Corporate Functions, Applications Manager at Astron Energy (Pty) Ltd.

The Corporate functions applications manager is responsible for all SAP related products and services and provides a governance role over all applications in the Application Portfolio Catalogue (APC). This role has oversight of the corporate APC, licensing, seeking synergies and consolidation opportunities. They monitor application uptime, ensure RCA’s are conducted on all incidents and drive a culture of reliability and continuous improvement. This role ensures that all IT compliance and security requirements are strictly adhered to and are fully auditable. They are responsible for application outsourcing and seeking synergies across the group, as well as managing key application vendor relationships and escalations.
Responsibilities (but not limited to): 

• Manage a team of IT professionals to deliver support and value to the business in order for it to meet its strategic objectives.
• Support the BRM’s and the Enterprise Architect by enforcing adherence to IT application standards, policies and governance frameworks; execute the long term IT and EA roadmap and strategy
• Support corporate affairs business partners and project management teams; to deliver projects on time; on budget and to specification (solution)
• Provide consultancy services to assist business and IT teams during RFI; RFP; project scoping; project budgeting and high level conceptual design specifically:
• Contract management for software licence management as well as application support and outsourcing
• Ensure adequate DR/BCP’s in place, UAR are done and that SOD’s are mitigated. Work closely with IAM and SAP Authorisations to ensure strong access management in place and that the joiner/leaver process strictly adhere to so that appropriate access to applications is maintained.
• Conduct feasibility assessments where requested for proposed application implementations or changes
• Advise, manage and plan for all key technology decisions and changes required
• Support development of solution delivery time, resource and cost estimates
• Design solutions / provide impact assessments to meet project objectives; business requirements; business capabilities that adhere to best IT practises (fit for purpose; adaptable; future proof; cost efficient; secure; maintainable and supportable)
• Participate in governance forums
• Identify out of compliance solutions and propose rectification actions
• Participate in IT response teams during major IT incidents (system outage / cyber security)
• Provide an applications COE for technical support to applications teams within Astron Energy
• Responsible for ticketed query system and ensuring comprehensive database of queries and resolutions is kept up to date
• Maintain and updating technical documents and procedures
• Identify and resolving technical issues, coordinating at a local and international level where required
• Deliver regular and customised training to teams within the business
• Ensure adequate maintenance plans and upgrading schedules for the organisation’s applications
• Develop reporting for teams across the business and provide a COE and outsource model for peak demand

Professional Qualification and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems or other related field, or equivalent work experience.
• SAP certification and/or experience required

 Work Experience: 

• 10 or more years IT experience in a corporate environment

Knowledge and skills:

• Strong strategic planning capabilities – to effectively partner with BRM’s and the various architects.
• Deep understanding of SAP technology stack as well as broad, extensive applications and integration knowledge, to include OS, DB, middleware, application layer, OT, IoT, virtualisation/BI/PowerBI, Fiori, and cloud technologies
• Ability to work under pressure; in stressful situations to tight timelines on multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Strategic insight and detailed orientated
• Embrace Agile and DevOps where possible
• Strong negotiation; interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Background in architecture; application development and operations, business processes and technology 
• Strong vendor and contract management skills
• Thought-leader and change agent
• A ‘can-do’ attitude

Key Processes Supported:

This role supports to following critical processes:

• Any business process that utilises an SAP Application (SAP S4, Ariba, Concur, AE Connect, etc). Processes include Order to cash, Procure to pay.