Role - Infrastructure & Information Security Manager
Reporting To - CTO
Location - Horse Racing Ireland Headquarters / Hybrid Working
Employment Type - Full-Time, Permanent
Role Purpose
The role is responsible for defining and executing HRI's infrastructure and information security strategy and it's Shared Services strategy while ensuring secure, resilient, scalable, and efficient technology services across the organisation. The successful candidate will also be responsible for the design, management, security, resilience, and continuous improvement of HRI's and shared Services enterprise technology infrastructure and information security framework.
The role combines hands-on technical leadership with strategic planning and governance responsibilities. The successful candidate will oversee ServiceDesk, infrastructure operations, cloud services, networking, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, identity management, compliance, vendor management, and IT service continuity across HRI's and support entities technology estate.
This position will oversee enterprise infrastructure operations, cybersecurity governance, cloud transformation, operational resilience, identity and access management, business continuity, vendor governance, and regulatory compliance.
The successful candidate will act as a senior technology leader and trusted advisor to executive stakeholders, ensuring that HRI's technology estate supports business growth, innovation, operational excellence, and risk management.
The role requires a balance of strategic planning, technical leadership, governance oversight, financial management, and people leadership.
This individual will play a critical role in protecting HRI's systems, data, reputation, and operational continuity while enabling secure digital innovation across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Infrastructure Leadership
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Define and execute HRI's enterprise infrastructure strategy and multi-year technology roadmap.
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Lead the management and evolution of HRI's IT infrastructure environment, including:
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Servers and virtualisation platforms
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Cloud infrastructure and SaaS platforms
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Storage and backup systems
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Corporate networks and connectivity
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End-user computing environment
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Identity and access management
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Data centre and hosted environments
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Ensure high availability, resilience, scalability, and performance across all infrastructure platforms.
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Develop and maintain infrastructure roadmaps aligned with organisational goals.
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Manage disaster recovery and business continuity planning for all critical systems.
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Oversee infrastructure monitoring, patching, upgrades, and lifecycle management.
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Lead enterprise infrastructure and cloud transformation projects from planning through implementation and operational support.
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Drive standardisation, automation, and operational maturity initiatives across the technology environment.
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Ensure infrastructure investment aligns with business priorities, security requirements, and long-term scalability goals.
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Maintain documentation for systems architecture, operational procedures, and support models.
Information Security & Cybersecurity Leadership
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Develop, implement, and maintain HRI's enterprise information security strategy, policies, standards, and governance framework.
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Lead cybersecurity initiatives across the organisation, including:
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Security monitoring
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Threat detection and response
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Vulnerability management
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Endpoint protection
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Security awareness training
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Incident response
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Identity and privileged access management
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Ensure appropriate security controls are implemented across cloud and on-premise environments.
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Conduct regular security risk assessments and remediation planning.
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Manage security audits, penetration testing, and compliance reviews.
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Coordinate incident response activities and lead executive-level post-incident reviews.
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Report regularly to senior leadership on cyber risk posture, operational resilience, and security maturity.
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Lead security governance initiatives aligned with ISO 27001, NIS2, GDPR, and industry best practices.
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Maintain cyber resilience and recovery capabilities.
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Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards including GDPR, ISO 27001 principles, and industry best practices.
Leadership, Governance & Stakeholder Management
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Lead and develop infrastructure and security teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
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Manage third-party technology vendors, managed service providers, and security partners.
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Collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver secure and reliable technology services.
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Provide technical leadership and mentoring to infrastructure and support personnel.
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Own infrastructure and cybersecurity budgets, forecasting, procurement, and investment planning.
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Contribute to enterprise IT governance, risk management, procurement, and strategic planning.
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Provide strategic guidance to executive leadership on technology risk, resilience, and digital enablement.
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Establish and monitor KPIs, SLAs, and operational performance metrics.
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Support internal and external audits as required.
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Participate in on-call escalation and major incident management processes.
Candidate Profile
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The ideal candidate will be a senior technology and cybersecurity leader with substantial experience managing enterprise infrastructure environments and developing mature security and operational resilience capabilities.
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They will demonstrate strong leadership capability, commercial awareness, stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to operate effectively within a complex, high-availability organisational environment.
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The successful candidate will be comfortable engaging with executive leadership while also providing direction on technical architecture, operational priorities, and cybersecurity risk management.
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They will possess a strong combination of strategic thinking, governance expertise, technical depth, and operational delivery capability.
Essential Skills & Experience
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Experienced people leader
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Minimum 8-10 years' experience in senior IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, or related technical leadership roles.
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Experience managing enterprise Microsoft environments including:
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Microsoft 365
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Azure / cloud services
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Active Directory / Entra ID
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Windows Server technologies
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Strong understanding of networking technologies including firewalls, VPNs, switching, routing, and wireless infrastructure.
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Experience implementing and managing cybersecurity tools and controls.
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Knowledge of security frameworks and standards such as:
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ISO 27001
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NIST
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CIS Controls
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GDPR
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Experience with backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.
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Strong vendor and third-party management experience.
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Experience managing infrastructure and security projects.
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Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills.
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Ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Leadership Expectations
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Act as a senior technology leader across the organisation.
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Build trusted relationships with executive stakeholders and operational teams.
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Drive a culture of security awareness and operational excellence.
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Balance innovation, agility, and risk management.
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Lead through change and digital transformation initiatives.
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Develop scalable and resilient technology capabilities aligned to HRI's future strategic direction.
Desirable Qualifications & Certifications
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Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related discipline.
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Relevant industry certifications such as:
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CISSP
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CISM
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CompTIA Security+
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Microsoft Azure certifications
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CCNA / CCNP
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ITIL
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Experience within regulated, sporting, public sector, or highly operational environments.
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Experience with SIEM, SOC operations, or managed security services.
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Familiarity with governance and compliance reporting.
Key Competencies
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Strategic Thinking
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Leadership & Collaboration
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Cybersecurity Awareness
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Technical Expertise
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Risk Management
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Stakeholder Management
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Decision Making
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Communication Skills
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Continuous Improvement
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Incident Management
What HRI Offers
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Opportunity to contribute to one of Ireland's most prominent sporting organisations.
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Collaborative and innovative working environment.
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Exposure to enterprise-scale infrastructure and cybersecurity initiatives.
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Professional development and training opportunities.
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Competitive salary and benefits package.
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Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
HRI is an equal opportunities employer. Interview candidates will be provided with any necessary reasonable accommodations when called for interview.
Closing date is 7th July 2026.
