[Japan] Senior Manager, Cloud and Connectivity Platform, Global IT Infrastructure

Santen

16d

About The Position

This role owns the platform, integrity, security, and continuous improvement of the company's global network and Azure infrastructure platform. The Senior Manager takes an active and hands-on approach to understand and influence the work of partners and lead team members. They work in close partnership with the Identity and Workplace platform, IT Infrastructure service delivery leads (who handle day-to-day operations in an outsourced environment), and architects to ensure architecture aligns with business requirements. The core focus is to ensure the platform is correct, stable, secure, and always right-sized in terms of structure, capacity, security, and costs, and that contracts with partners are appropriately sized. The role holder also collaborates with the Global Information Security team, the DIT BP community, Digital teams, and other DIT functions to meet Santen's business expectations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Sciences, Engineering, or related field or equivalent experience.
Several years of working as a global team leader with extensive remote management experience.
Minimum of 10 years of experience in Information Systems Infrastructure and Cloud networking and design.
Excellent track record of delivering results and business-oriented value generation, ROI-based project plans, and global projects.
Successful experience in platform ownership and continuous improvement of cloud environments based on ITIL practices.
Experience of the international & Japanese IT market and partners, including experience working with regional teams spread across different countries and global stakeholders in both operational management and project-oriented activities.
Broad knowledge and perspectives on Information Systems Infrastructures and Cloud environments (e.g., various experience in Cloud platforms, Networks, Windows systems and workstations, AVD architecture, Azure IaaS and PaaS, DR with Azure Site Recovery).
Strong experience in Microsoft Azure, Azure networking and Network management, SD WAN, and Cisco products portfolio is required.
Practical project management skills applied to infrastructure projects with roll-out activities based on knowledge and experiences.
Fundamental knowledge of security and its impact in the workplace area.
Works hands-on to be very close to the details of the platforms to understand and influence the standards, plans, and partners, and to guide subject matter experts.
Strong vendor and/or partner management experience and skills.
Excellent written & verbal communication skills in Japanese and English.

Nice To Haves

Cisco and Microsoft Azure certifications (AZ-305, AZ-700, AZ-500 or equivalent) are advantageous.
Documentation and presentation skills that are convincing for management.

Responsibilities

Own the Azure platform, landing zone design, policy enforcement, subscription strategy, tagging, and identity and access controls, ensuring adherence to Azure best practices and Microsoft's recommended landing zone patterns.
Ensure all Azure environments, landing zones, and resources are secure, compliant, and aligned with Microsoft best practices and relevant regulatory requirements.
Own the global network architecture across approximately 90 offices and 12 SD-WAN sites, ensuring it is well-designed, right-sized, resilient, and current.
Own the contract with the partners in scope and work closely with the Infra Service Delivery leads to execute.
Govern the Azure vWAN intercontinental backbone, including hub topology, routing design, and ExpressRoute/VPN connectivity across EMEA, APAC, and NA.
Collaborate with architecture team members to define services and infrastructure standards for reliability, availability, and disaster recovery, working with Infrastructure service delivery leads to validate and test these in practice.
Own Azure cloud cost governance and establish a FinOps practice/reports to maintain optimized Azure workloads and resources.
Define and enforce network security standards (segmentation, zero-trust access, firewall governance, and secure internet breakout) in collaboration with the Information Security function.
Establish observability standards and SLAs covering availability, latency, and redundancy across the full connectivity estate; hold the platform accountable to them.
Lead innovation for the domain, capacity planning, and lifecycle management, ensuring all workloads and network components are patched, supported, and fit for purpose.
Report to the manager about KPIs, achievements, risks, and challenges within the area of responsibilities.
Adhere to GxP guidelines and follow Santen SDLC procedures/practices.
Contribute to and develop the Global IT Infrastructure strategy & road-map, especially for Cloud and Connectivity areas.
Build expertise on Connectivity and Cloud technologies, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Cisco networking, Cisco SD WAN, and Amazon cloud platforms, including supporting IT teams to build the right solutions.
Run and steer projects to implement new solutions, including developing business cases or opportunity studies when needed, and establishing project plans aligned with Santen business domains' expectations.
Coach project members from project kick-off to closure to ensure projects meet objectives in terms of deliverables, costs, timelines, and business value.
Understand Cloud/Connectivity projects and services specificities in a multi-location environment with many remote management situations.
Consider the end-to-end approach based on users’ expectations to provide not only a technical solution but also all the change management, communication, training, and support services needed.
Ensure continuous PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Action) cycles to improve existing services and solutions in relation to KPIs and SLAs.
Ensure smooth transition of IT projects from the project phase to the operational phase, supporting regional service operations.
Champion the guiding principles and Santen values and ensure adoption within the team.
Hire, develop, and retain team members.
Execute the budget of the Cloud and Connectivity domain in respect of its objectives in terms of services to operate and solutions to deliver.
Apply ITIL principles to leverage best-established practices and maintain a standard approach.
Play a key role in Santen Change Management and the Change Advisory Board for the domain.
Manage suppliers by defining clear guidelines and objectives, relying on KPIs and SLAs in coordination with the existing governance.
Challenge the existing organization and governance to propose and implement improvements.