“Two minutes with…” is a feature blog focusing on the lives behind some of the faces and names you may see in your daily life at IT Services. Maybe you even know them personally and what they do here at Northeastern. But do you know what they like to do on a Saturday morning? Or what is their go-to karaoke song? That’s where “Two minutes with…” comes in, to shed some light on our ITS colleagues.
In this edition of “Two minutes with…”, Ali Haider shares the career path that led him to his current role as IT Support Specialist Lead. Based on the London campus, he oversees technical support operations and ensures smooth IT services for students, faculty, and staff.
Read on to learn more about Ali’s line of work, his passion for technology, and how he spends his free time.
How long have you worked at Northeastern and what roles have you held?
I have been with Northeastern for nearly two years. I initially joined as an IT Support Specialist, and within six months, I was promoted to IT Support Specialist Lead. This quick progression reinforced my confidence that I am in the right organization—one that values hard work and recognizes contributions with meaningful opportunities for growth.
What did you do before you joined Northeastern?
Before joining Northeastern, I worked as a System Administrator in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With over a decade of experience in the field, I managed and maintained IT infrastructure, ensured system security, and implemented efficient solutions to improve operations. This experience gave me a strong foundation in IT, troubleshooting, and system management, which continues to support my success in my current role.
It’s Saturday morning. Where are you, what are you doing, and with whom?
On Saturday mornings, I am at home with my family, enjoying a lazy start to the weekend. I have breakfast with my wife and cuddle with my four-month-old daughter. Then, I wash our red Toyota Prius, and we go out shopping!
What did you want to be when you were in second grade? How did any of it carry over to where you are today?
When I was in second grade, I didn’t have a clear idea of a specific job title, but my natural curiosity drove me to take things apart just to see how they worked. Instead of playing with toys the way other kids did, I was more interested in figuring out how they were built and what made them function. I loved solving problems, even if that meant breaking something first to understand it better.
That mindset carried over into my later years. When I got my first desktop, everything changed—I had a whole new world of technology to explore. I spent hours learning about computers, troubleshooting issues, and diving deep into new technologies. That passion never faded. Instead, it grew stronger and naturally led me to a career in IT. Today, I still approach challenges the same way I did as a child: by investigating, learning, and solving problems.
What accomplishment or contribution in your current role at Northeastern are you most proud of?
One of the accomplishments I am most proud of in my current role at Northeastern is implementing several cost-effective and efficient tools that have significantly reduced the workload for the entire team through process automation. By identifying inefficiencies and leveraging automation, I was able to streamline critical workflows, allowing the team to focus on more strategic tasks rather than repetitive manual processes.
For example, my team and I implemented NinjaOne, a platform that revolutionized our entire workflow. In the past, IT agents had to manually install applications, and software patches on each individual device. This process was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors, leading to inefficiencies in device deployment and maintenance. With NinjaOne, relevant applications, OS updates, and software patches can be installed automatically with just a single click. It can also proactively identify potential issues and troubleshoot problems automatically, minimizing downtime and enhancing overall system performance.
The tool also provides a robust patch management system, ensuring that all devices are up to date with the latest security patches. The comprehensive monitoring and patch management features of NinjaOne not only reduce workload but also enable IT teams to deploy devices in bulk within minutes—something that previously took hours of manual effort.
Additionally, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all processes has been a key priority in my work. Every solution I’ve implemented and designed has kept security and compliance in mind, aligning closely with the organization’s goals. Seeing these improvements positively impact productivity and security while contributing to the overall success of the team has been incredibly rewarding.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of career advice I’ve ever received came from my father, who is also an engineer. He taught me never to be afraid of failure because unless I fail, I won’t discover out-of-the-box solutions. He always emphasized that failure is just another step toward success.
His words shaped my mindset, allowing me to take challenges head-on and view setbacks as learning opportunities. As he put it, “Success without failure is like food without seasoning”—it lacks depth, experience, and the true satisfaction of overcoming obstacles.
What’s your preferred way to unplug?
Since I’m a digital being, my version of “unplugging” is more like rebooting. Spending time with my family or stepping outside even for five minutes in the sun with fresh air is a mental reset. I also turn off all the screens for some time. After hours of solving other people’s tech chaos, my brain needs a break, too.
Any pets?
I don’t have any pets right now, but if I could get one, it would definitely be a German Shepherd; they’re smart and basically a security guard for the house. The best thing about dogs is their unconditional love, goofy antics, and always being a loyal shadow.
Do you speak any languages besides English? If not, which other ones do you wish you spoke?
Besides English, I can speak Urdu, my native language. It carries so much warmth and depth. If I had the chance to learn another language, it would be French because it sounds fancy.
What was the first live concert you attended?
I’ve never been to a live concert, but my favorite artists are Bruno Mars, Coldplay, and Linkin Park.