Head of Application Management at Absa March, 2023

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Job Summary

Manages a Team which Supports, manages, and delivers the implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of all Applications systems (Core Banking and Business application) both Cloud and on-premises, to enable the use of appropriate platform technology, as an integral and reliable component of business process within country

Job Description

Main Accountability

• Drive convergence of technologies, ensure delivery of technology projects associated with Applications and liaise and negotiate with internal customers and technology vendors.
• Manage the daily applications effective operations such as for Core Banking applications, Digital Channels, Payment’s applications, and back-office enterprise applications in accordance with ITIL processes.
• Ensure license management on all enterprise applications.
• Create and maintain up to date Production Systems Architecture diagrams for each application within the portfolio in accordance with the standard IT documentation throughout the application lifecycle.
• Organize and maintain a regular availability review process with both key business and IT representatives.
• Initiate, agree and coordinate appropriate actions required to maintain or improve availability of applications.
• Act as a coordination point for changes to availability levels of applications when needed.
• Determine the availability requirements from the business for new or enhanced IT applications
• Establish measures and reporting that reflect business, user, and IT support requirements with regards to application availability
• Participate in Change Control meetings to assess and authorize changes from an availability perspective
• Define the key targets of availability required for the applications and their components that underpin a new or enhanced IT application as the basis for an SLA agreement
• Analyse and review actual availability levels achieved against SLAs and OLAs.
• Maintain an awareness of technology advancements and best practices that support application availability and highest degree of benefit to the end users.
• Lead initiatives on Cost saving Setup and implementation.
• Identify issues with cost, risk, inter-dependencies, impact on current business activities and the strategic benefits to be realized.
• Develop, lead, and coach a high performing team in managing the IT Service Delivery and ensure growth to full potential.
• Determine and analyses the developments needs of the team and establish the succession plan for the entire unit.
• Provide regular reports on availability to the Chief Information Officer.
• Building up relationship with business, country IT Risk and governance team and provide the support wherever required.
• Ensure availability of tested Business Continuity Management, ready to support the business and participate in testing periodically.
• Agree appropriate actions to maintain or improve availability levels.
• Apply critical thinking, design thinking and problem solving skills to solve technical problems on existing applications
• Implement all configuration, optimization (e.g. upgrades) & maintenance activity (e.g. regular maintenance patches) for enterprise wide applications
• Provide efficient and effective support of applications including continued development of the application and security, software patches, reliability, disaster recovery and ensure the application meets the business needs

Application Monitoring & Performance Management

• Monitor application modification requests and ensure best practices are being utilise• Conduct diagnostic investigations of program errors, and implement or recommend solutions or methodologies for resolution.
• Maintain metrics of operational performance and evaluate trends
• Analyse business systems to determine effectiveness, identify inadequacies, inefficiencies and problems and recommend solutions

Governance, Risk & Control

• Enhance methods and procedures for collecting, analysing, and documenting application issues, and completing user change requests.
• Enhance IT processes for transitioning completed configurations from development to production.
• Plan and coordinate the processes for the provision of user applications and systems necessary for business operations.
• Define and maintain application assessment, development, and support standards, and work with other IT and business stakeholders to establish configuration and use guidelines.
• Provide inputs to availability and capacity management process for effective planning.

Technical skills / Competencies

• Bachelor Degree in Computer Science or Engineering or related fields and certification in related technologies such as Java development, database Management and Web Services is mandatory.
• Strong DataCentres systems technical skills.
• SLA and vendor management skills.
• Operating Systems knowledge Linux / Unix, Redhat, Windows OS, CenterOS
• Databases Management Postgresql, MySQL, SQL Database.
• Middleware and File Transfers Technologies MQ etc
• Proficiency with SQL server and query scripting.
• Knowledge on Load Balance, Container platforms such as Open shift, docker,
• Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure etc)

Knowledge, Expertise and Experience

• Minimum of 10years experience in work related to Data Centre.
• Robust Knowledge on Core Banking Systems, IT Service Management systems, Business Networking
• Strategic Thinking
• ITIL – Governance Framework
• Communication Skills
• SLA and vendor Management skills.
• Subject matter expertise
• Understand the IT service delivery within a corporate environment
• Conceptual thinking skills
• Ability to analyse, make decision and initiate act.
• Good understanding of ITIL processes and associated concepts.
• Working within a Global or Regional role.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree: Information Technology

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