Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Heritage Insurance

Purpose

The CIO is a shared services role for Liberty Life and Heritage Insurance. The position holder will provide leadership for the Information Technology Department and will be accountable for directing, planning, organizing and controlling all IT functions. In addition, the role is responsible for the delivery of a broad range of IT services and sponsors process/system improvements aimed at providing efficient and effective IT services.

She/He will be responsible for defining and implementing the IT Strategy by reviewing the short term and long-term business goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures. The CIO will be a member of the Senior Management team (Executive Committee - EXCO).

Key Responsiblities

IT Strategy and Service Delivery

•  Define and implement IT Strategy by reviewing business short term and long term goals, objectives, policies, and  operating procedures.
•  Build and partner with all stakeholders including Liberty Africa Insurance IT to deliver sustainable business  solutions.
•  Ensure the maintenance and optimisation of all hardware/software and peripherals.
•  Deliver a stable and cost effective service across the entire application architecture.
•  Develop a Disaster recovery strategy and ensure business continuity at all times.
•  Ensure the business has an effective change control and fault reporting/management.
•  Drive excellence in service delivery and Help Desk management.
•  Manage IT risks and ensure compliance to all IT security policies and procedures.
•  Provide the Executive team with advice on medium and long term operational development of information systems and technology strategy for the Line of Business/ Function.
•  Implement IT technology, application, data, integration and business process strategy aligned with business goals.
•  Promote use of shared capabilities, infrastructure and applications to ensure scalability, reduce costs and improve information flows for the Organization.

IT Projects Management

•  Key driver for effective IT Project Management and Delivery capabilities and takes ownership of program development, planning and execution.
•  Ensure quality (fit for purpose) and accuracy of program work outcomes.
•  Monitor business requirements through high level and detailed design, implementation and roll-out into production.
•  Accountable for the end-to-end delivery of IT services to the business units and is the leading authority to drive the efficiency and effectiveness of all projects.
•  Develop and implement critical business service metrics that will determine business service availability and ensure the best contingency strategies are created to reduce or avoid process malfunctions and improve the sustainability of critical business applications.

IT Budgets and Costs Rationalization

•  Prepare annual IT objectives and budgets to facilitate the implementation, management and operations of all information technology functions.
•  Drive initiatives around benefits realization related to the overall technology landscape.
•  Formulate and gain acceptance for annual revenue and capital budgets.
•  Monitor budgets against expenditure and manage IT costs in line with business parameters.
•  Manage the overall budget and ensure compliance in line with the organization’s Long Term Financial Strategy.
•  Ensure necessary transparency and controls are in place regarding expenditure.
•  Set the strategy for resource management to respond to business priorities cost effectively.
•  Authorize at functional level the allocation of resources for the planning, development and delivery, as appropriate, of services and products.
•  Identify opportunities to outsource, where it makes business and commercial sense to do so and consult with the authorized parties (e.g. Procurement) in need, to implement necessary arrangements and agreements.
•  Build and manage long term, sustainable relationships with vendors and outsourced services to realize IT objectives, in conjunction with shared services and procurement where required.
•  In consultation with procurement, negotiate, approve contracts or agreements with external parties, within the authorized mandate.
•  Deliver quality service through adequate management of change, driving improvement initiatives and use key IT metrics to influence business decisions.
•  Manage change through collaborating with business to co-create business change programs and drive changes to meet tactical business objectives thereby creating further IT demand.
•  Focus and drive service improvement initiatives to facilitate and drive continual service improvement by consistently aligning the IT service offering to the organization’s demands and manage business needs effectively.
•  Use key IT service metrics to inform IT and Business decisions.
•  Measure IT service delivery to enable adequate spend/ budget allocation to business process innovation and general IT maintenance respectively.

IT Governance, Risk Management and Compliance

•  Embed a risk culture by fostering an IT strategy that ensures data privacy rules and data security are at its core.
•  Manage IT operational risk emanating from systems, processes, procedures and people by implementing effective Disaster Recovery Plans and ensuring alignment with overall Business Continuity Management plans.
•  Attainment of satisfactory audits (internal and external).
•  Manage the development of an IT governance framework that will define the working relationships and sharing of IT components among various IT portfolios, ensuring that IT systems and IT employees are regulatory compliant.
•  Chair relevant governance forums and ensure the successful running thereof.

 IT Leadership and Team Managemnt

•  Effectively manage internal and external relationships, forge partnerships to leverage resources that are measurable and add value for all parties.
•  Provide leadership to the IT community including own business area and the inter function data flow to support the Information (Applications, Data and Integration).
•  Manage and contain staff turnover within acceptable levels while developing and implementing viable succession plans.
•  Continuously review IT team performance and drive performance development through learning and development initiatives.
•  Together with the Human Resources Department, recruit, interview and select leaders/senior staff members that have the right technical and personal abilities to help further the organisation’s mission. Coach, mentor and develop direct reports to improve overall performance.
•  Specifies accountabilities for Management team and evaluates performance regularly steering organisational strategic direction.
•  Supporting people initiatives that help build a fit for purpose business.
•  Directs a culture supportive of change, by engaging and employing activities that drives and supports this.
•  Assures the implementation of all human resources policies, procedures and practices within the relevant business unit and monitors compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.
•  Establishes a positive, healthy and safe working environment in accordance with all legislation and regulations

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in ICT, Computer Science, Information Systems or a related field.
• Relevant IT certification.
• Project management certification.

Experience

• At least 12 years’ experience in ICT, 5 of which should be in a managerial capacity.
• 5 years’ experience in strategy formulation and execution.
• Insurance or Financial industry experience preferably in a high performing business environment.
• The ability to integrate multiple projects across different domains.
• Relationship management and people management knowledge.
• Practical application of IT solutions and experience in implementation of an IT framework that supports business excellence.

Competencies

•  Self-driven leader with the ability to influence and inspire teams.
•  Resilient, results oriented, dynamic and change oriented.
•  Good intrapersonal and interpersonal skills.
•  Appreciates the dynamic relationships between the organisation’s structure, goals and capabilities.
•  Ability to manage various stakeholders and respond to business dynamics.
•  Ability to plan and see through implementation of projects.