Meet Alvaro – ICT Infrastructure Manager

Meet Alvaro Huertas, ICT Infrastructure Manager at Rocky Bay!

In his role, Alvaro is responsible for ensuring Rocky Bay has the necessary IT systems in place to support staff to do their jobs effectively, which in turn supports our customers. His role incudes a lot of project work, looking at the changing needs of business in relation to technology and improving the overall user experience.

Alvaro has worked with Rocky Bay for 10 years, joining us from iiNet where he worked as a Network Administrator in their Network Operations team, and after spending time competing additional IT certifications.

 Find out more about Alvaro and his interesting role in our ICT team in our Q&A.

Tell us more about your role, and what it involves

I am the ICT Infrastructure Manager at Rocky Bay and my role focuses on helping to make sure our organisation has the ICT Infrastructure and systems to support staff in being effective at doing their job.

This basically means making sure our supported accommodation homes and offices have reliable data links to transmit and consume all the information needed to operate in the modern technological world we live in. This might include browsing the internet, video conferencing, downloading files etc. that all require data capacity. My team monitor these services to make sure they are operational and performing well. We also provide and support the underlying operating systems needed to run many of our applications and supply the IT hardware used by our staff.

I also help to break down barriers that may impact my team’s ability to deliver a quality service to staff. This often includes communicating with multiple stakeholders – like our telecommunications and hosting services provider – our hardware resellers and more. Part of my role is not just looking at our current needs for technology and how we can improve those services, but also looking to the future and how emerging technologies can help us deliver better services and improve the overall experience.

Describe what a typical day looks like for you?

My day typically starts with checking emails and getting back to staff or external stakeholders. I will normally take a quick look at our systems dashboard to get an overall view of critical system health. Then the meetings start, and my day is generally full of multiple meetings – some with external service providers where we review performance, go over any outstanding issues and decide if anything needs further escalation.

Currently we are reviewing a long-standing partnership with our telecommunications services provider, so I am reviewing their proposal to provide services to Rocky Bay for the next three years. We are also looking to replace some existing technologies that are so I need to spend time researching alternatives, putting together requirements and reviewing proposals. It’s also not uncommon to work with external consultants so I dedicate a portion of my day to working with them on any given project – there’s no shortage of projects!

There are also times when members of my team need assistance or advice on how to handle specific challenges, so I will do my best to help them resolve any issues or point them in the right direction. There is also the administrative side of being a manager, such as approving purchase orders and reviewing invoices for payment approvals. A bigger portion of my day is spent following up with people for updates or more information.

Tell us more about your previous experience?

Having successfully completed my Commercial Pilot License exams in 2003, I started working full-time in the IT sector to raise the funds needed for additional aviation endorsements.

I always had a passion for computer systems and technology when an opportunity came up as a telephony technician for Ericsson corporate networks – it was the early 2000’s where VoIP (Voice over IP) was just starting to gain traction and more organisations were adopting computer telephony integration. My role was to program phone systems and organise and configure call centre telephony software.

In 2003 I sustained a life-changing injury, and as a result I had to recalibrate and looked at IT for my long-term career aspirations. Already having experience in telecommunication systems and computing, I started a job at an internet service provider working there for three years, and they were eventually purchased by one of Australia largest internet service providers.

This gave me exposure to some of Australia largest IP networks and was a great place to hone my skills. I studied several different industry specific certifications, having completed my Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Microsoft Certificate Solutions Expert (MCSE), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP). In 2012 I saw an opportunity to be a part of a brand new team, deploying enterprise-grade IT solutions from the ground up at an organisation that resonated with me, Rocky Bay. Ten years on, I am still learning and enjoy the career path I elected to pursue.

What do you love most about your role?

That it is always evolving. Technology is always advancing which means you are always learning new things. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn a new system or technology. There is also the opportunity to effect change on a large scale and see the fruit of one’s labour.

Another aspect that is very rewarding is seeing the staff that work for me develop their skills and progress in their career.

What do you love to do in your free time?

I enjoy oil painting, spending time in my garden, watching it grow from the blank canvas (sandpit) it was to the wonderful place it has become. Going for a stroll by the beach or out in the bush, spending time with family and loved ones, and if I get a chance playing the odd computer game and reading up about new technology. I also really enjoy Formula 1 – I have a fascination for good engineering.

What are three things you can’t live without and why?

1. The people I love most and immediate family – these are the people you share your life with and support you
2. Sad to admit it, but my mobile phone and laptop – I feel so disconnected without these devices, they serve as my source of news, communication and general portal for research
3. Either my oil paints or gaming console/PC – great outlets to de-stress, take my focus away from whatever may be causing stress in my life to something I really enjoy