Manager - IT

Job Purpose:

Lead and manage enterprise IT infrastructure with a focus on SharePoint, SQL Server, and data security platforms, ensuring high availability, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. This role drives strategic initiatives including platform migrations, disaster recovery planning, and process automation, while fostering cross-functional collaboration and innovation across the organization. The Senior IT Technical Manager also plays a key role in audit readiness, governance, and team development, contributing to both technical leadership and cultural engagement.

Job Context & Major Challenges:

• Lead the integration of technical layers with business logic, operational processes, and solution architecture to enable cross-functional synergy and cost optimization across business units.
• Drive the selection and governance of enterprise-wide technology solutions, ensuring centralized deployment and alignment with organizational goals.
• Navigate complex business conflicts stemming from dependencies on IT stakeholders, often due to prolonged debates over solution approaches.
• Facilitate coordination and follow-ups across diverse IT and project teams within ABC, ensuring alignment and timely execution.
• Deliver critical projects and services despite constraints in resource availability, demonstrating agility and prioritization.
• Mitigate risks associated with vendor resource skill gaps, which impact project delivery timelines and quality.
• Address process non-compliance among project managers and team members, which poses risks to service quality and operational consistency.

Key Result Areas:

Key Result Areas

Supporting Actions

Infrastructure & Platform Management

• Lead and manage cross-functional teams including SharePoint Administration, SQL Database Administration, Imperva DAM, and Application Support, ensuring seamless operations and service delivery.
• Oversee implementation of Disaster Recovery (DR) drills, Business-As-Usual (BAU), and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) activities across enterprise SharePoint and SQL environments.
• Own and manage internal and external audits (RBI, SEBI, InfoSec), ensuring full compliance through robust database audit logging and encryption mechanisms (TDE, Azure Key Vault).
• Supervise patching, migrations, user access reviews, automation initiatives, and reporting via KPIs and SSRS dashboards.
• Drive knowledge transition and maintain comprehensive project documentation including KT trackers and SOPs.
• Conduct technical training sessions and organize company-wide engagement events such as sports leagues and talent shows to foster team spirit and collaboration.
• Experienced in budget management, SOP creation, training delivery, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Have knowledge of the Cloud technologies including AWS and Azure, supporting hybrid infrastructure strategies.

Compliance & Security

Compliance & Database Security Oversight

• Ensure strict adherence to regulatory and internal audit requirements, including InfoSec, RBI, SEBI, and corporate governance standards.
• Manage database encryption using Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), Azure Key Vault, and Thales HSM Vault to safeguard sensitive data.
• Administer Imperva Database Activity Monitoring (DAM) to track, analyze, and resolve violations, ensuring real-time visibility into database operations.
• Ensure closure of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) gaps and implement hardening policies to strengthen infrastructure security and minimize risk exposure.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead cross-functional teams across Database Administration, SharePoint Administration, Backup, and Application Support, ensuring operational excellence and service continuity.
• Coordinate centralized release management and support activities across multiple business units, streamlining deployments and minimizing disruptions.
• Conduct training sessions, facilitate knowledge transfers, and organize internal workshops to build team capabilities and promote continuous learning.
• Collaborate closely with business and IT stakeholders to align operational strategies with organizational goals, driving value through technology enablement. goals

MS SQL Server Governance

SQL Server Governance Framework

1. Access Control

• Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for structured privilege assignment.
• Enforce the least privilege principle to minimize security risks.
• Integrate with Active Directory for centralized identity and group management.
• Conduct regular reviews and audits of user roles and permissions.

2. Data Security

• Enable Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) for securing data at rest.
• Use Always Encrypted for protecting sensitive columns during processing.
• Apply Dynamic Data Masking to safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

3. Audit & Compliance

• Activate SQL Server Audit to monitor access and configuration changes.
• Utilize Extended Events for performance and security tracking.
• Integrate with SIEM tools (e.g., Azure Sentinel, Splunk) for centralized logging.
• Maintain secure audit log retention policies for compliance.

4. Backup & Recovery

• Define automated backup policies with encryption and retention.
• Conduct regular DR drills and restore tests to validate recovery readiness.
• Deploy high-availability solutions:
  • Always On Availability Groups
  • Failover Clustering
  • Log Shipping / Mirroring

5. Regulatory Compliance

• Encrypt sensitive data and manage keys securely (e.g., Azure Key Vault, Thales HSM).
• Maintain detailed logging and retention policies.
• Document compliance controls and perform periodic audits.

6. Patching & Updates

• Schedule regular patch cycles for SQL Server instances.
• Test patches in staging environments before production rollout.
• Monitor and apply critical updates and hotfixes as needed.

7. Migration Strategy

• Plan and execute upgrades from legacy versions (e.g., SQL Server 2012 → 2022).

8. Monitoring & Reporting

• Set up performance monitoring (CPU, memory, I/O, query stats).
• Track security events, failed logins, and permission changes.
• Generate custom reports for health checks and SLA compliance.
• Use tools like SSMS, Azure Monitor, or third-party dashboards.

SharePoint Governance

SharePoint Governance Framework

1. Access & Permissions

• Implement role-based access via SharePoint groups for structured permission management.
• Integrate with Active Directory for centralized identity and group control.
• Define and enforce external sharing policies to manage data exposure and collaboration boundaries.

2. Versioning & Records Management

• Enable document version control with check-in/check-out policies to maintain content integrity.
• Apply retention schedules to meet regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Configure eDiscovery for legal holds and audit readiness.

3. Compliance & Security

• Enforce Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies to protect sensitive information.
• Utilize Information Rights Management (IRM) to restrict unauthorized access and usage.
• Maintain audit logs and monitor activities for security and compliance tracking.

4. Deployment Management

• Govern feature rollouts and site provisioning to ensure consistency and control.
• Use PowerShell scripts and automation for standardized deployments.
• Follow change management protocols to minimize disruption and ensure traceability.

5. Migration Strategy

• Successfully completed migrations from SharePoint 2013 to 2016.
• Transitioned from on-premises to SharePoint Online, enabling cloud scalability.
• Conducted pre- and post-migration validation and cleanup to ensure data integrity.

6. Patching & Updates

• Maintain regular patching schedules for on-premises environments.
• Monitor and apply cumulative updates and service packs.
• Test patches in staging environments before production rollout.

7. Monitoring & Reporting

• Utilize usage analytics and site health checks to monitor performance and adoption.
• Manage storage quotas to optimize resource utilization and prevent overages.

Database Activity Monitoring (DAM) Governance

Database Activity Monitoring (DAM) Governance Framework

1. Policy Enforcement

• Define and monitor rules for sensitive data access, modification, and behavioral anomalies.
• Enforce security policies to detect and prevent unauthorized activities in real time.

2. Violation Alerts

• Configure real-time alerts for:
  • Unauthorized access attempts
  • SQL injection threats
  • Privilege escalation or misuse
• Ensure timely response and escalation through integrated workflows.

3. Audit Trails

• Maintain comprehensive logs for forensic analysis and compliance reporting.
• Ensure logs are tamper-proof and retained according to regulatory standards.

4. Integration Capabilities

• Integrate DAM with:
  • SIEM platforms (e.g., Azure Sentinel, Splunk) for centralized security monitoring
  • Ticketing systems for incident tracking and resolution
  • Compliance dashboards for audit visibility and reporting

5. Periodic Reviews

• Conduct regular access reviews, policy updates, and violation analysis.
• Stay audit-ready by aligning DAM configurations with evolving compliance requirements.

Server Consolidation

1. High Resource Waste

• Identifying unused servers consuming significant compute and storage resources.
• These idle assets contribute to inefficiencies in infrastructure utilization and operational overhead.

2. Optimization Opportunity

• Consolidation or decommissioning of unused servers can free up significant vCPUs, RAM & Storage.
• Enables reallocation of resources to critical workloads and future growth initiatives.

3. Cost Savings Potential

• Reducing unused infrastructure can significantly lower:
  • Licensing costs (OS, DB, monitoring tools)
  • Cooling and power consumption
  • Maintenance and support overhead
• Supports sustainability goals and improves overall IT cost efficiency.