Job Description

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Overview
WELCOME TO SITA
At SITA, we keep airports moving, airlines flying smoothly, and borders open. Our technology and communication innovations power the success of the global air travel industry.
You'll find us in 95% of international airports, working closely with over 2,500 transportation and government clients. Each partnership brings unique challenges, and we thrive on delivering fresh solutions and cutting-edge tech to keep operations running like clockwork. We don't just move the world forward-we're proud to be recognized as a Great Place to Work by 79% of our employees and certified in most of our growing locations. Here, we feel empowered, supported, and inspired to grow.
Are you ready to love your job?
The adventure begins right here, with you, at SITA.
PURPOSE
The Operations Manager is responsible for managing the daily operations and health of business-critical applications and middleware platforms, ensuring high service availability, performance, and compliance. This role leads a team of specialists, including DBAs and application support engineers, and oversees technologies such as Apache Kafka, Kubernetes, RHEL, IBM MQ, and Dynatrace.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Operational Leadership

• Manage and oversee day-to-day application and middleware operations, ensuring alignment with SLAs and business expectations.
• Act as the senior escalation point for application-related incidents and performance issues.
• Ensure effective use of observability tools like Dynatrace to maintain proactive monitoring and root-cause identification.
• Lead coordination with platform and infrastructure teams to ensure optimal service stability and resilience.

Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineers (DBAs and application specialists), fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture.
• Perform regular performance assessments, provide feedback, and support career development plans.
• Manage workload distribution, shift planning, and availability to support 24x7 operations as applicable.

Technology Oversight

• Govern the operational health of platforms including Apache Kafka, Kubernetes clusters, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), IBM MQ, and associated application components.
• Ensure patching, configuration, and version management is done in line with security and compliance standards.
• Support and influence decisions around capacity, scalability, and system upgrades.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify automation and operational efficiency opportunities in routine support processes.
• Drive and contribute to continuous service improvement initiatives across platforms and practices.
• Collaborate closely with development, project delivery, and architecture teams to ensure production-readiness of new services.

People Management

• Provide direction and leadership to the team, aligning their efforts with organizational goals and fostering a positive, motivating work environment.
• Monitor, assess, and provide feedback on individual and team performance, supporting professional development and addressing conflicts constructively.
• Guide team members through coaching, mentoring, and clear communication to enhance their skills, align objectives, and ensure efficiency.
• Act as a role model of organizational values, ethics, and policies, supporting change initiatives and promoting workplace culture in line with company strategy.

Qualifications
EXPERIENCE
Minimum 5-10 years' experience as Team Lead / Manager. Minimum 5-10 years' experience in the network and/or application/system support domain. Experience of working in the Airport / Airline industry.
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Hands-on knowledge of application support in enterprise environments using Apache Kafka, Kubernetes, RHEL, IBM MQ.
• Experience with observability tools like Dynatrace or equivalent APM suites.

• Proven people management and conflict resolution skills.

• Strong understanding of ITIL framework (certification preferred).

• Familiarity with DevOps and CI/CD practices is a plus.

PROFESSION COMPETENCIES

• Business Analysis
• Crisis Management
• Organisational Awareness
• Product/Solution Knowledge
• Resource Management
• Service Infrastruct/Platforms
• Service Management Process

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Adhering to Principles & Values
• Communication
• Creating & Innovating
• Customer Focus
• Developing Talent
• Impact & Influence
• Leading Execution
• Managing Performance
• Results Orientation
• Teamwork

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Computer Science Electronic Engineering or equivalent Telecommunications in country qualification applicable vendor / technology expert level certification or equivalent work experience:
• Professional certifications in ITIL, Lean, Six Sigma, or similar service management frameworks are highly desirable.
• Leadership and people management qualifications or certifications.
• Certification in project management (e.g., PMP, Prince2) is beneficial.
• Certification in Network and Network or cloud knowledge beneficial.
• RHEL and/or VMware Certification is mandatory

WHAT WE OFFER
We're all about diversity. We operate in 200 countries and speak 60 different languages and cultures. We're really proud of our inclusive environment. Our offices are comfortable and fun places to work, and we make sure you get to work from home too. Find out what it's like to join our team and take a step closer to your best life ever.
? Flex Week: Work from home up to 2 days/week (depending on your team's needs)
? Flex Day: Make your workday suit your life and plans.
? Flex-Location: Take up to 30 days a year to work from any location in the world.
? Employee Wellbeing: We have got you covered with our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), for you and your dependents 24/7, 365 days/year. We also offer Champion Health - a personalized platform that supports a range of wellbeing needs.
? Professional Development: Level up your skills with our training platforms, including LinkedIn Learning!
? Competitive Benefits: Competitive benefits that make sense with both your local market and employment status.
SITA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workforce. In support of our Employment Equity Program, we encourage women, aboriginal people, members of visible minorities, and/or persons with disabilities to apply and self-identify in the application process.

Skills Required