Business Application Manager – HR And Payroll Systems at Advantech

Overall Purpose of the Job:
The supervision of a team of business analysis staff, including allocation of work and quality management, to plan, estimate and carry out programmes of business analysis work to time, budget and quality targets and in accordance with appropriate standards. Within a specific business sub-functional area, such as Student Information Systems or HR System or Teaching and Learning Systems, the identification and development of new and alternative approaches to performing business activities that are made possible by the availability of information and communications technology. Responsible for the methodical investigation, analysis and documentation of the sub-function in terms of the business processes and the information they use. The definition of the requirements for improving any aspect of the processes and systems, and the creation of viable functional specifications in preparation for the construction of the information systems
The planning, introduction and control of service provision, including the negotiation and execution of service and operation level agreements, and the dynamic planning, scheduling, measurement and control of operational facilities to provide the agreed levels of service, taking account of changes in both supply and demand and seeking continuously and proactively to improve services for the benefit of clients or users. The management of the IT investment that satisfies the business requirement for IT of continuously and demonstrably improving IT's cost-efficiency and its contribution to business profitability
Provides input to the IT strategic planning process
The Business Systems Applications Manager oversees the administration, related support and maintenance of Business Application Systems including the oversight of strategic digital initiatives and student systems. Is responsible for digital innovation and alignment to the overall brand strategy including design, implementation and roll-out. Manages and oversees strategic system projects and rollouts and associated relationships

Key Performance Areas/Main Outputs and Responsibilities:

Output 1 - Manage the Operations and Service Delivery of the Business System in area of responsibility:

• Provides accurate up-to-date reporting of all support related expenses including per customer expenditure    of respective support budgets
• Manages applications support effectively and efficiently
• Liaises with the relevant Information Technology (IT) stakeholders to troubleshoot and resolve issues
• Manages associated dependent relationships, Service Level Agreements (SLA's) and Operating Level 
•  Agreements (OLA's) with internal and external service providers   and suppliers
• Ensures appropriate service levels of support and capacity is in place to meet business  demand/requirements
• Provides continuous service and systems security pertaining to applications
• Ensures policies, procedures, processes and governances are designed, implemented, maintained and managed
• Ensures risks are assessed and monitored and mitigating actions are implemented

Output 2 - Manage the Operations and output of the Business Analysts 

• Business Analysis
• Analyses past, present and future business environment.
• Analyses business processes to determine problems, risks and opportunities for improvement
• Reviews processes and conducts process audits, as required.
• Designs new business processes
• Works with managers and relevant users on feasibility studies and establishing business and systems  requirements
• Formulates strategies and guidelines to improve the business environment
• Consults to management (both IT and business) on business procedures and policies Solution Design & Implementation
• Accountable for the solution design and implementation of work with the support of the systems analyst,  analyst programmer, project support administrator, other Business Analysts and project/work delivery managers
• Responsible for design and implement the best possible solution within the constraints of the tools available
• Drives adoption of the implementation of new or enhanced processes

Owns systems, user acceptance testing and implementation of changes or new applications
Requirements Analysis

• Leads the Investigates and defines requirements for business processes
• Documents requirements including data modelling, interface layouts, data flows, screen and report layouts, etc System Testing
• Accountable for Tests systems and user acceptance and implements changes or new applications
• Ensures all testing protocols are adhered to User Support
• Renders support and facilitates sessions for end-users, including training

Output 3 - Manage the Operations and output of the Data and Reporting from systems in area of specialization:

• Application and Data Integration
• Works with application developers to ensure end user and application data requirements are fulfilled
• Maintains the application, and integration points regularly and automates the maintenance processes
• Coordinate system integration processes with internal departments and outside vendors
• Comply with data and application integration policies, standards, documentation, and procedures
• Work with various teams in ADvTECH to ensure that design and business objectives are achieved within the system development process
• Evaluates existing systems and/or user needs to analyse, design, recommend and implement system changes
• Ensures optimal performance, reliability, and integrity of the application, data and integration systems through a variety of techniques and procedures

Output 4 - Manage the Interface with the Business and Users Forums. This includes Problem Management:

• Customer service review meetings with Brands
• Record business requirements and prioritise system changes with Brands
• Provide business with a monthly review of services provided and status of planned changes and  enhancements
• Handles escalations from business and is the lead about Problem Management
• Negotiate SLAs and OLA's with business
• Attends and reviews management meetings with brands monthly
• Documents and agrees processes and procedures in place

Output 5 - Project Management:

• Manage projects and implementations in the Tech Ed space / sprints is area of responsibility.
• Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets
• Escalating issues in a timely manner and suggesting improvements and proposing solutions.
• Tracking and recording the delivery of high-quality products on time while working closely with team members and following project methodologies
• Follow up with scrum teams to resolve production issue
• Lead various teams to prioritize
• Communicate critical issues and potential solutions in a timely manner
• Collaborate with the respective line managers within the IT Operations, Business Applications, Enterprise data and enterprise architecture teams to deliver on projects
• Work with the project manager to ensure that deliverables for the team is defined and that the project  manager can drive delivery with the virtual team members

Output 6 - Financial oversight:

• Reduces costs related to ICT Application Support delivery
• Manage and administrate the monthly billing from vendors
• Approve expenses in area of responsibility
• Manage the budget in area of responsibility

Output 7 - Staffing:

• Define a career path for Support staff
• Conduct EDW, goal settings and conducts employee appraisals.
• Sets performance objectives for staff.
• Establish and define succession planning for your role
• Draws up action plans to address poor performance
• Ensure that staff attend regular training to ensure that they meet the requirements for their role and keep up with the maintenance thereof
• Institute monthly reporting sessions for team leaders to track progress and compliance of systems and work done
• Onboarding and transition to new ways of working for new and existing staff

Education

Minimum:

• Diploma or Degree

Professional Certification
Ideal:

• Bachelor's degree in (Information Systems, Informatics, Computer Size or Information Technology) - NQF 7 (6) Or National Diploma / Diploma in Software
•   Development /IT- NQF 6 (5).
• An appropriate postgraduate qualification and professional certifications are an added advantage however should a candidate have a proven track record of work
•   within the listed key performance areas, the qualification requirement may be reduced
• ITIL v3 Practioner
• Project Management (e.g. PMP, PRINCEII, etc…)
• CBAP/CCBA – Certified Business Analyst Professional

Experience

• 5 years - Systems Administration                                                                         
• Systems Development  5
• Systems Management  5
• Experience in management at a Senior Supervisory capacity 3-5
• Business Process Analysis  3-5
• Service Desk Supervision / Customer service management 3-5
• Application Design (UX and UI)   3-5