• Ability to shift from Capex to Opex with cloud cost optimization processes.
• Deep understanding of current and emerging I&O technologies and practices, including regulatory compliance.
• Establishing and improving DevOps and ITIL practices.
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic staffing plans and keep employees engaged.
• Experience leading cloud adoption at scale with governance and target operating model changes.
• Developing governance to measure service quality and drive improvement.
• Experience with third-party management, sourcing, and vendor relations.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Car allowance
• Education fee support for children
• Private medical cover
• Maternity/paternity leave
• Annual leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted gym membership

Other details

• Seniority level: Director
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Information Technology and Management
• Industries: Technology, Information and Media, Manufacturing, and Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Note: This posting is for a role in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.