Assistant IT Manager

ECOM is a world-leading soft commodity services group specialising in coffee, cocoa, and cotton. We employ more than a thousand agronomists and field staff worldwide, running innovative on-the-ground operations and sustainability programmes to help our customers and farming communities worldwide. Our global presence, unparalleled experience, and strong, trusted relationships allow us to create a valuable and profitable environment for our suppliers, customers, shareholders, and employees. We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Assistant IT Manager

Location: Lagos

Department: IT

Job Description

Lead reliable IT services and projects with heart — join us as an Assistant IT Manager to boost security, uptime, and user support in Nigeria.

Job Summary

The Assistant IT Manager is responsible for managing and supporting the organization's IT infrastructure, business applications, IT service delivery, and technology projects. The role involves overseeing day-to-day IT operations, ensuring compliance with group IT policies and standards, managing IT support services, supporting business applications, and participating in the implementation of IT initiatives across the region. The incumbent will work closely with business stakeholders, vendors, and global IT teams to ensure reliable, secure, and efficient IT services while driving continuous improvement and technology adoption.

Key Responsibilities

IT Operations and Infrastructure: Ensure compliance with Group IT policies, procedures, standards, and security guidelines. Maintain and strengthen the IT infrastructure through the implementation of new technologies and best practices. Responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, and support of hardware, software, and IT equipment. Perform routine audits of systems, software, hardware assets, and IT processes. Develop, maintain, and support company IT systems, applications, databases, and related technologies. Administer server infrastructure, backup systems, disaster recovery processes, and business continuity measures. Manage internal and hosted network infrastructure, including firewalls, servers, switches, wireless networks, and telephony systems. Monitor system, server, and network performance to ensure optimal availability and reliability. Provide technical support and guidance to end users and business teams. Service Management and User Support: Manage the IT Service Management (ITSM) platform and ensure timely ticket creation, assignment, escalation, resolution, and closure in accordance with defined SLAs. Lead and monitor the IT support team to ensure efficient and effective service delivery. Conduct root cause analysis for recurring incidents and implement preventive and corrective actions. Ensure proper documentation of incidents, solutions, procedures, and knowledge base articles. Provide technical training and guidance to support staff and end users. IT Projects and Business Applications: Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of IT infrastructure and business application projects. Collaborate with business stakeholders, vendors, and project teams to ensure successful project delivery within agreed timelines and budgets. Coordinate and facilitate User Acceptance Testing (UAT). Develop training materials and conduct end-user training sessions. Provide post-implementation and production support. Participate in change management activities and ensure compliance with organizational change control processes. Ensure proper project documentation. Work closely with global and regional IT teams to align project implementations with corporate IT standards and architecture. Vendor, Asset, and Budget Management: Assist in preparing and managing IT budgets. Manage procurement of IT hardware, software, licenses, subscriptions, and maintenance services. Maintain IT asset inventory and software licensing records. Manage relationships with IT vendors, service providers, and implementation partners. Security, Compliance, and Governance: Support IT security initiatives and ensure compliance with security policies. Develop and maintain IT policies, procedures, and disaster recovery documentation. Support periodic security assessments, audits, and remediation activities. Prepare and present IT operational reports, KPIs, and project status updates. Qualification and Experience HND or Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field. Professional IT Certification (such as Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, ITIL Foundation, etc.) is highly preferred. A minimum of 5 to 8 years of progressive IT experience, with at least 2 years in a senior support or supervisory capacity. Specialised Skills, Knowledge and Attitude: Must embody the core ECOM Values (Integrity, Innovation, Inclusivity, Excellence, and Collaboration). Hands-on proficiency with VLAN management, IP routing, subnetting, firewalls, and managing enterprise switches. Direct experience managing Active Directory, Server architectures, and office suites (e.g., Microsoft 365). High-level analytical skill to spot and isolate complex bugs or network failures under pressure. Excellent verbal and written English communication to present technical situations clearly to non-tech executives and teams. Proven ability to make sound decisions, guide teams, and mediate workflows.