Manager - IT Infrastructure & Networks (m/f/d)

About The Role We are seeking an experienced IT Infrastructure & Network Manager to lead and evolve a large-scale enterprise technology environment supporting corporate users and business-critical applications. This is a highly visible leadership position that requires a rare combination of deep technical expertise and strategic management capability. While the title is Manager, the successful candidate must remain hands-on, capable of operating at engineering level during major incidents, migrations, critical projects, and architectural transformations. The role is responsible for the overall infrastructure and network estate, including strategy, architecture, operations, security, governance, vendor management, and budgeting. You will lead a team of infrastructure and network professionals while acting as the technical authority for the organisation's Microsoft ecosystem. Key Responsibilities Leadership & Team Management Lead, mentor, and develop a team of infrastructure and network engineers. Provide technical leadership and guidance across infrastructure, cloud, collaboration, identity, and networking domains. Act as the escalation point for major incidents, complex technical challenges, and critical business services. Foster a culture of operational excellence, continuous improvement, and technical innovation. Infrastructure & Architecture Own the enterprise infrastructure and network architecture, ensuring scalability, resilience, and operational efficiency. Make key architectural decisions across on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments. Develop and maintain technology roadmaps aligned with business and IT strategy. Lead infrastructure modernization, cloud adoption, and transformation initiatives. Operations & Service Delivery Maintain accountability for infrastructure availability, performance, and service quality. Oversee the delivery of business-critical IT services supporting corporate users and enterprise applications. Ensure robust monitoring, incident management, change management, and capacity planning processes are in place. Participate directly in major incidents, migrations, upgrades, and critical changes when required. Vendor & Financial Management Build and manage infrastructure budgets, including operational expenditure, capital expenditure, and software licensing. Lead vendor selection, contract negotiations, and SLA management. Challenge and validate technical proposals and delivery plans provided by third-party partners. Ensure value for money while maintaining service quality and security standards. Governance, Risk & Security Establish and maintain infrastructure policies, standards, and governance frameworks. Manage infrastructure risk, resilience, backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity capabilities. Ensure compliance with corporate security standards and regulatory requirements. Support and enhance the organisation's security posture through alignment with security best practices and Microsoft security technologies. Stakeholder Management Partner with senior business and technology stakeholders to align infrastructure strategy with organisational objectives. Provide regular reporting on service performance, projects, risks, budgets, and strategic initiatives. Influence decision-making across technology and business functions. Essential Required Experience & Skills 10+ years of experience across IT infrastructure, cloud, and enterprise networking environments. Proven experience managing infrastructure teams within large enterprise organisations. Demonstrated ability to combine strategic leadership with hands-on technical delivery. Strong experience managing enterprise infrastructure projects, vendors, and IT operations. Experience owning infrastructure roadmaps, budgets, governance frameworks, and operational performance. Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage senior leadership teams. Previous responsibility for mission-critical, enterprise-scale environments. Microsoft Technologies (Non-Negotiable) Candidates must possess deep, hands-on experience across the Microsoft technology stack. Individuals with leadership experience but limited Microsoft expertise will not be considered. Identity & Access Management Active Directory Entra ID (Azure AD) Hybrid Identity Group Policy Messaging & Collaboration Exchange Online Exchange On-Premises Microsoft 365 / Office 365 Microsoft Teams SharePoint Endpoint Management Microsoft Intune SCCM / MECM Cloud & Infrastructure Microsoft Azure Hybrid Cloud Architecture Cloud Migration Programmes Azure Cost Management Infrastructure Modernisation Security Microsoft Defender Suite Conditional Access Microsoft Purview Identity and Endpoint Security Controls Architecture Proven experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale Microsoft environments. Experience making architecture decisions rather than simply administering existing platforms. Technical Leadership Expectations The successful candidate will: Be recognised as a highly capable technical authority by both engineers and stakeholders. Challenge technical proposals and decisions from vendors and partners with confidence. Maintain current hands-on technical capability alongside leadership responsibilities. Personally contribute during major incidents, technology transformations, and critical projects. Drive technology decisions based on business outcomes, operational resilience, and long-term strategy. Preferred Experience Experience within large corporate, utilities, energy, government, or highly regulated environments. Experience supporting hybrid infrastructure environments at enterprise scale. Exposure to cybersecurity governance, risk management, and resilience programmes. Related Microsoft certifications across Infrastructure, Azure, Security, or Enterprise Administration. What Success Looks Like A resilient, secure, and high-performing infrastructure environment. Clear alignment between infrastructure strategy and business objectives. Successful delivery of transformation, modernization, and cloud initiatives. Strong governance, risk management, and operational controls. High-performing internal teams and effectively managed vendor relationships. Trusted advisor status with senior technology and business stakeholders. Package & Benefits Competitive executive-level salary package. Performance-based incentives. Medical insurance. Annual leave and additional corporate benefits. Opportunity to lead a large-scale enterprise infrastructure and cloud transformation agenda. Significant exposure to senior leadership and strategic technology decision-making. Manager - IT Infrastructure & Networks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Show more Show less