Job Description
Experiencing together a unique human adventure
Animal health is key to the health of the planet. Working at Virbac means taking part in a unique human adventure in which the engagement of each individual contributes to its evolution. Encouraging internal mobility between positions and countries, offering individual development plans and building a partnership based on trust between managers and employees are as many perspectives of motivation for our teams. We also offer them a work environment conducive to exploring new territories and balancing their professional and personal lives. Finally, fostering their engagement to animal health also means listening to them and helping them to acquire new skills, preparing them for the challenges of tomorrow and encouraging them to contribute to an ever more responsible approach to our business.
This is a leadership role, responsible for driving operational excellence, implementing cutting-edge technologies (including AI and automation), and ensuring robust compliance with data governance regulations (POPI Act).
This is a leadership role, responsible for driving operational excellence, implementing cutting-edge technologies (including AI and automation), and ensuring robust compliance with data governance regulations (POPI Act).
Key Responsibilities:
Infrastructure & Business Continuity: Establish the local IT infrastructure strategy (cloud/hybrid), manage the annual IT budget (OPEX/CAPEX), and maintain rigorous Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans to ensure maximum system availability.
Cyber-Governance & Data Privacy: Lead the implementation of cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST/ISO 27001), oversee Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), manage Identity & Access Controls (IAM), and ensure full technical compliance with the POPI Act.
Strategic Business Partnering: Act as the primary liaison between IT and business functions (Sales, Marketing, Finance), driving the local Data & AI Strategy, leading the Project Portfolio Management (PPM) lifecycle, and ensuring high user adoption of new systems through effective Change Management.
Team Leadership & Service Delivery: Coach and develop two direct IT reports toward a "DevSecOps" mindset, manage the Service Desk framework, and ensure high-quality, proactive IT support for all internal business units.
Job requirements:
BSC degree in Information Technology (NQF 7)
Diploma in Project Management (NQF 6 or higher)
Certification with a major Cloud Platform (AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or similar)
AI Literacy Certification
A minimum of ten years of requisite professional experience is mandatory for this position.
What You Will Deliver:
System Resilience:Maximized IT capability with critical application downtime not exceeding three working days annually.
Security & Compliance:A robust, audited security environment with zero high-risk vulnerabilities and full POPI Act compliance.
Project Delivery:90%+ of projects delivered on-time and within agreed scope, with documented ROI.
Service Excellence: 90%+ of Service Desk tickets resolved within agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Skills:
Group IT Environment Mastery: Comprehensive understanding of the group's IT strategy and business-specific core operating models.
AI Literacy and Workflow Automation: Expertise in identifying, integrating, and deploying AI-driven workflows and Generative AI (GenAI) solutions.
Cloud-First and Hybrid Infrastructure Management: Proficient management of Azure/AWS cloud environments and seamless integration of Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.
Cyber-Resilience and Zero Trust Implementation: Application of modern security frameworks, advanced identity and access management, and robust rapid recovery protocols.
Digital Business Partnering: Strategic alignment of technology roadmaps with commercial growth objectives and demonstrated return on investment (ROI).
Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Optimization: Advanced optimization of PowerBI and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to generate predictive business insights.
Project Portfolio Management Governance: Demonstrated mastery of both Agile and Waterfall methodologies to ensure transparent and on-time project delivery.
Technical Data Governance Compliance: Implementation of technical controls to ensure adherence to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) and broader data sovereignty requirements.
Vendor and Ecosystem Strategic Management: Oversight and strategic management of Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) and global technology vendors.
Analytical and Systems Thinking: The capability to deconstruct complex digital scenarios and accurately forecast systemic impact.
Adaptive and Principled Decision Making: Demonstrating decisiveness and sound judgment during periods of rapid technological transition or critical infrastructure events.
Strategic Innovation Cultivation: Promoting and enabling team-based experimentation with emerging technologies to achieve measurable, practical business outcomes.
Operational Excellence and Execution Orchestration: The ability to effectively balance daily operational support with the execution of high-impact strategic projects.
Technical Mentorship and Player-Coach Leadership: A commitment to the continuous upskilling and professional development of team members and fostering cross-functional expertise.
Stakeholder Influence and Executive Communication: Proficiency in translating complex technical risks and opportunities into comprehensible terms for non-technical senior leadership.
Global-Local Collaboration and Alignment: Ensuring local affiliate technological needs are effectively aligned with and compliant with Global Headquarters standards.