JOB DESCRIPTION :

Job Title : Head ICT

Location : Chennai/Bangalore India

About Blackstone Shipping :

Blackstone Shipping is one of the fastest-growing freight forwarding companies, offering global logistics excellence through rich industry expertise, best-in-class customer service, and leading-edge technology. We are committed to innovation and seeking a talented, motivated individual to lead our software division.

Position Overview :

The IT Head (Global) is a strategic and hands-on leadership position responsible for technology vision, architecture, delivery, cybersecurity, and digital transformation across Blackstone Shipping Group.

This role combines :

- Technical Excellence strong architecture, coding, systems design, cloud, integration, and cybersecurity foundations.

- Leadership & People Management mentor, scale, and lead multidisciplinary global teams.

- Project & Delivery Ownership ensure timely, high-quality delivery of all in-house ERP modules, digital / cloud-based customer platforms, AI/ML initiatives, and group-wide IT operations.

The role is central to building Blackstone Shippings competitive edge through next-gen digital freight-forwarding platforms, ensuring operational reliability, and enabling scalable global growth (EU/UK, USA, Africa & India trade lanes).

Key Responsibilities :

A. Technology Strategy & Architecture :

- Develop and execute a 3-year IT & Digital Roadmap aligned with the Groups global strategy.

- Architect, design & implement scalable solutions using Cloud (AWS/Azure), .NET, Angular, SQL, APIs & Microservices.

- Ensure performance-optimised, scalable and secure platform architecture for BLISS, BBX, and related tools.

- Continuously analyse existing systems; identify improvements, refactoring needs, and tech-debt clearance.

B. Software Development Leadership :

- Lead end-to-end SDLC : requirements - design /development /QA /deployment maintenance.

- Define and enforce coding standards, best practices, and architectural guidelines.

- Drive excellence in database performance, middleware tuning, and application logic.

- Provide technical mentorship to developers, architects, and QA teams.

C. Delivery & Project Management :

- Own project delivery of all IT systems, ensuring deadlines, budgets, and quality benchmarks are met.

- Establish strong PMO discipline : sprint planning, timelines, risk management & stakeholder reporting.

- Maintain effective communication with business units, ensuring transparency on project status and risks.

- Lead client-facing solution demos, requirement workshops, and process-flow simulations.

D. Cybersecurity & IT Governance :

- Design & implement a robust cybersecurity strategy that covers networks, data, and access controls.

- Establish backup strategies, DR (Disaster Recovery) plans, and IT continuity frameworks.

- Ensure compliance with global regulations (GDPR, EU IT standards, Indian IT obligations, etc.).

- Implement IP assignment agreements, source code escrow, and internal security controls.

E. Infrastructure & DevOps :

- Oversee infrastructure : servers, cloud environments, networks, firewalls, VPN, and system uptime.

- Implement and manage CI/CD pipelines, automated deployments, and continuous monitoring.

- Drive a cloud-first architecture where feasible.

F. Leadership & Team Development :

- Recruit, develop, motivate, and strengthen IT team.

- Build a performance-driven culture with accountability and innovation.

- Conduct regular capability assessments, training, goal setting, and mentorship.

- Foster cross-functional collaboration with HR, Operations, Sales, Finance & Customs divisions.

G. Stakeholder Management & Business Alignment :

- Serve as the SPOC between IT and business units for solution design & deployment.

- Translate business problems into technology-driven solutions.

- Work closely with finance to present and manage annual IT budgets and cost optimisation.

H. Innovation & Emerging Technologies :

- Explore and adopt new industry trends : AI/ML for freight prediction, automation, blockchain, digital twins, API-ecosystems, etc.

Lead innovation streams such as :

- AI Quotation Engine

- Predictive Freight Pricing Models

- Autonomous Exception Alerts

- Customer Portal 2.0

- Unified Data Lake

- Next-Gen ERP Architecture

Educational Background : Bachelors/Masters in Computer Science, Software Engineering, IT or similar.

Professional Experience :

- 10-15+ years in software development & IT leadership (preferably freight forwarding / logistics tech).

Strong experience with :

- C#, .NET Core, Angular 14+, SQL Server

- Cloud : Azure / AWS

- APIs, integration frameworks, microservices

- Agile/Scrum methodologies

- Proven track record delivering large-scale enterprise systems on time and within budget.

- Experience managing multi-country IT teams.

Skills & Competencies :

Technical :

- Enterprise architecture

- SDLC & DevOps

- Cloud architecture

- API & Integration

- Database optimization

- Cybersecurity & DR planning

- Freight-forwarding domain knowledge

- Project management

Leadership :

- Strong communication & stakeholder alignment

- Decision-making & problem-solving

- Team mentoring & capability building

- Change management

- High accountability & ownership

Personality Traits :

- Proactive, structured, and highly disciplined

- Ability to work under pressure & deliver consistently

- Passionate about innovation and continuous improvement

- Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative mindset

Why Join Blackstone Shipping? :

- Lead the technology vision of the fastest-growing global freight-forwarder.

- Build next-generation digital solutions impacting global supply chains.

- Be at the cusp of the global freight industrys digital transformation.

- Opportunity to lead multi-country teams and major digital products.

- Attractive global role with competitive salary package, benefits & long-term career growth