Application Operations Director

Overview

The Application Operations Director role involves overseeing the effective management, functioning, and upkeep of IT applications at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA). The primary objective is to guarantee continual availability and high-level performance of these applications for end users, adhering to defined quality standards and timelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to shaping the IT Operations business strategy, ensuring it aligns with ZATCA's corporate direction.
• Formulate an operational plan for Application Operations consistent with the broader IT Operations business plan and digital transformation strategies.
• Execute and support initiatives that promote the achievement of Application Operations targets complementing ZATCA’s strategic objectives.
• Collaborate with senior management to determine budget requirements for Application Operations, participate in budgeting activities, and oversee the effective allocation and use of funds.
• Identify and suggest measures to enhance financial efficiency and minimize operational and financial risks within Application Operations.
• Define and implement an IT application operations framework that aligns with strategic IT goals to meet business needs.
• Manage the operation of ZATCA’s IT applications to deliver superior operational performance.
• Ensure incidents concerning applications are handled promptly and prioritized based on urgency, coordinating corrective measures in accordance with service level agreements.
• Oversee management of production outages and escalations to engage appropriate stakeholders for expedient resolution.
• Implement and monitor proactive maintenance activities on IT applications to improve service availability.
• Validate daily operational plans related to IT applications and review change requests, facilitating support during change implementations.
• Monitor the health, security, and performance of IT applications to avoid damage and service interruptions.
• Recommend hardware, performance, and resource optimization improvements aligned with achieving application objectives and key performance indicators.
• Ensure clear communication and regular reporting on IT application performance to all relevant parties.
• Take part in recruitment and selection of critical team members.
• Provide direction, coaching, and support to direct reports to ensure adherence to policies and effective task execution.
• Set performance goals for individuals, assist in their development, conduct evaluations, and deliver ongoing feedback.
• Foster a high-performance culture while embodying and promoting ZATCA’s core values.

Candidate Profile

• Possess at least a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; Master’s degree in IT Management, Computer Science, Business Administration or equivalent preferred.
• Bring a minimum of six years' experience in IT, including at least three years in a managerial capacity.
• Demonstrate advanced skills in IT Operations Management, IT Compliance, Database Design and Operations, Information Systems, Infrastructure Management, and solving IT incidents and problems.
• Exhibit proficiency in Professionalism, Collaboration and Communication, Operational Excellence, Developing Teams, Leading by Example, Results Orientation, Customer Focus, and enabling Change and Innovation.
• Show developing capabilities in Strategic Thinking.