Senior IT Executive
The First Group
Total years of experience :12 years, 7 Months
The First Group is a premium property developers based out of the U.A.E and I represent the hospitality division of the group. My role entails the pre-opening Project Team Leader in IT Infrastructure of their Soluna Beach Club, the new addition to their portfolio of lifestyle hospitality destinations, alongside the operational support at the same business unit and the F&B Division of Millennium Place Hotel Dubai Marina, owned by the group.
Key Responsibilities
Pre-opening Project Management
- Liaising with the vendors of the key aspects of the IT infrastructure (physical implementation and virtual configurations alike), namely- the network infrastructure, servers, a full fledged AV System, CCTV, business critical software like Micros Simphony, FMC Materials Management, Sun System Finance Management Software etc, Daypass guest registration portal, EZMenu guest ordering application etc. from inception to completion
- Coordinating with the vendor on timely delivery of the materials and maintaining the inventory of the same
- Maintain a phased approach in ensuring that all the elements of the implementations are completed in line with the various timelines in the construction and readiness of the site
- Initiate proactive measures in ensuring that various aspects of the infrastructure with other dependencies were completed through ad-hoc infrastructure setup for the purpose, using available resources at the time
- Deployment of the Micros Simphony POS System ranging from the configuration and migration of the CAPS Server, POS Workstations, KOT Printers and the KDS Displays to overseeing and executing their physical installations
- Working in close coordination with the Operations to make sure that the various elements of Micros Simphony are tailored to their specifications, which includes the touch screen designs, deployment of the menu items, routing of the items on the KDS and KOT devices, various customized rules and policies, deployment of the above aspects in line with the dynamics in the operational demands and in compliance with Finance policies etc.
- Played a pivotal role in ensuring the usability of the other business critical software like FMC, Sun System, Daypass, EZMenu etc., working in Close coordination with the operations, administration and the various vendors
- End user Asset deployment, configurations, creation of acces credentials including emails, shared folders, mobile phones, SIM cards etc.
Operational Support
- Desktop Support: Installation of the Windows OS and the essential productivity and business critical applications like FMC Materials Management, Infor/ Sun Finance Management application, Oasys Payroll Management Application, MS office suite etc.; Setup the peripheral devices like the printers and scanners on the end user computers; Offer technical support for the applications.
- Maintenance and administration of the physical IT infrastructure.
- Installation and configuration of Micros Simphony Point of Sale workstations and the Kitchen Display Systems wherever essential and a comprehensive single handed management of the system and resolve any hardware or software related glitches
- Serving the constant change requests on Micros Simphony and other business critical software of Soluna Beach Club and Millennium Place Dubai Marina
- Oversee and lead any minor or major software and hardware change projects and assist in enhancing the customized operational applications like EZMenu, Daypass etc. in line with the business needs.
- Enforce the industry best practices and the group’s central security policies across the business units
- Issue email addresses, SIM Cards, users on applications and the end user assets and maintain an inventory of the same
- Vendor management and play a crucial role in obtaining frugal and commercially viable purchases and SLAs
- Attend internal and external meetings and be involved in all the administrative and managerial tasks, in the best interest of the business
A renowned restaurant management group within U.A.E and Saudi Arabia, who are rapidly expanding their wings in the region and beyond, that owns chains of recognised brands of restaurants namely- ‘Salt’, ‘Switch’, ‘Parker’s’, ‘Somewhere’, ‘Grind’ and ‘Public’, ‘Joe and the Juice’ etc.
I played the role of the chief IT point of contact solely for a long time and have been involved in operational technical support and maintenance of the IT Infrastructure, leading the pre-opening activity and setting up the infrastructure which includes Simphony Point of Sales System in particular and other aspects of the network infrastructure in general efficiently, in line with the company’s expansion over the period.
I have been promoted to the role of a Senior IT Executive in a year as a reward to my constant hard-work and excellence in managing the IT Technical Support, the infrastructure at the restaurants, Business Critical applications and the expertise gained over time, asset issuance and management, management of the other paid services like the mail server, telecom account etc., solely during large part of my time with the organization.
Comprehensive administration, maintenance and leading of all the IT Operations at the property, ranging from desktop and peripheral devices support, maintenance of operational software and applications, servers, network infrastructure, Telephony, Wi-Fi and HSIA and other ICT components like IPTV, Guestroom Door locks, CCTV etc.
Play the role of the chief Point of Contact in response to any grievances, technical resolution, procurement etc. related to IT or Digital Infrastructure for the entity
Negotiate with vendors and efficiently determine the best fit in terms of various maintenance contracts, purchase of hardware and software related to IT
Manage and administer the domain, Active Directory, data backup, LAN and Emails allotted for operational requirements
Play an extensive role in setting the budget, business goals and cost control measures pertaining to the IT for operational requirements
Manage multiple properties to relieve the counterpart at sister concerns during their leaves
Responsibilities:
Maintain the data and the IT infrastructure and the Local Area Networks (LAN) and virtual LAN (VLAN) across the organization at a total of seven hotels and one corporate office
Offer round the clock technical support across multiple properties.
First level support on the major operational IT components like the Property Management Software, namely- Opera (5.5/5.4) and WinHMS the passport and ID card reader and their corresponding software (VICAS, Opentec, Orchid.) etc.
First level technical supports for the various hardware, software and other applications pertaining to the Point of Sales (Micros -3700) for the restaurant, Health Club etc.
Comprehensive support for all the hardware and software under the Administration Department ranging from the PCs, printers and other peripheral devices to the software and applications like Sage300 ERP, Sage50, Micros Fidelio Materials Control System, Oasys Payroll Solutions, apart from the Operating Systems and any basic application.
Offer end to end support on the Telephony (IP and Analog) from the brands like Siemens, AVAYA (both desk phones and the central PABX) and Tiger Pro (centralized) Telephone Billing-Interface system.
Implementation, configuration and maintenance of the centralized Wi-Fi Access Points and the management and administration of Antlabs HSIA
Offer first level technical support on other electronic and digital systems within the facilities like the IPTV (Alcad), Guest Room Door Lock System (Miwa) and the Audio/Visual systems at the Boardrooms
Assist the guests in resolving various minor IT issues like connecting to Wi-Fi, desktop issues etc.
Establish and maintains suitable resource and performance monitoring on all systems.
Configure, administer and troubleshoot E-mails for all the personnel within the organization.
Monitor the performance of the applications and manage the backups of all the major software, data, servers and virtual machines.
Play the role of the chief Point of Contact with all the AMC contractors for the various operational software and hardware
Coordinate with the vendors and the team of procurement for the purchase and service of all the IT related components
Administrative/Coordination
Partake in the design and estimation of the prospective ELV projects
Compose the essential technical documents ranging from technical proposals to the various other documents demanded by the contractors during the various stages of the awarded or pursuing projects like the Method statements, Pre-commissioning and Testing and Commissioning reports, Operation & Maintenance Manuals or End User Training Manuals for the systems and software deployed at various minor and major projects
Coordinate and negotiate with the suppliers and distributors to acquire the most viable commercial offers from them
Deploy the team on site for work and be involved in delegating
Play the role of one of the major Points of Contact of the organization on site for the awarded projects and thereby be involved in all kinds of coordination with the Contractors and Consultants
Raise and attend various inspections and meetings further to the various stages of the awarded projects, on behalf of the company
Be the chief Point of Contact for the Sales of Video Insight-The Video Management Software and Enhance Technology Data Storage System of which the company is the regional distributor
Technical
Accomplished the task of successfully configuring the various aspects of the IP CCTV, Access Control, Intrusion Alarm, Door Intercom and Parking Guidance & Management Systems and Testing and commissioning of the above mentioned to the client’s specifications
Troubleshoot any known or unprecedented issues and resolve them promptly and provide onsite and remote technical support as requested by Customer Support
Co-ordinate with the manufacturers and suppliers based abroad or within the country for any form of technical support or assistance for the resolution of technical glitches
Attend maintenance actions and timely inspections on Testing and Commissioning and Test On Completion at the sites
Engaging customers directly on the shop-floor to advice on product selection, presenting options that suit customer needs and budgets, demonstrating products and explaining features.
Building rapport and trust with customers, securing repeat business and referrals.
Merchandising; constructing attractive product displays to encourage sales.
Implementing relevant changes to the shelves and placements of the products, wise alteration of prices in order to lure customers and improve sales.
Working on the cashier with speed and ease and helping regulate queues at rush hours, closing the tills and auditing at the end of the day’s work.
Passed B.Eng in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Westminster, London, U.K
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