IT Manager (Operations & Infrastructure)

About the Role
We are seeking a hands-on, highly versatile IT Manager & Infrastructure Lead to own, manage, and scale our complete hybrid IT, server, and vendor ecosystem. You will bridge technical operations and vendor management, overseeing RFPs, Statements of Work (SOWs), software licensing, and hardware procurement (including AI edge servers and lab gear), while directly maintaining cloud and local infrastructure.

You will manage the core IT foundation supporting the engineering and agentic Smart Home/IoT development teams. From AWS account provisioning and Linux server administration to Proxmox virtualisation, NAS backup management, on-premises lab hardware, and live Smart Home installations (servers, hubs, and switches running ZigBee, KNX, Matter over Thread and similar protocols), you will keep systems resilient, secure, and performant.

Key Responsibilities

1. Vendor Management, RFPs, SOWs & Licensing

   • Lead the drafting, technical review, and management of RFPs and SOWs from software, hardware, and service vendors.
   • Review and optimise software licences, SaaS subscriptions, and developer tooling across the organisation.
   • Manage procurement pipelines for high-performance compute hardware, GPU setups, edge platforms (NVIDIA Jetson, ESP32, Raspberry Pi), and lab equipment.
   • Monitor vendor SLAs, negotiate contract terms, and track IT budget allocations and spending.

2. Cloud Administration & Linux Engineering

   • Manage and provision AWS resources (IAM, VPCs, EC2, S3, CloudWatch, Cost Explorer) following security and cost-optimisation best practices.
   • Serve as the principal Linux Administrator (Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL) for all on-premises, edge, and cloud server instances.
   • Build, deploy, and manage containerised applications and local development environments using Docker and container registries.

3. Virtualisation, Storage, Backups & Local Hardware Lab

   • Administer, maintain, and expand local virtualisation clusters using Proxmox VE (or ESXi) for staging, CI/CD runners, and test environments.
   • Manage NAS/SAN storage architectures (e.g., TrueNAS, Synology) to ensure high-speed data availability, multi-tier automated backups, and disaster recovery execution.
   • Maintain local hardware lab infrastructure, including managed network switches, VLANs, routers, firewalls, power redundancy (UPS), and IoT hardware test benches.

4. Smart Home Installations, Networking & Telemetry

   • Install, manage, and maintain Smart Home installations, including home servers, controllers, hubs, gateways, sensors, and smart switches/actuators.
   • Configure and support devices across Smart Home protocols such as ZigBee, KNX, Matter over Thread, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi/IP-based devices, including Thread border routers and KNX IP interfaces.
   • Work with installation vendors and electrical contractors to plan, schedule and oversee hardware installations, reviewing their designs and SOWs and signing off on commissioning and handover.
   • Design and manage the local network infrastructure supporting the Smart Home systems: VLAN segmentation for IoT devices, Wi-Fi coverage, PoE, firewall rules, and secure remote access via Tailscale (tailnets, ACLs, subnet routers, and exit nodes).
   • Configure and manage camera systems (IP/PoE cameras, NVRs, RTSP/ONVIF streams), including placement, recording and retention policies, and secure access.
   • Deploy, calibrate, and maintain sensors, including mmWave radar and presence/occupancy sensors, Bluetooth/BLE beacons and proxies, and motion, contact, and environmental sensors.
   • Build and assemble ad-hoc ESP32-based devices (soldering, wiring sensors and relays, power supply design and enclosure fitting), and flash and maintain their firmware (e.g., ESPHome, Arduino/ESP-IDF).
   • Oversee monitoring and telemetry from installed systems (device health, uptime, alerting, logs and metrics, e.g., MQTT, Prometheus, Grafana), and drive troubleshooting, firmware updates, and preventive maintenance.

Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years in System Administration, DevOps or IT Infrastructure Management.
• Linux Expertise: Expert-level mastery of Linux system administration, performance tuning, security hardening, and scripting (Bash, Python).
• Cloud & Virtualisation: Strong experience managing AWS cloud infrastructure and hypervisor environments such as Proxmox VE.
• Containers & Storage: Hands-on experience with Docker, container networking, and enterprise storage systems (NAS, ZFS, RAID configurations).
• Vendor & Budgeting: Direct experience managing vendor relationships, evaluating RFPs/SOWs, tracking licences, and executing hardware procurement.
• Networking & Hardware: Solid understanding of LAN/WAN, VPNs, VLANs, and firewalls, and hands-on hardware troubleshooting.
• Smart Home Systems: Proven experience installing, managing, and maintaining Smart Home installations (servers, hubs, switches, and controllers) using protocols such as ZigBee, KNX, and Matter over Thread.
• Tailscale & Remote Access: Working knowledge of Tailscale for managing virtual VPNs/mesh networks across sites, servers, and devices.
• Cameras & Sensors: Experience configuring and managing IP camera systems and deploying sensors such as mmWave radar, presence, and Bluetooth/BLE devices.
• Electronics & Hardware Assembly: Good hands-on electrical knowledge (soldering, wiring, low-voltage power, reading schematics) for assembling ad-hoc ESP32-based devices.
• Installation Vendor Coordination: Experience working with installers and contractors to deliver on-site hardware installations, from design review through commissioning.
• Monitoring & Telemetry: Hands-on experience setting up monitoring, alerting, and telemetry for networked devices and IoT/Smart Home systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience procuring and configuring AI/ML hardware (e.g., GPU servers, workstation setups, edge AI nodes).
• Familiarity with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools such as Ansible or Terraform.
• Experience with Smart Home platforms such as Home Assistant, and with ETS for KNX programming.
• Relevant certifications: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE), CISSP, or KNX Partner certification.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive Tax-Free Salary: A market-leading monthly package in AED, commensurate with experience.
• Performance Incentives: Rewards linked to delivery and performance outcomes.
• Visa & Medical Insurance: Full UAE visa sponsorship and comprehensive health cover.
• Paid Leave: 30 days’ annual leave plus UAE public holidays.
• Annual Flight Ticket & End-of-Service Gratuity: As per UAE market practice and labour law.
• Top-Tier Tooling: Modern hardware, a fully equipped lab and cloud tools.
• Learning & Career Growth: Certification and conference support, with a clear path to leadership.
• Autonomy & Impact: Build the IT and infrastructure function from the ground up and shape how AI is deployed in the physical world.