Manager: Systems and Software - East London, South Africa - Abantu Staffing Solutions

Description

The incumbent shall be responsible for developing and implementing the software development vision and strategy of the organisation and oversee alignment between activities of the various subsections in support of the strategy. The role entails the preparation of software and ERP system development plan to meet future needs of the environment; providing advice on management on strategic technology software system upgrades in support of business goals and objectives; developing, implementing and maintaining relevant policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines and processes; ensuring compliance with ICT standard requirements; and partnering with other functional Business units to build business case for enhanced ERP system applications and optimised operations. The incumbent is expected to advise on strategic systems conversions and integrations in support of business goals and objectives; provide end-user support to the organisation's IT systems and work across all business units to maintain and manage functionality, performance and integrity; advise on opportunities to utilise new systems to improve efficiency; engage with a diverse range of stakeholders both internally and externally to ensure effective delivery of services; and negotiate with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure ICT specific products and services.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning and Governance

• Provide input to the organisational strategy and Corporate Plan, as well as reviewing organisational activities and recommend corrective actions if necessary.
• Contribute to corporate strategy by identifying data that can be used to support, influence and leverage results.
• Enhance and implement treasury systems, processes, procedures, tools, and control systems.
• Implement controls within the organisation which minimize potential risk to stakeholders.
• Oversee that monthly, quarterly, and annual reports are prepared accurately, maintained, and submitted timeously to all stakeholders.
• Participate in management forums within the organisation, contributing expertise to enable sound decision making.
• Facilitate inter-departmental communication through appropriate structures and systems.
• Identify opportunities for maximising spend effectiveness, keeping costs tightly managed, and produce robust / informative cost reporting to enhance strategic decision making in the organisation.
• Develop and manage relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.

Information Strategy Plans

• Develop a software development vision and strategy.
• Communicate software and ERP system strategy to management and team members.
• Oversee alignment between activities of the various subsections in support of the strategy.
• Provide input into overall strategy of the division.
• Prepare a software and ERP system development plan to meet future needs of the environment.
• Advice management on strategic technology software system upgrades in support of business goals and objectives.
• Develop, implement and maintain relevant policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines and processes, achieving compliance with ICT standard requirements.
• Oversee the implementation of an effective short, medium and long-term operating strategy for Infrastructure Support.
• Keep abreast with changes in relevant guidelines and other legislation, to make recommendations where policies and procedures need to be amended.

System development

• Partner with other functional Business units to build business case for enhanced ERP system applications and optimised operations.
• Conduct impact analysis of ERP products, system upgrades and evaluation of as-is/to-be business processes.
• Participate in ERP software selection, including review of the business process management and blueprint documentation.
• Implement and oversee adoption of an entirely new ERP system.
• Direct technology projects and implementation of new architectural concepts.
• Plan and direct software release management and development schedules.
• Oversee the execution of multiple initiatives ensuring alignment with business unit goals.
• Develop the best practices within the team for development, testing, performance assessment, deployment, and production support.
• Champion-defined processes and their evolution through use and best practices feedback.
• Manage business and customer expectations.
• Collaborate with partners in the Technology areas to plan and execute architectural realisation of the new products.
• Platform against a mid to long term plan that compliments and aligns with business goals and focuses on the delivery of the new solutions.
• Ensure the availability, continuity and security of data and information pertaining to the organisation.
• Track new developments in the industry, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the software and ERP system function at the organisation.
• Identify areas of improvement to meet organizational needs and improve data integrity.
• Formulate process and technological improvement solutions to enhance efficiencies.
• Work in conjunction with relevant departments to implement changes, providing an integrated service.

User Support and Consulting

• Advise management on strategic systems conversions and integrations in support of business goals and objectives.
• Provide end-user support to the organisation's IT systems and work across all business units to maintain and manage functionality, performance and integrity.
• Advise on opportunities to utilise new systems to improve staff efficiency.
• Engage with a diverse range of stakeholders both internally and externally, including suppliers, delivery partners and end users (clients) to ensure effective delivery of services
• Negotiate with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure ICT specific products and services
• Manage contracts and relationships with external service providers

Systems administration

• Assist with all systems administration tasks as defined by the Head of the Unit.
• Ensure that system Licences are in place and paid for on time.
• Develop standard operating procedures and ensuring quality standards in the system functionality produced.
• Provide staff training to both internal and business stakeholders, where required and appropriate.
• Manager compliance to standard operating procedures and policies as deployed in the system administration environment
• Manage on-going support for all systems in use, ensuring that the service provided to customers / users is the highest possible within the resources available.
• Undertake scoping and project management for small/medium improvement projects to improve existing applications and services.
• Provide regular reports to Senior Manager on issues relating to the ICT applications operation.

Customer and Stakeholder Management

• Lead the development and implementation of stakeholder management strategies.
• Build and maintain excellent and highly efficient working relations with other agencies, key community leaders and groups of influence to ensure organisational goals are met.
• Gauge the performance of the various teams and recommend areas that need improvement and changes to achieve the targets.
• Identify development and training needs to achieve overall organisational objectives.
• Work in partnership across the organisation's business units to foster a collaborative employee and stakeholder engagement focus.
• Develop and manage relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.

People Management

• Provide leadership and guidance to coach, motivate, and lead team members to their optimum performance levels and career
• Identify designated staff responsibilities, authority and personal performance measurement criteria.
• Monitor the provision of outputs of direct reports to ensure deliverables of the team are met.
• Conduct performance reviews and address areas of non-performance.
• Identify training needs and development opportunities for direct reports.
• Determine staff levels and prepare motivation for the filling of vacancies to complement functional objectives and requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology or Computer Science.
• Minimum of 7 years work experience in the information technology environment of which 3 years should be at supervisory level or consultancy role in application systems services or management of application development life cycle.