Head of Infrastructure

Salt; Wes-Kaap; Hybrid; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing SaaS company is seeking an experienced Head of Infrastructure to lead their technology foundations. This high-impact role focuses on data security and operational efficiency, requiring a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills. The position offers a hybrid working model and the chance to influence platform architecture in a lean environment.

Benefits

Flexible Culture

Hybrid Working Model

Modern Stack

Qualifications

• Over a decade in infrastructure or platform operations.
• 5 years in a senior leadership role guiding technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Leading teams across infrastructure and security.
• Creating strategic plans for system reliability and scalability.
• Managing platform security and risk mitigation.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Communication

Tools

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

CloudFormation

Job description

We’re working with a fast-growing SaaS company to recruit an experienced Head of Infrastructure, to take ownership of their core technology foundations. This is a high-impact leadership role suited to someone who thrives in non-enterprise, product-led environments, where autonomy, collaboration, and execution are key. There's a significant focus on both data and security in this role.

The Role

You’ll be at the heart of the company’s platform evolution. Your scope will include:

• Leading and developing small but high-impact teams across infrastructure and security.
• Creating and delivering strategic plans for system reliability, scalability, and protection.
• Ensuring strong data handling policies, backups, and disaster recovery practices.
• Managing platform security and maintaining a proactive approach to risk mitigation.
• Improving operational visibility through effective monitoring and alerting.
• Driving initiatives around cost control, cloud optimisation, and service availability.
• Supporting compliance efforts, especially around data protection standards.

What You Bring

Professional Background:

• Over a decade in infrastructure, systems engineering, or platform operations.
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership or head-of-role, guiding cross-functional technical teams.
• Background in SaaS, B2B platforms, or digital product environments is preferred.
• Demonstrable experience scaling and securing public cloud environments—ideally AWS.
• Comfortable managing vendor relationships, budgets, and operational workflows.

Technical Competencies:

• Skilled in cloud platforms (especially AWS), containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes), and network infrastructure.
• Experienced with Infrastructure-as-Code tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Familiar with system observability, monitoring stacks, and incident response.
• Knowledge of database environments, data warehousing, and data security concepts.
• Exposure to security tooling, intrusion detection/prevention, and vulnerability scanning.

Compliance & Governance:

• Understanding of major frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, or GDPR.
• Experience implementing security controls and ensuring audit readiness.

Leadership & Soft Skills:

• Strategic thinker who balances long-term vision with near-term delivery.
• Capable of building trusted relationships across engineering, product, and operations.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical decisions to stakeholders.
• Hands-on when needed, but confident in delegating and coaching effectively.

Why This Role?

• Scope for Impact – Influence platform architecture and security from the top down.
• Lean Environment – Work fast, make decisions quickly, and see results without corporate bureaucracy.
• Modern Stack – Cloud-native, agile teams using best-in-class tooling.
• Flexible Culture – Hybrid working model with a supportive and collaborative team.