Application Operations Director

Job Purpose

The Application Operations Director plays a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless management, operation, and maintenance of ZATCA’s IT applications. The primary responsibility is to guarantee that all applications are consistently available, high-performing, and aligned with end-user expectations while adhering to predefined quality standards and timelines. This role serves as the backbone of ZATCA’s digital infrastructure, ensuring operational excellence and driving the organization toward its strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Planning

In this capacity, the Application Operations Director will actively contribute to the development of the IT Operations business plan, ensuring full alignment with ZATCA’s overarching strategy. The role involves crafting a comprehensive operational plan for Application Operations that not only aligns with the IT Operations business plan but also integrates seamlessly with the broader IT & Digitization strategic plan. By implementing these plans, the director will provide critical input to achieve Application Operations goals, thereby supporting ZATCA’s overall strategic initiatives and long-term vision.

Budget Management

The Application Operations Director will engage in high-level discussions with top management to assess budgeting requirements for Application Operations. This includes providing informed input to the budgeting process, ensuring optimal utilization of allocated resources, and delivering accurate reports on progress and challenges encountered. Additionally, the director will identify and propose initiatives that yield positive financial outcomes, mitigate financial risks, and enhance operational efficiency within the department.

Application Operations Management

This role is responsible for defining and implementing an IT application operations model that aligns with the IT strategy to meet business requirements and objectives. The director will oversee the seamless operation of ZATCA’s IT applications, ensuring best-in-class performance and reliability. Key responsibilities include:

• Managing and prioritizing incidents based on criticality, and recommending corrective actions in coordination with relevant stakeholders to resolve issues within agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Overseeing production outages and escalations, ensuring the right stakeholders are engaged to drive swift and effective resolutions.
• Implementing proactive preventive maintenance activities to enhance the availability and reliability of IT applications.
• Validating daily operational plans for ZATCA’s IT applications to ensure alignment with business needs.
• Reviewing change requests related to IT applications and providing support during their implementation.
• Monitoring the health, safety, and performance of IT applications to minimize potential damage and service disruptions.
• Recommending performance improvements, hardware upgrades, and resource optimization strategies to achieve IT application objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Ensuring transparent and timely communication and reporting of IT application performance to all stakeholders.

People Management

The Application Operations Director will actively participate in the identification and recruitment of key talent, fostering a high-performance working environment that aligns with ZATCA’s values. This includes guiding, mentoring, and supporting direct reports to ensure adherence to established policies and processes. The director will develop individual performance objectives, provide necessary support, evaluate team performance, and deliver regular feedback to drive continuous improvement and professional growth.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or an equivalent field is required.
• A Master’s degree in Information Technology Management, Computer Science, Business Administration, or an equivalent field is highly preferred.

Experience

• A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience in IT operations, with a preferred 3 years in a managerial role.

Core Competencies

The ideal candidate will possess a blend of advanced and proficient competencies, including:

• IT Operations Management: Advanced expertise in managing and optimizing IT operations.
• Professionalism: Proficient in maintaining high standards of professional conduct and ethics.
• Collaboration and Communication: Proficient in fostering effective teamwork and clear communication across departments.
• Operational Excellence: Proficient in driving efficiency and effectiveness in operational processes.
• IT Compliance: Advanced knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements in IT operations.
• Database Design and Operations: Advanced skills in designing, managing, and optimizing databases.
• Develop Teams: Proficient in mentoring and developing team members to enhance performance.
• Information Systems Knowledge: Advanced understanding of information systems and their integration.
• Leading by Example: Proficient in demonstrating leadership through actions and decisions.
• Infrastructure Management: Advanced expertise in managing IT infrastructure.
• Strategic Thinking: Developing strategic foresight to align operations with business goals.
• Results Oriented: Proficient in driving measurable outcomes and achieving set objectives.
• Customer Focus: Proficient in prioritizing end-user needs and satisfaction.
• Solving IT Incidents and Problems: Advanced skills in troubleshooting and resolving IT issues.
• Enablement of Change and Innovation: Proficient in fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.