IT Lead Data Center M / F / X

OVHcloud; Erith; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cloud service provider in Erith, UK, is seeking a DC Lead IT to oversee the onsite IT team and manage server maintenance and deployment. The ideal candidate should possess extensive IT knowledge, strong management skills, and the ability to enhance operational workflows. Responsibilities include organizing team activities, ensuring safety compliance, and contributing to performance improvements. This position requires both technical acumen and team leadership capabilities within a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• High level of IT hardware and software knowledge and experience is expected.
• Knowledge of HVAC and data centre power distribution.
• Able to work with compliance and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Organize and manage the onsite IT team activities.
• Contribute to continual improvement processes.
• Ensure proper training of staff.

Skills

IT hardware and software knowledge

Management skills

Planning and scheduling

Report generation

Compliance knowledge

Job description

Within your #OneTeam

Within OVHcloud, the Industry Business Unit (CINO) is responsible for designing and delivering infrastructure and server resources, while innovating and industrializing good practices. It ensures competitive levels of service and quality while respecting deadlines agreed with customers.

The DC Lead IT is a member of the Datacentre Steering committee and reports directly to the Datacentre manager, leading and managing the onsite IT team, which is composed of IT technicians and tech leads. "IT" includes Upgrade technicians responsible for new server deployments and RUN technicians responsible for maintaining the server estate.

Your main responsibilities

• Organize, plan, schedule and track every connection, upgrade, customization and rack related operation, according to the objectives of the OVH strategic plan.
• Manage and support the IT team, working on shifts 3
• 8 hours, 24 / 7 on maintenance and deployment of servers.
• Contribute to a continual improvement process, productivity, respect SLA, train and develop the team.
• Team management :
• Lead, track and follow individual and team performance
• Onboard and integrate people inside the team
• Develop their skills according to operational requirements (tech, lead tech) and expected performance
• Follow and perform all necessary HR processes : annual review, salary review, skills management, training, performance management etc.
• Monitor, train and support staff in security and safety rules awareness and conformance. Contribute positively to a safety based culture.
• In strong collaboration with the DU steerco, deliver internal and site communication to your team, leverage action plans and lean management and contribute in deploying DU policy, DCM and steerco decisions
• Be a social leader and point of presence with and for the team. Ensure a strong social bond between all staff and all teams.
• Manage and organize Upgrade and RUN activities
• Assist your DC tech leads in scheduling and forecasting all operations, managing the team workload based on business priorities and communicate clearly both internally and externally on progress and challenges.
• Follow and track your activities through KPI and dashboards. Report them to the steerco
• WIP, to connect, incidents, SLA, ...
• Ensure the team are able to access / find all the necessary technical knowledge required for their day to day work. Assist in sharing best practices within the team and with the wider OVH DCOPS community.
• Monitor process follow-up by the team including incident management, change management, handover reports, post mortems, etc..
• Ensure the proper training of staff to support the expected quality of service and performance.
• Manage alerts, escalations, volume of incidents, SLA and post mortems.
• Implement strong collaboration with all DC Teams (infra, network, logistics, office, building, safety, ...) and with transversal teams in DCOPS and other departments.
• Monitor DC architecture and maintenance of the domain :
• Apply best practice for installation and maintenance. Ensure application of existing procedures and make suggestions on improving them where appropriate.
• Audit technical procedures and control operations.
• Audit DC infrastructure and provide 1st line support to the owners where necessary.
• Contribute to the energy and environmental performance of the Datacenter in leveraging stakeholders, supporting Group initiatives and implementing local actions and reporting.

Skills required

• A high level of IT hardware and software knowledge and experience is expected.
• Knowledge of HVAC and data centre power distribution is an advantage.
• Planning, scheduling, workload prioritisation and ability to use a multitude of IT tools to support these activities is required.
• Competent in report generation and the use of OKR / KPI dashboards.
• Work with and knowledge of compliance with international standards, regulatory requirements and safety standards.
• Be able to leverage, enhance, improve situations, organization, skills.
• Management skills are expected as well as ability to lead and bring teams together.
• Ability to take quick decisions and manage tricky situations or a crisis.
• Be attentive to your team, be a good listener but a strong manager.
• Be able to summarize, analyze and explore datasets and complex scenarios.
• Work together with steerco and other teams to achieve shared objectives and goals.
• Be able to organize, schedule, plan works, shifts, skills.