Emmanuel Kamukama is a Virtual Information Technology Manager (vITM) at AlphaKOR Group. The role of A vITM is sometimes called a Technology Alignment Manager.
Emmanuel began his career as a Technical Support Specialist at McGill University many years ago. He notes that “It was a very good environment and a lot of fun! The university had cutting edge technology & a large user base and supporting a wide variety of users gave me a passion for customer service”. From there, Emmanuel moved to TATA Consultancy where he was a Systems Administrator and eventually move into service delivery.
Emmanuel has been with AlphaKOR for about five months and is an integral member of our team and AlphaKORian family. Meet Emmanuel!
What drew you to the vITM position at AlphaKOR?
It was a natural progression having worked in IT Service Delivery. I was also interested in working for an MSP because you work with a wide variety of clients and you are exposed to a wide range of new technologies.
What educational background did you require to secure this role?
To secure this role, I needed at least a Bachelor’s degree in IT/ Business/ or related field.
What does the average day look like for you in your role?
The first order of the day is touching base with the vCIO to set an agenda for the day. I then have a few internal meetings to discuss any new or in-progress technology projects for our customers. Next, I review our ticketing system to make sure any reactive issues clients are facing are being addressed in a timely fashion.
The rest of the day is spent meeting with clients, doing technology alignments and assessing client environments, performing risk mitigation, and planning for upcoming IT implementation projects. I sometimes end the day in training for new technologies and/or processes.
The essence of the job is to develop a technical relationship with our managed clients, identify technical risks, and align the client’s IT environments to current standards and best practices.
This role supports the vCIO in driving the client’s business strategy.
Did you work in management prior to working at AlphaKOR Group?
Yes, prior to working at AlphaKOR Group I worked in management.
What is it like working for a Managed Service Provider?
Working for an MSP is completely different from working for an in-house IT team. You serve a wide variety of customers with different corporate cultures, company sizes, and expectations. Their technology needs and environments are different so you must adapt quickly.
How do you manage your time working for multiple clients?
Managing multiple clients can be challenging. You need the right tools to process and organize tasks for each client separately. It is easy to miss SLAs, or simply not have enough time to finish all the necessary tasks when handling multiple companies. Fortunately, AlphaKOR has excellent management tools, as well as cutting edge applications for managing client IT environments. Leveraging the team’s knowledge and assistance is also very important.
What skillsets are critical to your job as a vITM?
The skills that are critical to my job include:
- Multi-tasking and a broad knowledge base in IT, systems administration, virtualization, networking, information security, etc.
- Good communication & listening skills
- Customer-focused attitude
- Ability to work with teams and work under pressure
- Prioritization skills
What key qualities do you think a good vITM possesses?
I think a good vITM possesses strong communication skills, strategic thinking, attention to detail, and an ability to work well under pressure.
What is the most exciting part about your job?
The most exciting part for me is meeting new clients and learning new technologies.
What is the least exciting part of your job?
Sitting in front of a computer all day!
How do you hope to grow in your field of work?
Working at AlphaKOR, I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge base in the IT industry. I would also like to more about business and leadership and there are many people at the company who I can learn from.
What have you learned at AlphaKOR Group that has helped you grow personally?
AlphaKOR cares about its employees at a personal level. It has taught me to look at the workplace as a place of personal growth and to value close and open relationships with management.
For someone who would like to obtain a position as a vITM, what advice would you give to them?
One would typically need to have a degree in an IT-related field or business administration or commensurate experience. They would need to gain experience in Information Technology, business procedures, and customer service. Experience in other fields – such as systems administrators, project managers, or network administration could be a career path to the vITM role.
Improve Your IT Infrastructure
To learn more about how AlphaKOR Group can strengthen your IT infrastructure, contact us today!