Job Opportunity at Absa Bank, Data Centre Infrastructure Specialist

Truly African

We are a diversified standalone African financial services group, delivering an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth, investment management and insurance.

Absa Group Limited is listed on the JSE and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups with a presence in 12 countries across the continent and around 41 000 employees.

Absa Group Limited is listed on the JSE and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups with a presence in 12 countries across the continent and around 41 000 employees.

We own majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, the Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (ABSA Bank in Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia. We also have representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, as well as insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

Bring your possibility to life! Define your career with us

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

Monitor, Support & Execute efficient & effective 24/7 Data Centre Operations and make recommendations for operations improvements. This includes delivering the following with limited to NO business disruption:

• Server availability to meet business requirements & as per agreed SLA’s
• Server Access to standard
• Server Maintenance
• Server Upgrades
• Server replacements
• Server performance monitoring (utilisation, environmental impact)

Job Description

DC Technical Delivery & Support

• Work embedded as part of a Data Centre execution team and take personal accountability & responsibility for deeply understanding the data centre including all equipment, layouts etc.
• Understand data centre operational plans and how these impact on the role of Data Technician (what needs to be done & when)
• Execute operational plans to standard (time, quality, cost). This includes executing the following technical data centre operations tasks :

o Support the implementation of infrastructure platforms & or their components e.g. Mainframe, Tandem, Unix, Windows, Storage Technologies, Networks

o Support the implementation & monitoring of capacity management & infrastructure Risk / Security Management on various platforms

o Support IMAC activities

o Hardware support on X86/intel based hardware

o Support installation & de-installation & change requests on cabling infrastructure (per SLA’s)

o Change & Configuration management (where applicable) including use of configuration management systems in day to day DC operations

• Configure the infrastructure environment (as above & holistically) as required by the service being implemented or revised.
• Manage end to end DC infrastructure operations delivery – pre (initiation), during & post (review) implementation
• Take accountability for delivery to plan & according to SLA’s, OLA’s, DC, risk, governance & compliance standards to ensure availability, efficiency & effectiveness, risk prevention & overall DC infrastructure compliance throughout an implementation (Run / Change)
• Leverage & coordinate specialised expertise to exercise / advise on Data Centre operations where applicable & relevant (aligned to internal process)
• Proactively identify issues and opportunities while executing day to day DC operational activities & enable the broader DC team to minimise and prevent risk & incidents
• Provide technical information & advice (where applicable) & make recommendations for data centre operations improvements
• Respond to user requests for assistance & ensure reliable, accurate, effect and prompt resolution of user queries
• Proactively educate users on DC facilities and enable their efficient & effective use of available infrastructure
• Proactively monitor the progress and performance of infrastructure implementation & delivery
• Develop, implement and maintain relevant infrastructure data e.g. capacity, layout & space utilisation, installation / de-installation information including implementation & progress updates etc. on appropriate systems (e.g. Service Now)
• Communicate progress & performance data as required to the broader Team & other relevant stakeholders (if required)
• Provide updates to team leader to ensure floor plan & capacity data is maintained
• Provide updates to their installation, de-installation activity stakeholders
• Ensure best practice, process, policy and controls are adhered to, identifying improvements across the data centre and computer room estate

Accountability: DC Monitoring & Evaluation

• Ensure proactive monitoring of all critical systems within required system management tools and in some cases configure systems to enable monitoring
• Analyse system logs, identify potential issues with server systems & implement / escalate recommended actions to resolve / mitigate business risk
• Perform regular system monitoring, verify the integrity and availability of servers, review system and application logs, and verify completion of scheduled jobs such as backups aligned to DC policies, procedures & standards
• Take full accountability for delivering on DC SLA’s and OLA’s using regular monitoring & evaluation as a tool to do so
• Implement document management & governance procedures for all DC operational activity

Accountability: People

• Take ownership for evolving own skills and capabilities aligned to the evolution of data centre technologies (e.g. virtualisation, infrastructure modernisation etc.)
• Contribute to the growth & development of team members by providing / guiding others based on own technical expertise
• Contribute to a high performance team environment & positive culture as a high performing contributor to team goals and objectives
• Work in both full time & standby capacity where required to deliver support on complex delivery
• Support the team as a stand in expert when required in meetings / other forums
• Proactively seek mentorship & coaching from others & consistently seek, respond to & provide feedback with the intention of improving team effectiveness
• Contribute constructively in team meetings – offering expertise and information that benefits the broader team

Education

National Certificate: Information Technology

The deadline for submitting the application is 23 February, 2021

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