Associate Director, IT Operations and Enterprise Applications

South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Our Corporate Functions team is the “enablement engine” of South Pole. Behind the scenes, we provide the business with world-class solutions and best practices that sustain business growth and success. We cover key areas such as Finance, HR, Office Management, Legal, IT, Operations, etc. If you are a smart, ambitious and dynamic professional with a strong passion to make a real difference in the fight against climate change, the below position may be right for you!

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

• Team leadership

• Vendor management

• IT outsourcing management

• Business stakeholder liaison

• Budget ownership

• Multi-timezone coordination

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation. 

We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make and South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.