Head of Information Technology; IT

Head of Information Technology (IT)

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Citra is a dynamic, technology-enabled property developer and construction group with a vertically integrated value chain, encompassing property development, architecture, structural design, manufacturing, and construction. With a global service hub in Cape Town and operations expanding into the US and Europe, we aim to be a disruptor in the industry. We rely on top talent and a collaborative culture to drive our proprietary advanced building technologies.

We are seeking a strategic and “hands‑on” Head of IT to build the digital foundation necessary for Citra’s rapid global expansion. We are an exclusively Google‑centric organization, and this role requires deep expertise in the Google ecosystem—from Workspace administration to advanced data architecture on GCP. While you will oversee the total IT function, your primary focus is Data Engineering. You will personally architect our data warehouse and integration pipelines using Google Big Query and Cloud Functions.

You will lead a lean internal team—currently overseeing a Senior Data Engineer—while acting as the technical lead for a network of external developers to deliver specialized internal tools. While our roadmap includes client‑facing applications, your immediate priority is optimizing internal operations and data structures.

• Data Engineering & Strategy (Primary Focus)
• Google Cloud Architecture:
  Design, build, and maintain a robust, scalable data foundation (Data Warehouse) exclusively on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) using Big Query.
• Pipeline Management:
  Oversee the end‑to‑end data lifecycle, ensuring seamless data ingestion and transformation from various sources (e.g., Xero, Bamboo
  
  HR, Open Space, BIM tools) into our GCP environment.
• Hands‑on Engineering:
  Actively contribute to high‑level code reviews, database schema design, and complex data modeling alongside the Senior Data Engineer.
• Application Development & Vendor Management
• Internal Tooling:
  Manage a network of external full‑stack developers to build and maintain specialized applications that optimize our internal engineering and construction processes.
• Future Product Strategy:
  Lay the technical groundwork for potential future client‑facing applications, ensuring our current data architecture is scalable enough to support them when that phase begins.
• Integration:
  Ensure all custom applications integrate flawlessly with the central Big Query data warehouse and existing SaaS ecosystem.
• IT Operations, Infrastructure & Governance
• Google Workspace Administration:
  Serve as the primary administrator for our Google Workspace environment, managing user access, security settings, and organizational units for a global team.
• Hardware & Assets:
  Manage the lifecycle of IT hardware, primarily overseeing the procurement and configuration of end‑user laptops (Windows/Chromebooks) and mobile devices.
• Governance & Security:
  Develop and enforce IT policies and cybersecurity frameworks specifically tailored to a cloud‑native, Google‑centric environment, ensuring POPIA/GDPR compliance.
• Leadership & Strategy
• Strategic Planning:
  Serve as a key business partner to the CEO and Board, translating business goals into a technical roadmap.
• Team Building:
  Mentor the internal Senior Data Engineer and identify triggers for future internal hires as the department scales.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Experience:
  
  Minimum 8–10 years in IT, with at least 5 years of deep, hands‑on experience in Data Engineering and Data Architecture.
• Google Ecosystem Expertise:
  • Must have expert‑level proficiency with Google Cloud Platform (GCP), specifically Big Query, Cloud Functions, and Cloud Run.
  • Must have strong experience administering Google Workspace at an organizational level.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong proficiency in SQL, Python, and ETL/ELT methodologies.
• Vendor Management:
  Proven track record of managing external development teams, contractors, or software…