Head of IT Department

About the job

Become part of the Valais rescue service at the KWRO!

The Cantonal Valais Rescue Organisation (KWRO) in Siders is the heart of the Valais rescue service. It provides its services on behalf of the State of Valais and operates the medical emergency call centre 144.

Your challenge:

As part of its activities, the KWRO is looking for a Head of IT, responsible for the availability, security and future viability of the IT and telecommunications environment in a critical setting of emergency medical services.

Your main tasks:

• Ensuring the availability, security and integrity of the IT and telecommunications infrastructure, especially the medical emergency call centre 144.
• Ensuring operational continuity and IT crisis management, including cyberattacks, physical damage and failures of critical sites or suppliers.
• Defining and implementing the IT strategy, governance and standards in collaboration with the executive committee.
• Responsibility for IT security, risk management and data protection, including the role of DPO.
• Leading IT projects, further developing systems and technological innovation, especially evaluating and governing the use of AI.
• Ensuring the quality, governance and use of the organisation’s data.
• Leading, developing and organising a small IT team, focusing on securing competencies and service continuity.
• Managing external service providers, contracts, public tenders and IT budgets.
• Defining, further developing and monitoring IT processes, quality standards and performance indicators.
• Representing the organisation in technical networks and committees of the Western Swiss medical emergency call centres.
• Active participation in the executive committee, especially in strategy, risk management, budget and performance control.
• Ensuring availability during major crises and participating in the technical on-call service.

Your profile:

• Education as an IT engineer or equivalent qualification.
• Several years of experience managing critical IT infrastructures, ideally in healthcare, security or emergency services.
• Sound knowledge of IT quality and security standards, especially ITIL / ISO 20000 and ISO 27001.
• Training or certification in data protection / DPO (or willingness to complete this training upon starting the position).
• Experience in team leadership and project management.
• German or French as mother tongue and very good knowledge of the other language.

Your personal strengths

• Strong ability to manage crisis situations and make decisions under pressure.
• Leadership and ability to lead and motivate a small technical team.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, especially in dealing with contracts and suppliers.
• Careful and structured working style as well as strong sense of responsibility and confidentiality.
• Very good written communication skills.
• Organisational talent and ability to set priorities, plan and develop concepts.
• Independence, initiative and self-reflection.
• Enjoyment of working in a multidisciplinary environment.

We offer:

• A meaningful role at the heart of the rescue chain, where the reliability of IT systems is crucial.
• A challenging and innovative technological environment at the interface of IT, telecommunications, cybersecurity, data and innovation.
• A strategic role with real scope for influence as a member of the executive committee.
• A wide variety of challenges and projects in an environment where crisis management, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, security and operational continuity come together daily.
• A human and multidisciplinary environment where collaboration, personal responsibility, accountability and team spirit are essential to jointly accomplish tasks with great impact.

Workplace: Siders

Start date: from July 2027 or by arrangement