Finvasia - Assistant Vice President - Information Technology

Assistant Vice President - Information Technology

Description:

Role Overview

We are seeking a seasoned IT AVP with extensive experience in capital markets and stock broking environments, to lead and manage IT operations, infrastructure, and security for mission-critical trading systems. The ideal candidate will bring hands-on expertise in datacentre management, trading network infrastructure, server virtualization, and firewall security, along with strong leadership and vendor management capabilities.

Key Responsibilities:

Technology Strategy & Implementation:

- Develop, implement, and enforce IT policies, strategies, and procedures.

- Design scalable IT infrastructure and select appropriate technologies to support enterprise growth.

- Establish and maintain IT roadmap aligned with business and regulatory needs.

- Lead implementation of technology solutions including cloud, security, disaster recovery, and trading platforms.

- Leverage AWS and cloud platforms to architect, implement, and manage scalable, secure infrastructure.

- Ensure cybersecurity best practices are integrated into all layers of IT operations.

Infrastructure & Systems Management:

- Manage and maintain all hardware, software, and network components.

- Ensure high availability, performance, and reliability of core trading systems and networks.

- Oversee the setup and virtualization of physical servers and data centers (on-prem & cloud).

- Implement and maintain Linux/Unix/Windows servers, firewalls, routers, switches, and other IT assets.

Network & Security:

- Administer Fortigate Firewalls (60D, 90D, 100E) policy management, VPNs, rule creation.

- Develop and implement network security, backup, and disaster recovery protocols.

- Ensure VAPT compliance and security hardening of web servers (Apache, Nginx, WordPress).

- Monitor trading WAN links (MPLS, Leased lines, ISDN, VSAT) used for BSE, NSE, MCX, NCDEX.

Trading Environment Operations:

- Maintain and support NSE TAP/DC servers, BSE IML, CDSL servers, and exchange trading terminals.

- Handle exchange applications like NSE NEAT, BSE IML, MCX TWS/Admin terminals.

- Ensure zero downtime and full regulatory compliance for all trading systems.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management:

- Lead and mentor the IT team recruiting, training, performance management.

- Coordinate with exchange houses (NSE, BSE, MCX, NCDEX) and ensure compliance with all technical requirements.

- Collaborate with internal business, compliance, and operations teams to deliver timely IT support.

Performance & Vendor Management:

- Optimize resource utilization across hardware and software systems.

- Lead vendor selection, SLA finalization, and performance monitoring.

Required Experience & Skills:

- 10+ years of IT leadership experience with 8+ years in stock broking / capital markets domain.

- Proven experience in trading infrastructure, data centre & network management.

- Proficient in:

- Linux/Unix/Windows OS administration

- Web server configuration (Apache, Nginx, HAProxy)

- Firewall Management (Fortigate)

- Cloud platforms (Azure, AWS preferred)

- Virtualization, Docker, Ansible, Puppet

- Strong experience with trading networks (NSE/BSE/MCX connectivity) and co-location environments.

- Must have handled IT for trading terminals, exchanges servers, and WAN links.

- Solid understanding of data governance, information security, and compliance requirements.

- Excellent leadership, communication, and coordination skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Bachelors/Masters degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.

- Certifications in networking, cloud (AWS/Azure), or cybersecurity are a plus