Head Managed Services and Operations

at  Absa Bank Limited

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.
With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.
Job Summary
Work in a high complexity environment to define and lead a Cross region e.g. Rest of Africa-wide managed services capability and to ensure the successful, optimal, commercially viable and sustainable delivery of technical products and services across the estate (multiple countries, business lines) through vendor managed service partnerships. Note: Cross Region e.g. Rest of Africa Wide Technology is defined as all countries outside of South Africa and excludes anyone based in South Africa not considered to be part of the Rest of Africa Regional office. Cross Region includes a multi country, cross business level of complexity not equivalent in other single country / location roles. Business complexity is determined by: 1. Customer Impact 2. Number of integration points: o Data o Teams to talk to o Systems o Enabling function o 3rd party vs. internal o Cross Region / Country 3. Complexity of business rules & Processes 4. Level of operational readiness 5. ntroduction of new or changing old Tech (e.g. redo platforms)
Job Description

Managed Services

• Leverage deep technical and business expertise and work collaboratively with the Regional Technology leadership team to translate the technology strategy into managed services insights, requirements and implications (Short, Medium & Long Term)
• Lead managed services business and operational planning processes & develop the regional managed services vision and strategy
• Cascade the managed services vision, strategy and operational plans to all managed services partners
• Lead the managed services business planning, prioritization & strategy input processes (with internal managed services team and managed services partners)
• Integrate the managed services partner inputs, the business requirements and financial targets into a detailed business case, final consolidated business plan, budgets and commercial negotiation parameters for the region
• Work across the region to facilitate the strategy approval & budgeting processes for the Managed Services function (multiple countries and business lines)
• Translate the managed services strategy into a detailed operational plan (by country / area) that includes technical solution designs specifications, roadmaps, blueprints and managed services measures of success
• Transition the business planning & strategy approvals into a formal vendor engagement and contracting process (See Commercial Contracting & Procurement)
• Translate & consolidate the strategy into group wide SLA’s and OLA’s & implement routines and processes for their ongoing measurement & management across the region
• Work in partnership with the Technology leadership team & build strong business relationships to enable the proactive monitoring and management of IT managed services delivery & the continuous improvement of managed services maturity and performance across the organization
• Successfully define the Regional Managed Services Capability (people, processes & systems) required to deliver on the business requriements
• Assess the existing Managed Services Capability against the requirements of the business (now & in the future)
• Define the Managed Services Capability required to enable the successful delivery of the business requirements. Capability end state to include:

o Clearly defined managed services value chain & core capabilities
o Managed Services operating model, framework & organization design (OD could be internal & external – i.e. what we need in our partners)
o Managed Services Roles & Ways of Working
o Managed Services Culture, Practices, Policies and Processes

o Managed Services Technology enablement e.g. Process Automation

• Assess the existing regional managed services capability against the business requirements and identify change implications
• Craft a well-defined capability development strategy for the region (All partners) & the associated routines and processes to enable the effective design & execution of such (this could include vendor transition, localization, etc.)
• Lead the development and delivery of effective regional managed services Processes & Practices (Playbooks) & build business & managed services partner capability & ownership to execute and manage these effectively
• Create monitoring and performance management frameworks, tools, routines, processes and metrics to enable effective and efficient SLA & business operations management across the region
• Design & facilitate regular business & managed services partner reviews
• Leverage own technical knowledge and understanding, managed services expertise and business review insights to identify and mitigate portfolio risks and identify and solve for business opportunities (e.g. guide business leaders on process and technology improvements, alternative solution design & implementation strategies etc.)
• Consolidate review and performance management insights into relevant and usable management information for business decision making (reports, dashboards etc.)
• Leverage managed services data and insights to successfully influence the business direction, managed services capability enhancements and make a substantial customer and revenue impact
• Successfully transition business performance (stability, resilience, availability, customer & revenue impact) as a result of enhanced & continuously evolving managed services capabilities
• Hold the ‘one stop shop’ accountability for effective, reliable, resilient & effective service provision through the collective partnerships of the region. This includes the achievement of short, medium and long term performance objectives related to employee engagement, customer experience, cost to value and governance, risk, compliance.
• Stay ahead of the curve on managed services & technology product / service trends and leading practices & apply these for business benefit across the managed services portfolio

Accountability: Commercial Contracting & Procurement

• Develop, implement and manage processes for the identification and contracting / re-contracting of managed services partners across the estate
• Define and manage the commercial viability and optimal cost to serve of our collective managed services agreements across the estate (this includes capability and capacity management at vendor level)
• Define and implement routines, processes and ways of working with Group procurement / sourcing for the optimal delivery of managed services to the Region
• Work collaboratively with Group procurement and lead the commercial contracting & vendor engagement processes for all regional managed services partnerships (as defined by the business strategy)
• Strategically guide and advise the business on the most viable & optimal commercial contracting arrangements for managed services across the region
• Guide and coach team members in the commercial negotiation and contracting processes across the region
• Ensure all managed services contracts and arrangements are translated into very specific SLA’s, OLA’s and cost to value objectives at a managed services partnership level across the estate
• Hold one stop shop accountability for the commercial viability of all managed services agreements & future deal making across the function
• Establish successful routines and processes to ensure the ongoing alignment between the business, managed services team and the contracted partners in the delivery of our business strategy
• Hold accountability for all managed services delivery across the region
• Leveraging the established relationship management routines and processes, proactively provide regular managed services performance feedback and manage the outcomes and agreements to conclusion (have the tough conversations & make the tough calls where necessary)
• Develop & lead strong capacity management tools and processes across the function to ensure the right resource & capability mix for effective managed services partnerships to deliver uninterrupted services (include in our contracting processes)
• Ensure the ongoing alignment between the regional managed services function (processes, practices, routines, commercial contracts etc.) and the Group procurement organization
• Ensure compliance with all Group procurement standards and frameworks
• Proactively and positively contribute to the Group Procurement standards, frameworks, processes and practices
• Assume one stop shop accountability for all managed services delivery to plan and standard for the region

Accountability: Financial Management, Risk, Governance & Compliance

• Ensure the ongoing alignment & compliance of all managed service providers to our technology (design standards), governance and risk frameworks
• Ensure the appropriate cascade and communication of Group Technology, Risk, Governance & Regulatory requirements to our collective set of managed services partners
• Ensure all managed services alignment and compliance with all Technology, risk, governance and regulatory requirements
• Hold one stop shop accountability for all risk related to our managed services partnerships, delivery and related business decision making / impacts
• Lead the input & reporting requirements / processes for all internal / external risk, regulatory, compliance and governance related process for managed services provision across the estate
• Deliver on time and on budget (always)

People

• Set & Cascade strategic direction to the managed services team
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and change across the managed services function
• Proactively attract, recruit, develop, retain, reward & deploy a diverse resource base aligned to an ever evolving business / client environment (ahead of demand)
• Build a high performance team environment through self-directed teams by driving performance management & measurement that is aligned with agile working practices (including daily, weekly, etc. sprint routines, regular & honest feedback etc.)
• Assume Accountability for the right people in the right teams to deliver on our strategy (always!)
• Leverage partnering & coaching expertise in all activity to drive improved technical service delivery to the organisation

Education
Bachelor’s Degree: Information Technology
Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.
Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertise

Accountability: Commercial Contracting & Procurement

• Develop, implement and manage processes for the identification and contracting / re-contracting of managed services partners across the estate
• Define and manage the commercial viability and optimal cost to serve of our collective managed services agreements across the estate (this includes capability and capacity management at vendor level)
• Define and implement routines, processes and ways of working with Group procurement / sourcing for the optimal delivery of managed services to the Region
• Work collaboratively with Group procurement and lead the commercial contracting & vendor engagement processes for all regional managed services partnerships (as defined by the business strategy)
• Strategically guide and advise the business on the most viable & optimal commercial contracting arrangements for managed services across the region
• Guide and coach team members in the commercial negotiation and contracting processes across the region
• Ensure all managed services contracts and arrangements are translated into very specific SLA’s, OLA’s and cost to value objectives at a managed services partnership level across the estate
• Hold one stop shop accountability for the commercial viability of all managed services agreements & future deal making across the function
• Establish successful routines and processes to ensure the ongoing alignment between the business, managed services team and the contracted partners in the delivery of our business strategy
• Hold accountability for all managed services delivery across the region
• Leveraging the established relationship management routines and processes, proactively provide regular managed services performance feedback and manage the outcomes and agreements to conclusion (have the tough conversations & make the tough calls where necessary)
• Develop & lead strong capacity management tools and processes across the function to ensure the right resource & capability mix for effective managed services partnerships to deliver uninterrupted services (include in our contracting processes)
• Ensure the ongoing alignment between the regional managed services function (processes, practices, routines, commercial contracts etc.) and the Group procurement organization
• Ensure compliance with all Group procurement standards and frameworks
• Proactively and positively contribute to the Group Procurement standards, frameworks, processes and practices
• Assume one stop shop accountability for all managed services delivery to plan and standard for the regio

Accountability: Financial Management, Risk, Governance & Compliance

• Ensure the ongoing alignment & compliance of all managed service providers to our technology (design standards), governance and risk frameworks
• Ensure the appropriate cascade and communication of Group Technology, Risk, Governance & Regulatory requirements to our collective set of managed services partners
• Ensure all managed services alignment and compliance with all Technology, risk, governance and regulatory requirements
• Hold one stop shop accountability for all risk related to our managed services partnerships, delivery and related business decision making / impacts
• Lead the input & reporting requirements / processes for all internal / external risk, regulatory, compliance and governance related process for managed services provision across the estate
• Deliver on time and on budget (always