Associate Director, IT Operations and Enterprise Applications

South Pole

Milan, Italy

Job summary:

A committed, hands-on leader serving as the single point of accountability for South Pole's entire IT operations function — owning the corporate technology stack, enterprise applications, end-user support, and IT outsourcing relationships across 20+ countries. Brings energy and ownership to keeping employees productive, sets clear expectations with stakeholders and vendors, and consistently delivers.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

Lead and line manage the IT operations & enterprise applications team — setting priorities, driving quality of delivery, and developing the team;
Own the operational IT roadmap across GWS/Microsoft 365, MDM, network, SaaS stack, ERP/CRM, and iPaaS integrations;
Govern Microsoft 365 and Entra ID (Azure AD) at an architectural level, ensuring security compliance and lifecycle management;
Oversee MDM strategy and tooling (Intune/Jamf) for endpoint compliance across all geographies;
Manage network, VPN, and office connectivity across South Pole's global locations;
Own the SaaS application portfolio — licence governance, access reviews, renewals, and rationalisation;
Govern ERP and CRM administration — configuration integrity, data quality, and Finance/Commercial stakeholder liaison;
Manage IT outsourcing relationships — service desk vendor, managed service providers, and specialist contractors — holding them to SLAs and quality standards;
Lead vendor management for all IT operational technology suppliers — contract renewals, performance reviews, and escalations;
Coordinate multi-timezone IT support, ensuring a consistent end-user experience across South Pole's 20+ country footprint;
Govern ITSM practice — ticket workflows, escalation paths, SLA reporting, and continual service improvement;
Act as primary business stakeholder liaison for IT operations, translating business needs into IT service changes;
Drive the adoption and implementation of AI/ML tools to automate and optimize key IT operations workflows (e.g., ITSM, monitoring, and proactive support);
Work closely with the Security Lead to ensure operational IT meets security and compliance requirements.

Requirements:

Essential

7+ years in IT operations or IT management, with 3+ years in a leadership role managing a team;
Hands-on experience with Microsoft 365, Entra ID, and MDM platforms (Intune/Jamf);
Familiarity with GWS (Google Workspace) in addition to Microsoft 365;
Proven vendor management and IT outsourcing management experience - contract negotiation, SLA governance, and performance management;
Strong ITSM background (Jira Service Management, or equivalent);
Experience managing a SaaS application portfolio;
ERP and/or CRM administration or oversight experience;
Track record of leading distributed IT support across multiple time zones and geographies;
Budget management and financial governance experience.

Desirable

ITIL v4 certification;
Experience in a global professional services, climate, or sustainability organisation;
Microsoft 365 or Azure certifications;
Network and VPN infrastructure management experience at an enterprise scale;
Familiarity with Microsoft Power Platform or equivalent low-code automation.