Head of IT

Do you thrive on driving IT excellence while collaborating with global teams? Are you passionate about creating secure, efficient, and innovative IT solutions that deliver real impact? If this sounds like you, keep reading!
As  Head of IT , you'll lead IT operations, compliance, and data privacy for our Amsterdam office, while working closely with globally distributed teams, especially in Shanghai. This is your opportunity to directly shape our IT strategy, influence cross-functional initiatives, and drive meaningful outcomes in a dynamic and globally connected environment.
Job Purpose
The Head of IT will oversee and manage IT operations, support engineering, compliance, and data privacy functions within the organisation, ensuring these areas align with local and global business goals. Based in Amsterdam, the role involves close collaboration with globally distributed teams, particularly Software Engineering, Technical Operations, and Security Operations teams in Shanghai, to deliver secure, efficient, and scalable IT solutions.
This strategic and operational leadership role requires a strong understanding of IT systems, regulatory compliance, and cross-cultural team collaboration.

Key Responsibilities
1. IT Operations and Support Engineering    Lead the Amsterdam Support Engineering team to provide reliable, efficient, and user-centric local IT support for the Amsterdam office and remote environments.
Ensure IT infrastructure and systems operate with high availability, security, and performance.
Develop and monitor IT service delivery KPIs, focusing on continuous improvement.
Collaborate with Shanghai Technical Operations and Software Engineering teams to align global IT operations and processes.
2. Compliance and Data Privacy    Oversee compliance with international and regional regulations, including GDPR and other data privacy requirements.
Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures to ensure data protection and compliance.
Coordinate with Security Operations in Shanghai to ensure regulatory adherence and manage risk effectively.
Act as the point of contact for audits and compliance reviews related to IT systems and processes.
3. Collaboration with Shanghai Teams    Build and maintain strong working relationships with Shanghai's Software Engineering, Technical Operations, and Security Operations teams.
Facilitate cross-functional communication to ensure alignment on projects and deliverables.
Drive joint initiatives such as infrastructure upgrades, security enhancements, and platform migrations, ensuring seamless execution.
Be an escalation point for engineering issues where required, working across key stakeholders and teams to resolve.
4. Strategic Leadership and Governance    Develop and execute the IT strategy for Amsterdam operations, ensuring alignment with global business objectives.
Oversee the governance of IT systems, data privacy, and compliance frameworks to meet organisational standards.
Manage IT budgets, ensuring cost-effective investment in resources and technologies.
Identify opportunities for digital transformation and innovation to enhance operational efficiency.
5. Team Leadership and Development    Manage, mentor, and develop the Support Engineering, Compliance, and Data Privacy teams.
Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning within the IT organisation.
Provide leadership during periods of change, ensuring teams are aligned and motivated to achieve shared goals.
6. Key Performance Indicators    System uptime and reliability metrics.
Compliance with data privacy regulations.
Audit Completion
Resolution times for IT support requests and incidents.
Timeliness and success of collaborative initiatives with Shanghai teams.
Employee…