Head of Education Technology

HELP International School; Shah Alam; On-site; MYR 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international school in Malaysia is seeking a Head of Education Technology to enhance its IT ecosystem. The successful candidate will develop long-term strategies for IT infrastructure, manage substantial budgets, and ensure effective communication of technical risks to non-technical stakeholders. They will lead a team to support educational goals and maintain a high standard for IT operations, ensuring a secure and user-centric environment that fosters learning and growth.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years in IT, with at least 4 years in a Head of Department or IT Manager role.
• Proven ability to build long-term roadmaps rather than just solving daily tickets.
• Experience managing substantial budgets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a 3-to-5-year IT strategic plan.
• Own the school’s Disaster Recovery Plan and conduct risk assessments.
• Act as a mentor to School IT Leads for capability building.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Financial Acumen

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/Computer Science

Master's degree (MBA or IT Management)

Tools

ITIL V4

Project Management (PMP or Prince2)

CISM or CISSP

Job description

HELP International School is one of Malaysia's leading international schools. It has a reputation for high‑quality holistic education where academic success is celebrated but an equal emphasis is also placed on developing a broad range of 21st‑century skills and understandings. It also places importance on career growth opportunities whereby training & coaching will be provided for the development of the staff members.

General Overview

The Head of Education Technology is responsible for the vision, integrity, and operational excellence of the school’s technology environment. You will serve as the primary advisor to the School Leadership Team on digital risks, infrastructure investment, and operational innovation. Your mandate is to build a resilient, secure, and user‑centric IT ecosystem that supports the school’s educational mission while ensuring long‑term financial sustainability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Leadership & Strategy

IT Strategy Roadmap: Develop and execute a rolling 3‑to‑5‑year IT strategic plan that aligns with the School’s Development Plan. Shift the department from “reactive support” to “proactive enablement.”

Policy & Governance: Author and enforce critical policies, including Data Protection (GDPR/PDPA), Cybersecurity Frameworks, Acceptable Use Policies (AUP), and AI usage guidelines for operations.

Risk Management & Business Continuity: Own the school’s Disaster Recovery Plan. Conduct annual risk assessments on critical systems (SIS, Finance, Admissions) to ensure business continuity in the event of cyberattacks or physical infrastructure failure.

Stakeholder Partnership: Act as the translation layer between technical requirements and school leadership. Translate complex technical risks into clear business cases for the Board/Principal.

Group IT Oversight & Capacity Building:

Provide strategic guidance and governance oversight of IT and EdTech functions across the HELP Group of Schools.

Ensure alignment to Group IT standards, cybersecurity posture, systems architecture, and best practices, while supporting local teams in strengthening network reliability, system resilience, and operational maturity.

Act as a mentor to School IT Leads to build capability within their own teams through skills transfer, coaching, and the development of sustainable local operating practices which align with Group practices.

Budget Architecture: Own the IT CapEx and OpEx budgets. Track spending against the budget to prevent overruns and identify cost‑saving opportunities.

Vendor Relations: Act as the primary point of contact for all IT and AV vendors. Negotiate Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and hold vendors accountable for performance.

Lifecycle Planning: Manage the strategic refresh cycles for the entire fleet (staff laptops, student iPads, server infrastructure) to prevent “technical debt” accumulation. Maintain a rigorous asset register.

Operational Excellence (Infrastructure & EdTech)

Infrastructure Vision: Oversee the architecture of a high‑availability network (LAN/WAN/Wireless) capable of supporting high‑density usage (1:1 devices, 4K streaming, Esports).

Cybersecurity Posture: Move beyond basic antivirus to a strategic security posture. Implement Zero Trust principles, conduct regular penetration testing, and run phishing simulation campaigns to build staff awareness.

EdTech Systems Architecture: Ensure seamless integration (interoperability) of the school’s software stack. Eliminate data silos.

Audio‑Visual (AV) Systems: Take full ownership of AV systems across classrooms, auditoriums, and meeting spaces. Manage setup and support for school events, assemblies, and hybrid meetings and oversee maintenance schedules for projectors, sound systems, and interactive displays.

Application & Software Management

In‑House Applications: Oversee the administration, integration, and maintenance of the school’s core software stack.

Licensing: Ensure all software is legally compliant, licenses are optimised to reduce waste, and renewals are tracked.

Educational Technology (EdTech) Support

Curriculum Alignment: Work with Academic Heads to ensure the IT infrastructure supports current curriculum goals (e.g., ensuring Wi‑Fi density supports BYOD/1:1 programs).

Classroom Operations: Ensure “zero downtime” for classroom technology. Provide rapid‑response support to teachers during lessons.

Department Leadership: Lead, mentor, and evaluate a team of EdTech staff. Foster a culture of “Service Excellence” rather than “Gatekeeping.”

Professional Development: Identify skill gaps within the IT team and ensure continuous upskilling (e.g., staff certification in Cloud Security or specialised MDM management).

Helpdesk Operations: Oversee the IT Service Desk. Implement a ticketing system to track issues, analyse trends, and improve user satisfaction.

Change Management: Lead the “people side” of IT projects.

Requirements

Strategic Thinking: Proven ability to build long‑term roadmaps rather than just solving daily tickets.

Financial Acumen: Experience managing substantial budgets.

Communication: Excellent ability to explain technical risks to non‑technical leaders.

Technical Background:

Experience: 8–10 years in IT, with at least 4 years in a Head of Department or IT Manager role.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in IT/Computer Science. A master’s degree (MBA or IT Management) is a strong plus.

Certifications:

• ITIL V4 (Service Management), PMP or Prince2 (Project Management).
• CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) or CISSP (preferred).

The school reserves the right to make an early appointment should a suitably qualified and experienced candidate be available.

Kindly note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Unlock job insights

Your application will include the following questions:

• Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in Malaysia?
• What’s your expected monthly basic salary?
• Which of the following types of qualifications do you have?
• How many years’ experience do you have as a Head of Education?