Data Center Operations Manager

Job Description

FISA is seeking a highly motivated and experienced manager to oversee the FISA-OPA Data Center Operations Team within the Shared Systems division. Data Center Operations is composed of 4 distinct shifts of data center operators (each led by a shift manager and supervisor). The individual must be self-motivated with a positive attitude and be willing and able to work with job operations, application, infrastructure and facilities teams on day-to-day operational and longer- term strategic projects.

The Data Center Operations manager will have full responsibility: for personnel management; printer operations and supplies management; mailing/inserter equipment management; high availability of data center services; vendor management (for print equipment); offsite tape storage operations; mainframe system operator functions; management of the data center equipment and print workspaces; quality control for check print/handling functions;

The Data Center Operations manager is an essential function of FISA-OPA and requires physical presence at the FISA-OPA location. As such, the candidate is expected to work through transportation issues and develop alternate transportation plans when necessary. The individual will develop staffing plans to ensure coverage during normal and peak operational periods. In addition, the individual will fill in supervisor or operator roles when necessary in order to ensure a continuity of operations. This is a hands-on position.

The work schedule for this individual will be Mon-Fri (with a start time of no later than 7:30am) to allow for review of turnover from the night shift.

Roles and responsibilities of the Data Center Operations Manager are as follows:
Personnel Management
- Hire of new data center operators; development/growth of operator staff to learn supervisor skills; hands-on training or development program for staff to learn mainframe operator tasks and printer/inserter/counter tasks; administration and review of staff performance evaluations;
- Setup shifts to ensure that coverage is in place for: 3 day 12.5hr work shifts with turnover time for hand-off from one shift to the next; rotating Sunday coverage; and holiday coverage;
- Re-balance staff between shifts as necessary to ensure minimum required coverage; review overtime usage; planning peak period coverage for periodic check printing, annual tax form printing;
- Create (or update) standard operating procedures for documentation data center processes;
- Prioritize Data Center team work according to business needs;
High Availability of Data Center Services
- The FISA-OPA Data Center is staffed 24x7. Ensure that electrical, fire prevention/suppression, water detection systems and upgrades are coordinated with Data Center staff; Review upgrade plans and ensure that they do not introduce risks to the high availability requirements of the data center; Document procedures for data response to data center environmental alerts;
- Document and oversee creation of walkabout processes for environmental review & routine inspection of data center IT equipment;
Access Management & Coordination with other NYC Agencies using FISA-OPA Data Center
- Manage data center floor plan to ensure that other tenant’s equipment is grouped together and label; serve as point of contact for visitors to the data center;
- Oversee processes to ensure that only authorized staff enter the data center;
Offsite Tape Storage Operations
- Coordinate delivery and / or courier tapes to disaster recovery sites for periodic tests;
- Manage data center operator processes to pull tapes for GRM; interface with application infrastructure teams on the development of tape pull list reports;
Vendor Management
- Serve as main point of contact with auto-mailer (inserter), printer, pre/post print equipment, GRM vendors;
- Work with (above) vendors to develop quotes for standard work (moves, minor hardware, etc); ensure that local technicians are available for service calls and are qualified (capable) to perform work; instruct vendors to store replacement parts onsite in secure lockers (based on useful life and break history);
Mainframe System Operator Functions
- Ensure that processes are in place to actively monitor mainframe online and batch operations; monitor and respond to WTO commands; monitor certain JES queues; vary failed drives offline; start / stop started tasks (per schedule and on request); reprioritize job class assignments for priority workloads;
- Coordinate and execute mainframe LPAR IPL’s;
- Manage procedures for release of print jobs to high speed printers;
Printer Operations and Supplies Management
- Ensure that supplies (envelopes, inserts, check stock, pre-printed forms, roll paper, box paper, etc) are available in the data center stock room in advance of schedule