IT Infrastructure Manager at Food Concepts Plc

Food Concepts PlcLagos, Nigeria Networking and Tech Support

Full Time

Food Concepts commenced operations in 2001. From inception, our aim has been clear-cut and focused: to revolutionise the food sector in West Africa and to deliver extraordinary satisfaction to our stakeholders. The journey began with our pioneering of the food court concept in Nigeria - a new and exciting offering for the local market. At the same time, we also imported well-developed QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) brands from South Africa. Since this time we have concentrated on developing our own brands, which already occupy prime market positions. Chicken Republic, as our flagship brand, is a classic success story. Since launching in 2004, Chicken Republic has already opened 55 stores in Nigeria and Ghana. On this basis, we are proud of the brand’s hard-earned reputation as the fastest growing chicken QSR in West Africa and the number 1 chicken QSR in Nigeria (both in revenues and number of outlets). In addition, Chicken Republic was ranked as one of Nigeria’s top 20 brands across all categories (Financial Standards Awards 2009). Our multifaceted business also comprises an Operational Division, Central Kitchen Unit and Supply Chain Division.

Job Purpose

Food Concepts seeks a Manager, IT Infrastructure & Security to Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of network, server, storage, and cloud infrastructure.
Ensure optimal performance, scalability, and resilience of IT systems. Manage vendor relationships and service-level agreements (SLAs) for hardware, software, ISPs, and managed services.
Oversee data center or cloud resource utilization and cost optimization.
Ensure regular backup processes and disaster recovery strategies are implemented and tested.
Develop and enforce cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices across the organization.
Conduct regular risk assessments and vulnerability scans.
Monitor security tools and logs for potential threats; manage incident response processes.
Ensure compliance with relevant data protection laws and industry security standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, PCI-DSS).
Provide cybersecurity awareness training and phishing simulation campaigns for all staff.

Core Responsibilities and Key Result Areas
Infrastructure Management:

Plan, design, and oversee the implementation of the organization’s IT infrastructure (networks, servers, storage, endpoints, cloud).
Ensure high availability and performance of IT systems that support business operations.
Manage upgrades and patching of systems, hardware, and software to maintain operational efficiency and security.
Coordinate vendor management for IT hardware, software, and service providers.
Develop and execute disaster recovery and business continuity plans for critical systems and services.

Cybersecurity Management:

Establish and maintain security policies and procedures that align with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Implement and monitor security controls (firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, endpoint security, access control, etc.).
Lead security incident response activities, including investigation, mitigation, and post-incident analysis.
Conduct regular security assessments, including vulnerability scans and penetration tests.
Ensure compliance with data protection laws, such as GDPR, NDPR, and other relevant local/international regulations.

Monitoring & Risk Management:

Continuously monitor system performance, usage, and health, using appropriate tools and dashboards.
Identify and mitigate risks related to infrastructure reliability, data security, and cyber threats.
Maintain and review audit logs and reports to detect anomalies or unauthorized access.
Coordinate regular testing of failover mechanisms, backups, and emergency response plans.

Leadership & Governance:

Lead and mentor infrastructure and security teams, ensuring appropriate skills development and performance.
Collaborate with business units and IT leadership to align technology with organizational goals.
Report infrastructure and security status to management through KPIs, dashboards, and incident reports.
Develop and manage the budget for infrastructure and security projects, tools, and personnel.

Asset and Configuration Management:

Track and maintain IT assets, including hardware inventory, software licenses, and warranties
Oversee configuration management, ensuring proper documentation and standardization of systems.
Ensure secure onboarding and offboarding of users, with proper access provisioning and deprovisioning processes.

Key Performance Indicators

Availability of critical servers, network devices, and applications.
Incident Response Time
Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)
Network/Server Latency & Bandwidth Utilization
Security Posture & Compliance
Number of Security Incidents Detected and Resolved
Vulnerability Remediation Rate
Security Audit Compliance Score
Backup Success Rate
Infrastructure and Security Projects Delivered On Time
User Satisfaction Score (IT Services)
IT Budget Compliance
Policy and SOP Coverage/Implementation
Employee Training Coverage
Change Success Rate
Asset Lifecycle Compliance.

Job Specifications
Educational Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field.

Professional Requirements:

Certifications: ITIL, CISSP, CISM or COMPTIA, or relevant enterprise application certifications would be an added advantage

Experience Requirements:

Minimum of 4 years of progressive experience in managing IT infrastructure, networks, and systems, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
Proven track record in implementing cybersecurity frameworks, leading incident response efforts, and managing enterprise-level IT operations in a fast-paced environment.

Knowledge Requirements
Technical Infrastructure Knowledge:

Network Architecture & Protocols
TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPNs, VLANs, routing, switching, firewall policies
Server & Storage Systems
Windows/Linux server management, SAN/NAS storage, virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V)

Cloud Infrastructure: