Deputy General Manager - Smart Campus

Deputy General Manager (DGM) Smart Campus
DepartmentDigital Technology

Reports ToChief Digital Officer

LocationAhmedabad, Gujarat

Employment TypeFull-Time

Role Summary
The DGM Smart Campus will lead the strategy, design, and execution of Smart Campus IT infrastructure across the organization's campus locations. This role owns the end-to-end lifecycle of smart campus technologies from strategic planning and vendor selection through deployment, integration, and operations spanning IoT device ecosystems, data center build-outs, network infrastructure, and campus-wide digital systems. The ideal candidate combines strong technical infrastructure expertise with proven program leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Planning
Define and drive the long-term Smart Campus technology roadmap aligned with organizational goals (sustainability, safety, efficiency, user experience).
Define & design architectures aligned with organizational goals covering the smart campus roadmap
Evaluate emerging technologies (IoT, edge computing, AI-enabled building systems, 5G/Wi-Fi 6, smart energy management) and assess fit for campus deployment.
¢ Develop business cases, budgets, and ROI models for smart campus initiatives.
¢ Partner with leadership to align IT infrastructure investment with institutional/organizational growth plans.
IoT & Smart Infrastructure Execution
¢ Lead design, procurement, and deployment of IoT device ecosystems across campus smart lighting, HVAC, access control, occupancy sensors, environmental monitoring, surveillance, energy metering, parking, and asset tracking.
¢ Oversee IoT platform architecture including device management, connectivity (LoRaWAN, Zigbee, BLE, Wi-Fi, cellular), edge gateways, and cloud/on-prem integration.
¢ Ensure interoperability across multi-vendor IoT systems and integration with central building management systems (BMS/BAS) and campus management platforms.
¢ Establish standards for IoT security, device provisioning, firmware lifecycle management, and data governance.
Data Center Build & Infrastructure
¢ Lead planning, design, and execution of data center build-outs (greenfield and expansion) including site selection, power and cooling design, redundancy (N+1/2N), and physical security.
¢ Manage data center infrastructure lifecycle: server/storage/network hardware, virtualization, structured cabling, UPS, generators, and environmental monitoring systems.
¢ Ensure compliance with relevant standards (TIA-942, Uptime Institute Tier standards, ISO 27001) and local regulatory requirements.
¢ Drive capacity planning, disaster recovery, and business continuity strategy for campus data infrastructure.
Program & Vendor Management
¢ Manage full project lifecycle: scoping, RFPs, vendor evaluation, contract negotiation, implementation, and handover to operations.
¢ Own budgets, timelines, and delivery quality across concurrent smart campus and infrastructure projects.
¢ Build and manage relationships with OEMs, system integrators, telecom providers, and consultants.
¢ Establish SLAs and governance frameworks for ongoing operations and maintenance.
Team Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
¢ Build, mentor, and lead a multidisciplinary team spanning network engineering, IoT/embedded systems, data center operations, and project management.
¢ Act as the key liaison between IT, facilities, security, academic/business units, and executive leadership.
¢ Present roadmaps, project status, and risk assessments to senior leadership and governance committees.
¢ Drive change management and user adoption for new smart campus systems.
Governance, Security & Compliance
¢ Ensure infrastructure design adheres to cybersecurity best practices, including network segmentation for OT/IoT environments.
¢ Own risk assessment, audit readiness, and compliance documentation for infrastructure projects.
¢ Establish monitoring, incident response, and maintenance protocols for critical infrastructure.
Required Qualifications
¢ Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, or related field (Master's/MBA preferred).
¢ 1218+ years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing smart campus, smart building, or large-scale IoT deployments.
¢ Demonstrated experience leading data center build projects from design through commissioning.
¢ Strong understanding of IoT architectures, protocols, and platforms (AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub, or equivalent).
¢ Experience with structured cabling, LAN/WAN design, wireless infrastructure, and data center facilities (power, cooling, redundancy).
¢ Proven track record managing multi-crore/multi-million-dollar infrastructure budgets and large vendor ecosystems.
¢ Familiarity with BMS/BAS integration, physical security systems, and energy management platforms.
¢ Strong project management skills (PMP/PRINCE2 certification preferred).
Preferred Qualifications
¢ Certifications such as CDCP/CDCS (Data Center), CCNP/CCIE, or IoT-specific certifications.
¢ Experience in campus environments (corporate, educational institution, or industrial park).
¢ Exposure to sustainability/green building initiatives (LEED, IGBC) and smart energy systems.
¢ Working knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks for OT/IoT (NIST, ISO 27001).
Key Competencies
¢ Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability
¢ Strong stakeholder management and executive communication
¢ Vendor negotiation and contract management
¢ Cross-functional team leadership
¢ Problem-solving under complex, multi-vendor technical environments
¢ Budget ownership and financial acumen