IT Manager at Zeraki

About the Role

• The IT Manager is responsible for managing Zeraki’s IT infrastructure, cloud environments, security posture, and internal systems. This role ensures operational excellence, security, and efficiency across all IT functions, while freeing up the CTO and engineering teams to focus on product innovation and scaling.
• This is a hands-on role where you will manage day-to-day IT operations while also driving long-term improvements in infrastructure, cloud cost optimization, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

IT Operations & Support

• Oversee internal IT systems, user support, and device management.
• Ensure 99.9% uptime for internal business tools and systems.
• Manage SaaS tools (MS Office, Google Workspace, Clickup, Slack, Jira, etc.) to ensure smooth collaboration.

Infrastructure & Cloud Management

• Manage Zeraki’s AWS and Azure hybrid environments, including deployments, backups, and disaster recovery plans.
• Monitor and optimize cloud usage to reduce costs without compromising performance.
• Maintain reliable connectivity across distributed teams and offices.

Security & Compliance

• Enforce IAM policies, MFA, and endpoint security across all teams.
• Oversee periodic Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT), track remediation, and ensure timely closure of risks.
• Ensure compliance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, GDPR, and other relevant regulations.
• Implement disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Vendor & Partner Management

• Manage relationships with cloud providers, ISPs, and hardware/software vendors.
• Track service levels, contracts, and renewals.
• Negotiate vendor contracts to balance quality, reliability, and cost.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as the bridge between IT operations and engineering teams.
• Provide IT training and awareness sessions for staff (security hygiene, tool adoption).
• Support the CTO in IT strategy, planning, and execution.

Collaboration with DevOps

• To avoid overlap and ensure smooth operations, the IT Manager will work in close alignment with Zeraki’s DevOps Engineer.
• DevOps Engineer Focus: CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, application deployment, product performance monitoring.
• IT Manager Focus: Governance, compliance, access control, SaaS management, security posture, vendor contracts, and disaster recovery.

Collaboration Points:

• VAPT & Security: IT Manager tracks issues, DevOps executes fixes with engineers.
• Cloud Optimization: IT Manager manages budgets and governance, DevOps fine-tunes infrastructure usage.
• Incident Response: DevOps handles root cause, IT Manager coordinates escalation, reporting, and communication.
• This ensures DevOps drives engineering productivity, while the IT Manager safeguards IT resilience and compliance.

Success Metrics

• Success in this role will be measured by:
• Uptime: 99.9% uptime for internal and customer-facing systems.
• Security: Zero major security incidents per quarter; VAPT issues resolved within 30 days.
• Cost Optimization: 15–25% reduction in cloud costs year-on-year.
• Support Efficiency: 90% of support tickets resolved within SLA.
• Compliance: 100% adherence to Data Protection regulations and internal policies.

Requirements

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in IT operations, infrastructure, or systems administration
• PHands-on experience with AWS and/or Azure cloud environments.
• Familiar with SaaS management, ITSM tools, and enterprise networks.
• Solid understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and compliance requirements.
• Experience implementing disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
• Excellent problem solver with strong vendor negotiation and stakeholder communication skills.