Head: Digital & Change Enablement - Absa Bank

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.

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Job Summary

Responsible for the planning, mobilisation, management, and execution of Absa Ghana and ARO Strategic Change Projects, through the entire Absa Project Management Lifecycle by using approved project-management principles. In this multifaceted role, you will be responsible for spearheading digital transformation initiatives, overseeing change management processes, managing the Project Management Office (PMO), and providing strategic direction to Enterprise Architecture.

Job Description

Key

Accountabilities

Accountability: Project Definition and Planning Activities

• Work with the business to define its requirements to meet its strategic objectives, including assistance in the development of Stage 1 and Stage 2 business cases for the related projects.
• Work with the product owner to define, scope and plan the project and agree on structure and deliverables according to the Absa Project Management methodology.
• Ensure sign-off for the business case is obtained from the Project Sponsor and Steering Committee.
• Prepare and agree on detailed project/sub-project responsibilities with the Project Steering Committee for all changes to the project as necessary.
• Provide regular and accurate progress reports and updated plans monthly basis to the Project Steering Committee, Head: Change Delivery and the ARO Delivery Review Forum and any other stakeholders as required by Country, ARO and Group reporting requirements.
• Maintain the projects business case and secure funding releases from the ARO Change Approval Forum.
• Within the context of a Programme, confirm any plans for the external procurement of any resource/s and services with the Program Manager to gain approval for the use thereof.
• Work with procurement on the process of procuring the external supply of resource and services and lead the negotiation of major contracts with external suppliers.
• Ensure that all service contracts include a clear specification of the supplier’s responsibilities regarding scope and quality of the deliverables, as well as costs and timescales.
• Ensure that all tasks that are carried out comply with Absa procedures, mandatory quality standards and agreed architectural framework as detailed and required in the Absa Project Management methodology and training.
• Manage compliance with the ABSA Group project practices and methodologies while being proactive with any resourcing and financial constraints as detailed in the Absa Project Management methodology and training.
• Maintain and update Country, ARO and Group project management systems in line with set ARO project management requirements.

Accountability: Staff Management Activities

• Agree resource plans with the Programme Manager or Sponsor and manage the recruitment of staff, contractors and external consultants, as appropriate.
• Ensure that staff, where appropriate, are adequately trained and prepared for implementation of the solution, and that the operational handover is well planned and managed, without any adverse effect on existing systems and processes, and that all SLA commitments are fully achievable.
• Review and quality-assure the project team deliverables (business analysis & design) as detailed and required in the Absa Project Management methodology and training.
• Guide, mentor and lead the business analysis and design activities, and provide conceptual thought leadership to develop the project team and ensure success of project delivery. Improve the project team members business analysis and design skills through ongoing mentoring and coaching.
• Manage and lead project team, provide assistance to less experienced staff by giving guidance and supporting on the job training, as appropriate.
• Act as a task manager for Implementation Managers, where needed based on the project plan for rollout and implementation.
• Conduct a regular review of individual and team performance targets to assess and ensure quality of project deliverables, adherence to timelines and maximise use of resources working on the project.
• Delegate effectively, allowing team members to take responsibility for performance.
• Proactively and creatively develop the team’s skills by encouraging learning and knowledge transfer and by recognising their achievements.
• Identify any training needed to support the project implementation planning delivery of training within project timescales.
• Contribute to the performance assessment of staff undertaking sub-project work by providing feedback.

Accountability: Project Management

• Establish and maintain the correct structures to control and monitor the initiation, progress and delivery of the project or comply with the correct structures set up by the Programme Manager or Senior Project Manager to control and monitor the initiation, progress, and delivery of the project.
• Actively participate in all phases and activities of the Project and provide specialist guidance to the Project Team, particularly in project definition, requirements analysis, business and technical design and change control activities.
• Control / co-ordinate the work of the project team, allocating tasks, monitoring progress, ensuring awareness of responsibilities and securing commitment to successful project delivery.
• Comply with the appropriate structures established and maintained by the Programme Manager, to ensure the delivery of projects.
• Prepare current and accurate forecast of costs, cashflow, timescales and resource requirements and agree with the Project Steering Committee.
• Identify and manage all Project issues and risks, including their appropriate escalation and contingency management.
• Identify all products and tasks associated with their completion. Prepare and maintain detailed and accurate project and resource plans, with current estimates for activity completion.
• Monitor and control the use of resources and funds against the original budget or, where appropriate the latest allocation. Gain agreement for all changes to the project as necessary.
• Manage the process of procuring the external supply of resource and services and support the negotiation of major contracts with external suppliers.
• Prepare a quality plan for each project that outlines the overall approach to quality, identifies the standards to be employed and / or developed in the preparation of all products and plans for the process of quality assurance, review and control.
• Ensure that all tasks are carried out comply with departmental procedures, mandatory quality standards and agreed architectural framework.

Accountability: Project Management

• Craft a comprehensive digital strategy aligned with the organization’s overall business goals and objectives.
• Ensure that the digital strategy is flexible enough to adapt to changing market dynamics and technological advancements.
• Provide visionary leadership to drive digital transformation initiatives across the organization.
• Inspire teams to embrace a digital-first mindset and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Engage with executive leadership and key stakeholders to communicate the vision and value proposition of the digital strategy.
• Establish strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and support for digital initiatives.
• Work closely with finance and other relevant departments to allocate resources and budget effectively for digital initiatives.
• Prioritize and justify investments in digital technologies that align with strategic objectives.
• Identify potential risks associated with digital projects and proactively develop risk mitigation strategies.
• Implement robust contingency plans to address unforeseen challenges and ensure the resilience of digital systems.
• Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the success and impact of digital initiatives.
• Regularly report on the progress of digital projects to stakeholders, providing insights and recommendations for improvement.
• Stay informed about emerging technologies and trends relevant to the industry.
• Evaluate and recommend technologies that can enhance organizational efficiency, customer experiences, and competitive positioning.
• Develop and implement change management strategies to ensure successful adoption of digital solutions.
• Provide training and support to employees at all levels to facilitate a smooth transition to new digital processes and technologies.
• Foster collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure the seamless integration of digital solutions into existing business processes.
• Work closely with department heads to ensure a holistic approach to digital transformation.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement by regularly assessing the effectiveness of digital processes.
• Encourage innovation within the organization, creating avenues for employees to contribute ideas and experiment with new technologies.

Enterprise Architecture:

• Provide strategic direction for Enterprise Architecture, aligning it with the overall business strategy.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of the bank’s enterprise architecture framework to ensure scalability, security, and agility.
• Collaborate with IT and business leaders to optimize technology investments and ensure alignment with long-term goals.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Collaborate closely with leaders across departments, fostering strong working relationships to drive successful implementation of digital and change initiatives.
• Ensure alignment between digital initiatives, change management, and enterprise architecture efforts.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree: Information Technology