Senior Manager/ COE Lead – Cloud, Security and Applications at Safaricom Kenya

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Chief Enterprise Business Unit Officer, the COE Lead – Cloud, Security and Applications will undertake the below.

Role purpose: 

The COE Lead will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of IoT, cloud, security and business application strategies, value propositions and services for our enterprise clients and work closely with sales and customer success teams to ensure customer satisfaction and growth.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key accountabilities and decision ownership

Strategic

• Develop and implement cloud, cyber security and business application strategies for enterprise clients.
• Work with sales and marketing teams to develop go-to-market strategies for cloud and application solutions.
• Stay up to date with emerging trends in IoT, cloud, security and business applications, and provide thought leadership to clients and internal teams.
• Work closely with other Enterprise Business Cluster Tribe/CoE Leads and stakeholders to drive alignment between Tribe and Squads’ priorities and sprint goals. 

Operational

• Design and deliver IoT, cloud, cyber security, and business application solutions to meet customer needs.
• Lead a team of technical architects and engineers to implement and support deliver IoT, cloud, cyber security, and business application solutions.
• Work closely with sales and customer success teams to develop and execute customer retention plans.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement customer-focused initiatives.
• Create and maintain reports to track customer retention and growth metrics.

Business & customer value delivery

• Collaborate with the Cluster Chief and key stakeholders (Other Tribe/CoE Leads, Cluster Tech Tribe Lead, product owners, agile coaches and chapter leads) in defining specific and measurable Objectives & Key Results (OKRs) for the Tribe and the advisory, design, execution, and management teams/squads.
• Play a critical role in shaping critical and complex strategic initiatives/programs/solutions within the Enterprise Business cluster and across the organisation. 
• Manage relationships, networks and engagement with relevant Enterprise Business stakeholders including local and international business partners.
• Experiment with emerging technologies to generate value and create an impact that matters to the enterprise business cluster ecosystem. 
• Ensure prudent management of the CoE’s human, financial, tech resources and accountability through proper monitoring and effective internal control measures. 
• Adequate training on the entire range of enterprise product portfolio, encourage best sharing practices and define a career progression for account managers.
• Lead and champion an innovative culture across the CoE and enable a continuous learning culture.

Empower and enable Teams/Squads

• Provide leadership in the CoE’s day-to-day business and ensure a competent, efficient, and motivated human capital for enhanced productivity and performance. 
• Champion an agile mindset, continuous improvement and ensure adherence to agile leading practices. 
• Role model inclusivity & builds trust for a psychologically safe environment for everyone to be their best. 
• Build trust and empower teams/squads to work autonomously to deliver great value to customers.
• Provide the right level of feedback to enable squad/team alignment and autonomy. 
• Represent CoE interests to Enterprise Business Cluster and organization leadership, and escalating impediments as needed. 
• Develop, coach and mentor CoE chapter leads and squad/team members.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

Customer Obsession

• Deepen team connection to our customers and communities.
• Foster authentic relationships with customers and partners that build trust.
• Explicitly take customer-centric decisions and take personal ownership to achieve results.
• Simplify processes through digitalisation and promote a digital mindset and digital first customer experience.
• Stay focused on the big priorities, know when to make meaningful trade-offs and demonstrate brilliant execution.

Purpose

• Create an inspiring vision for your team to drive strategy and performance.
• Show ambition and courage, empowering others to go beyond the plan.
• Bold and challenge teams to reimagine how things are done.
• Prompt new thinking and ideas by asking “what if” questions.
• Use knowledge of the external environment (customers, partners, competition, external bodies) to identify and act on opportunities for growth at pace.

Innovation

• Create psychological safety so everyone can have an impact.
• Identify innovative opportunities and key constraints for business development, diversification, and growth. 
• Fuel innovative ideas from others and test them to enable growth.
• Explore successes and failures with curiosity and resilience; fearlessly recognizing lessons learned.
• Share your ongoing learning and personal purpose with others.
• Learn fast from digital adoption, using learnings to drive simplicity, scale and efficiency.

Collaboration

• Articulate your team’s role in making our strategy happen, prioritizing and aligning resources with current and future needs.
• Actively collaborate to break silos and hold your team accountable to do the same.
• Develop others to make the most of their talents and coach them to take ownership to get things done.
• Create an inclusive environment ensuring the safety and wellbeing of others.

Key performance indicators:

• Achieve 100% Revenue Growth Targets.
• Accelerate Revenue Growth at 100% on New Growth Areas.
• Retain 100% Baseline Revenue.
• % increase in market share.
• % product and customer penetration
• Net Promotor Score (NPS)
• Churn management (Customer churn rate; Revenue churn; Retention rate).
• Delivery of target digitization projects/Initiatives. 
• Employee Engagement (eNPS) and Productivity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least Seven (7) to ten (10) years’ knowledge and experience in the relevant field. 
• Bachelor’s degree in Technology/ Engineering/ Computer Science or relevant field along with technical qualifications, or equivalent qualification(s). MBA/Relevant Master’s degree preferred. 
• Solid technical background, with hands-on experience in IoT, Cloud, Cyber Security, Network Managed Service, Business Applications.
• Experience with public cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Knowledge of security and compliance requirements for enterprise applications.
• Superior business understanding, with the ability to leverage technology to solve business and technical issues.
• Ability to manage multiple, concurrent large-scale accounts/projects, with a successful achievement/completion track record on time and on budget.
• Possess high professional and ethical standards. 
• Be a strategic thinker with an analytical mind.