Information Technology Infrastructure Specialist

Kaplan Middle East & North Africa; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 360,000; Part time

Job summary

Kaplan Middle East & North Africa is seeking subject matter experts to serve as Freelance or Associate Trainers for IT Infrastructure Track modules. Deliver in live or in-person formats to banking and financial professionals, facilitate virtual labs, assess progress, and mentor learners through action learning projects and a final Hackathon.

Trainers will connect complex infrastructure concepts to regulated financial services, reflecting premium training standards across GCC regions.

Qualifications

• 10+ years hands-on IT infrastructure experience across data centre ops, networking, systems or storage.
• 3+ years technical training or facilitation with live cohorts of 15–25.
• Deep knowledge of VMware vSphere/vSAN, Windows/Linux admin, Oracle/SQL Server, Cisco routing/switching, SAN/NAS.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity, data governance in banking/financial services.
• Experience in banking/regulated industry preferred.
• Proficiency in Python and/or Ansible for infra automation.
• Strong facilitation and classroom management.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Deliver IT Infrastructure Track modules to high instructional standard in-person.
• Facilitate hands-on virtual lab sessions and real-world configurations.
• Contextualise content within banking/regulatory context for relevance.
• Administer pre/post-module assessments and provide structured feedback.
• Submit Trainer Feedback Reports on content and delivery.
• Mentor participants through capstone projects and labs.
• Support Internal Hackathon as a technical mentor.
• Coordinate with Content Developer on content gaps and updates.
• Maintain a professional, high-energy classroom culture.

Skills

VMware vSphere/vSAN

Windows Server

Linux administration

Oracle/SQL Server

Cisco routing & switching

SAN/NAS storage

Python

Ansible

English communication

Job description

We are looking for subject matter experts who are Freelance or Associate Trainer and will deliver all IT Infrastructure Track modules in a live or in-person format. Working with high-potential banking and financial professionals, the Trainer is responsible for facilitating technical instruction, guiding virtual lab exercises, assessing participant progress, and supporting learners through action learning projects and a final programme Hackathon. This role demands both deep technical expertise and the ability to connect complex infrastructure concepts to a regulated financial services environment. The Trainer is not simply a subject matter expert — they are a programme ambassador, expected to reflect the quality and rigour the client organisation demands from a premium training partnership. The training can take place in the GCC regions.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver IT Infrastructure Track modules at a high instructional standard, managing pace, depth, and learner engagement across intensive in-person training.
• Facilitate hands-on virtual lab sessions, guiding participants through real-world configurations in vSphere, Windows/Linux OS hardening, database clustering, Cisco network engineering, and storage architecture environments
• Contextualise all technical content within the banking and financial services operating environment, drawing on regulatory frameworks and industry best practice to demonstrate the business relevance of each topic
• Administer pre- and post-module assessments and scenario-based exercises; provide structured, actionable feedback on participant performance through the programme's LMS platform
• Submit Trainer Feedback Reports to the Programme Team covering content effectiveness, cohort performance observations, engagement levels, and recommended content or delivery adjustments
• Mentor participants through action learning projects and capstone assignments, providing technical guidance that builds independent problem-solving capability without substituting the participant's own analysis
• Support the programme's Internal Hackathon as a technical mentor, reviewing IT Infrastructure prototypes for technical viability, operational feasibility, and alignment with financial services constraints
• Coordinate with the Content Developer to flag content gaps, outdated technical references, or recurring comprehension issues that require material revision before subsequent deliveries
• Maintain a professional, high-energy classroom culture consistent with the institutional standing of the client organisation and the standards expected of a premium training provider

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years of hands-on, production-grade IT infrastructure experience spanning at least two of: data centre operations, enterprise networking, systems administration, or storage engineering
• Minimum 3 years of technical training or facilitation experience, with a demonstrated ability to manage live cohorts of 15–25 experienced professionals
• Deep working knowledge of VMware vSphere/vSAN, Windows Server and Linux administration, Oracle or SQL Server database administration, Cisco routing and switching, and enterprise SAN/NAS storage
• Practical familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks, network security controls, and data governance requirements applicable to the banking and financial services sector
• Experience working in banking, financial services, or a heavily regulated industry; understanding of the operational sensitivities and compliance culture within a financial institution is strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Python and/or Ansible for infrastructure automation — sufficient to demonstrate live scripting and explain its operational relevance to network and server teams
• Strong facilitation and classroom management skills; able to adapt delivery pace, depth, and style in real time based on cohort dynamics and prior experience levels
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills

Required Certifications (One or More Per Category)

• Virtualisation: VMware VCP-DCV or higher
• Networking: Cisco CCNP Enterprise or CCNP Data Centre (CCIE preferred)
• Microsoft / OS: MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure or equivalent

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience delivering programmes for banking institutions, government-linked entities, or national talent development initiatives
• Familiarity with premium training provider delivery standards, including structured reporting, LMS integration, and stakeholder-facing performance dashboards
• Prior experience mentoring professionals through capstone or action learning projects within a structured, cohort-based programme
• Technical authority — commands immediate credibility with technically literate participants; able to go deep on any module topic without hesitation
• Sector intelligence — understands enough of the financial services context to make infrastructure decisions feel consequential, not abstract
• Facilitation mastery — creates an environment where participants challenge ideas, experiment in labs, and reflect on outcomes rather than passively receive information
• Regulatory fluency — weaves compliance frameworks and governance requirements into technical instruction naturally, not as a separate afterthought
• Professionalism — consistently represents the training partner at the standard the client expects; punctual, well-prepared, and polished in all participant interactions
• Adaptability — able to adjust delivery approach mid-module in response to cohort feedback, varying experience levels, or real-time content issues