Head IT at Africa Prudential Registrars Plc

About the Role

• The Head IT reports to the MD/CEO and is responsible for establishing the organization’s technical vision and leading all aspects of company’s technology development. Playing an integral role in the organization’s strategic direction, development, and future growth,
• He/She is responsible for managing the technology Resources, Security and Product as well as overseeing the Digital Technology and Capital Market Project Management 

Responsibilities

• Strategic Alignment: Specify collaboration with executive leadership for alignment with organizational goals. 
• Stakeholder Engagement: Detail communication methods with business departments, product managers, and risk management team. 
• Innovation and Emerging Technologies: Elaborate on driving innovation, staying updated on tech trends, and leveraging them. 
• Leadership and Team Management: Provide details on fostering collaboration, mentorship, and professional development. 
• Risk Management: Emphasize role in identifying, assessing, and addressing IT-related risks. 
• Continuous Improvement: Outline plans for driving improvement initiatives, measuring performance, and enhancing efficiency. 
• Overseeing the entire IT environment and architectural framework within the Capital Market business. 
• Spearheading the digitalization and automation strategy, catalyzing the evolution of the organization into a technology-centric entity. 
• Leading innovative endeavors to propel transformation, integrating cutting-edge technologies to enhance services and offerings. 
• Maintaining a competitive edge in digital service channels and leveraging the Digital Ecosystem's potential. 
• Efficiently managing the technology network to ensure optimal performance, resilience, and cost-effectiveness. 
• Identifying operational requirements and ensuring timely development of tailored software solutions to boost operational efficiency. 
• Developing and maintaining a comprehensive framework for IT policies, standards, and strategies to empower business operations within strategic and budgetary confines. 
• Implementing robust business continuity plans and regularly testing disaster recovery measures to mitigate operational disruptions. 
• Providing crucial support to business departments, meeting their needs within specified timelines. 
• Setting priorities, objectives, and benchmarks in line with industry best practices to deliver business value. 
• Streamlining organizational processes and operations to enhance efficiency. 
• Identifying and addressing potential security threats through strategic measures to mitigate risks. 
• Formulating long-term plans to align IT support with future business trends. 
• Evaluating business case justifications and conducting ROI analysis for IT spending and initiatives. 
• Directing and managing the Software Development and IT teams via the Project Management Office (PMO) and DT (Engineering Team) to ensure alignment with user requirements. 
• Enforcing Agile processes within the team for streamlined delivery. 
• Collaborating effectively with Product Managers and Product Owners to ensure alignment and priority-based delivery. 
• Supervising the Project Management Office and implementing mechanisms for monitoring, managing, and reporting progress on software development activities. 
• Establishing and sustaining a continuous improvement plan for software development and IT infrastructure. 
• Collaborating with the Enterprise Risk Management team to identify, assess, and mitigate risks to prevent potential impacts on business operations. 
• Working closely with Product Managers to meet current and future user needs. 
• Leading product innovation efforts by identifying market trends and developing strategies to introduce new products or enhance existing ones. 
• Spearheading the development and launch of innovative products, aligning them with customer needs and market demands. 
• Fostering a culture of innovation within the organization, encouraging creativity and ideation to enhance products and services. 

Skills/Attributes

• The idea candidate for this be able to demonstrate: 
• A history of leading and supporting successful technology teams. 
• A strong business acumen in addition to technical skills 
• Exposure to Development Labs, Innovation Teams, Mobile payments, e Wallets, PPI would be an added advantage. Firsthand knowledge in supervising development of software solutions 
• Exposure to Service Automation, Digitization and Innovation 
• Strong project management skills and management of development, maintenance and support teams. 
• Up to date with the current (and future) levels of IT security, threats, vulnerabilities that could impact the organizations digital and financial assets 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Good negotiation skills 
• Interpersonal skills to form effective working relationships with people at all levels. 
• Respect and understand the importance of confidentiality and discretion. 
• Be able to work accurately, with good attention to detail. 
• Integrity and approachability, as business owners and other stakeholders must feel able to discuss sensitive and confidential issues with you. 
• Ability to equilibrate priorities and organize work effectively to meet deadlines.

Education/Experience Requirements

• Academic/Professional Background: B.Tech / M. Tech / MC/MBA degree with a passion for working in a recognized company 
• Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science or equivalent experience. 
• Work Experience: Minimum of 10 years’ experience in IT field with an executive-level position with responsibility for IT Strategy