Head, Information Technology (IT) Operations at Standard Bank Group

Job Purpose

To run Information Technology operations of Stanbic Kenya in line with leading practices in order to reduce operational issues, maximise operational efficiency and drive standardisation of operating processes and procedures across all IT services. This being done by ensuring new technology is deployed without impacting production. To promote sharing of resources and ensure adequate capacity is available to meet SLAs. Has a mandate for end-to-end service delivery in Stanbic Kenya to ensure availability, stability and performance of IT services; ensuring sustenance of service delivery levels across application and infrastructure services. Management, ownership, forecasting and performance evaluation of all of the Bank’s IT infrastructure and Applications. This role will also double hat at Senior Manager, Production Systems.
This incumbent acts as the CIO whenever the CIO is not available.

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• Responsible for management of IT Operations function including the role of Senior Manager, Production Systems
• Define and implement IT operations Strategy aligned to Country IT and Group IT Strategy
• Effectively manage the IT operations function including keeping the IT stack relevant
• Build and partner with Group IT to deliver sustainable solutions
• Ensure the maintenance and optimisation of all hardware/software and peripherals
• Partner with Business to ensure successful delivery of IT Solutions including viable solutions that align to the Business and Client strategy
• Deliver a stable and cost effective service across the entire IT Operations functions
• Ensure maximum system availability with minimal network outages as per SLAs
• Achieve optimal Mean Time to Repair on all system Incidents
• Ensure attainment of satisfactory audits (internal and external)
• Ensure effective change control and fault reporting/management
• Ensure cost containment as per agreed budgets for both Capital and Operational expenditure in the IT Operations functions
• Responsible for service delivery and Help Desk management
• Ensure compliance to all IT security policies and procedures
• Implement short- and long-range IT Operations goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures.
• Implement IT technology, application, data, integration and business process strategy aligned with Group/Centre business goals
• Promote use of shared capabilities, infrastructure and applications to promote scalability, reduce costs and improve information flows for the Country.
• Provide input, as required, on large-scale projects and road maps for compatibility with the vision
• Manage IT Risk
  • Manage external suppliers- Oversee the management of Third-Party Suppliers and improve Service delivery through targeted Improvement Programs
  • Identify opportunities in IT Operations to outsource, where it makes business and commercial sense to do so and consult with authorised parties (e.g. vendor management), in need, to implement necessary arrangements and agreements
  • Liaises with the outsourcing service provider/vendors to ensure that outsourced functions are carried out according to pre-agreed service level agreements and manage all production issues to resolution, leveraging our 3rd party vendors where necessary
  • Build and manage long term, sustainable relationships with vendors and managed services to realise IT objectives, in conjunction with shared services and procurement where required.
  • In consultation with procurement/vendor management negotiate, approve contracts or agreements with external parties, within authorised mandate.
  • Achieve compliance level to pre-agreed SLAs and OLAs
  • Customer satisfaction levels.
  • Deployment and operation of the infrastructure environment spanning data centres, network, open systems and distributed environments. In addition, role covers capacity management, and disaster recovery functions.
• Stabile IT Services.
• Availability of IT services.
  • Forecasting and Capacity management planning of IT infrastructure
  • Financial Management- Participate in the IT budget process and prepare Unit Budget and manage costs within the Business Management Unit
  • Prepare IT Operations objectives and budgets to facilitate the implementation, management and operations the function.
  • Drive initiatives around benefits realisation related to the IT Operations technology landscape.
  • Monitor IT Operations budgets against expenditure and mange IT costs in line with country parameters
  • Manage the unit budget and ensure compliance in line with the Country Long Term Financial Strategy
  • Ensure necessary transparency and controls are in place regarding expenditure
  • Set the strategy for Country resource management to respond to business priorities cost effectively.
  • Deliver quality service through adequate management of change, driving improvement initiatives and use key IT metrics to influence business decisions
• Manage change within IT Operations function:
• Partner 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:
• Facilitate and drive continual service improvement by consistently aligning the IT service offering to Country 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.
• Determine and specify various milestones to reach long and short-term goals. Serves as a roadmap for implementation of strategies.
• 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.
• Ensure effective 24x7 hourly monitoring of all services.
• Set up monitoring capacity within IT.
• Ensure team is monitoring all key services facilitating prompt resolution of issues.
• Customer satisfaction levels.
• Availability of IT services.
• Manage Governance and Compliance for IT Operations
• Manage the development of an IT Operations governance framework that will define the working relationships and sharing of IT components among various IT portfolios within Country, ensuring that IT systems and IT employees are regulatory compliant.
• Represent the CIO in Country and Group Governance Forum and ensure the successful running thereof, where necessary
• Provide IT leadership for Country, through the CIO and act as Second in Command when the CIO is not available
• Through the CIO, effectively manage internal and external relationships, forge partnerships to leverage technology and resources that measurable added value for all parties.
• When requested by CIO, build and maintain competencies and capability and provide leadership to each Country area and team/ function.
• Where necessary, provide leadership to the Country IT community including own business area and the inter function data flow to support the Information (Applications, Data and Integration)
• Work with the CIO to manage and contain staff turnover in IT department within acceptable levels
• Assist the CIO develop and implement viable succession plans
• Assist the CIO define and achieve training targets for IT staff
• Manage IT Operations business function
• Provide a view of IT Operation functions and guide the day-to-day operations, and assures a smoothly functioning, efficient organization.
• Specify accountabilities for IT Operations team and evaluates performance regularly steering organisational strategic direction.
• Support people initiatives that help build a fit for purpose business.
• Direct a culture supportive of change, by engaging and employing activities that drives and supports this.
• Assure the implementation of all human resources policies, procedures and practices within the IT Operations unit and monitors compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.
• Establish a positive, healthy and safe working environment in accordance with all legislation and regulations.
• Recruit, interview and select leaders/senior staff members that have the right technical and personal abilities to help further the organisations mission.
• Coach, mentor and develop direct reports to improve overall performance
• Discipline staff when necessary using appropriate techniques; release staff when necessary using appropriate and legally defensible procedures

Preferred Qualification and Experience

• First Degree in IT, Computer Sciences or equivalent
• Masters degree prefered
• More than 10 years Experience: Strong knowledge of Information Technologies, Telecommunications, Network/ Infrastructure planning and services, IT service delivery, knowledge and understanding of application development lifecycles including Agile, and systems integration - in a large multi-dimensional corporate environment preferably in the financial industry

Knowledge/Technical Skills/Expertise

• Proven ability to have led a business unit and team of managers managing diverse portfolio’s, driving group strategy and translating this to Business level for interpretation and steer of direction
• The candidate requires background in full lifecycle design and development covering solution design, application design, development, testing and maintenance, network software, operating systems, multi-tier environments, desktop and workgroup software, middleware, server technology, fault tolerant environments, development tools