Manager, IT Applications at Standard Bank Group

Job Purpose

To provide leadership and direction for the Applications Support unit  and ensure the effective and efficient delivery of system changes, support, quality assurance, risk management and disaster recovery for all critical applications. To supervise, coordinate and evaluate the work of Applications Support staff. To collaborate with vendors and business stakeholders to ensure the unit's delivery aligns with the bank's strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and implement goals, metrics, objectives, policies and procedures for assigned programs in accordance with policy. Monitor and adjust service and staffing levels as needed.
• Configuration, patches, update and upgrade management of the Core Banking system (Particularly Temenos T24 core baking).
• Functional support of the Core Banking system and interdependent interfaces
• Supervise and coordinate the work of Applications Support staff. Delegate and oversee work activities, projects and programs. Evaluate and improve work products, methods and procedures. Resolve problems with staff as they arise.
• Establish and apply system changes in accordance with governance through automation, process change, management solutions and training.
• Develops risk management procedures, business continuance scenarios, contingency and disaster recovery plans for central and distributed systems and networks to ensure operations during downtime and/or major disasters. Identifies and recommends solutions for critical points of failure. Establishes and enforces policies and procedures for business continuance and disaster recovery plans. Proactively builds processes to minimize/eliminate downtime.
• Implement policies, procedures and process for Core banking patch management, upgrade planning and performance tuning. Investigate and install enhancements and operating procedures that optimize Core Banking application availability.
• Prepare various documentation including project reports, process and user manuals, presentations, strategic and technical plans and other related information on assigned application analyses.
• Handle and implement requests for application customizations. Ensures that product or system  fixes meet the highest quality standards and reports on defects.
• Review proposed systems software for compliance with applicable quality assurance standards before acquisition or implementation.
• Draft and Implement the IT Disaster Recovery Plan in collaboration with the IT team.  Ensure that Core Banking Application, tools and data are available on the disaster recovery site at any time required.
• Document any necessary procedure, governance standards related to application support for reference.
• Manage Service Level Agreement (SLA) with application service providers and Actively manage the timely resolution of outstanding defects or issues impacting the business.

QUALIFICATIONS

For the above position, the successful applicant should have the following:

Professional training

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/ Information Technology or other relevant degree from a recognized University.

Desired Work experience

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in Core Banking support & configuration management in a modern international ICT environment with 4 years in application Support.
• Implementation and management experience of Core Banking Software (Temenos T24 particularly) very desirable.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing banking application support processes including application defect management.
• Demonstrated expertise in Solution architecture and system development life cycle
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Working knowledge of system testing
• Ability to develop customized software applications from functional specification
• Knowledge of Agile development framework
• Demonstrated experience in software application implementation
• Demonstrated experience in managing service level agreement with application service providers
• Knowledge of business reporting tools such as business object, crystal report and reporting writing
• Ability to communicate and function in a culturally diverse and change oriented setting;

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Behavioral Competencies:

• Adopting Practical Approaches
• Articulating Information
• Checking Details
• Developing Expertise
• Documenting Facts
• Embracing Change
• Examining Information
• Interpreting Data
• Managing Tasks
• Producing Output
• Taking Action
• Team Working

Technical Competencies:

• Agile Development
• Application Support
• Design Patterns
• DEVOPS
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Software Containers
• Testing (unit, regression, integration)
• Write Code