IT Operations Manager

Job Summary:

• The IT Operations Manager will be responsible for managing the organization's IT operations, with a particular emphasis on vendor management in compliance with RBI guidelines for IT outsourcing and third-party services. This role involves overseeing procurement, vendor agreements, due diligence, periodic performance reviews, application maintenance, and monitoring, ensuring application performance, and managing user access. The candidate will collaborate with technology and application service providers, oversee release management, and ensure compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks.

Key Responsibilities:

Vendor Management:

• Oversee the entire vendor management process, including identifying, evaluating, and selecting third-party vendors and service providers.
• Ensure compliance with RBI guidelines for IT outsourcing, including proper due diligence, procurement processes, and agreement management.
• Conduct thorough due diligence on potential vendors to assess their capabilities, financial stability, security posture, and compliance with regulations.
• Develop and manage vendor contracts, ensuring that all agreements reflect the organization's needs and compliance requirements.

Periodic Vendor Performance Review:

• Conduct regular performance reviews of vendors to assess service delivery against SLAs and performance metrics.
• Develop and implement a vendor performance assessment framework, focusing on quality of service, responsiveness, and compliance with agreed-upon terms.
• Facilitate vendor meetings and provide feedback for continuous improvement and issue resolution.

Application Maintenance & Monitoring:

• Oversee the maintenance and monitoring of critical applications to ensure optimal performance and availability.
• Collaborate with application service providers to manage application lifecycles, including upgrades, patches, and enhancements.
• Establish and monitor scheduled jobs and ensure that all jobs run successfully, with issues addressed promptly.

Application Performance Management:

• Monitor and analyse application performance metrics to identify areas for improvement.
• Work with vendors to address performance issues and ensure applications meet business requirements and performance standards.
• Implement application performance monitoring tools to proactively identify and resolve issues.

User Access Management:

• Oversee user access management for applications, ensuring appropriate access controls are in place.
• Implement role-based access controls and ensure compliance with security policies regarding user permissions.
• Regularly review user access rights to ensure alignment with job roles and responsibilities.

Release Management & Patch Releases:

• Manage the release management process for applications, ensuring new features and updates are deployed effectively.
• Coordinate with technology service providers for timely patch releases and ensure that all patches are applied in a controlled manner.
• Maintain documentation of all releases and ensure compliance with change management procedures.

Collaboration with Technology Service Providers:

• Work closely with technology service providers to ensure they meet organizational needs and compliance requirements.
• Establish clear communication channels with service providers to facilitate issue resolution and collaboration on projects.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure that all vendor management practices comply with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Assess risks associated with third-party vendors and develop risk mitigation strategies to minimize exposure.
• Maintain documentation related to vendor management activities for audit purposes.

Reporting & Documentation:

• Develop regular reports on vendor performance, application performance, and user access management for senior management.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of vendor agreements, performance assessments, and compliance audits.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 8-12 years of experience in IT operations management, with a focus on vendor management and IT outsourcing.
• Strong knowledge of RBI guidelines and best practices for IT outsourcing and vendor management.
• Proven experience in managing third-party vendors and service providers, including contract negotiation and performance evaluation.
• Proven experience in application maintenance, performance monitoring, and user access management processes.
• Hands on experience of release management processes, patch management, and application service provider operations.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on risk management and compliance.