Deputy Director: Enterprise Systems -Department of Information Technology Services at University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria

JOB PURPOSE:

The position provides strategic, managerial and operational direction for a team of IT application domain managers/architects; application analysts/developers; application and technical Database Administrators, and application support resources for implementation; maintenance and evolution of the institution’s portfolio of enterprise systems to support the institution’s business processes and reporting needs. The position will ensure liaison with all relevant stakeholders. The management and mitigation of risk within the portfolio.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Operational management and service delivery:
  • Drive development and supports activities for managing the institution’s business data applications (HR, Financial and Supply Chain management; Student Information Management, and Business Intelligence suites); and the critical underlying technologies (“middleware”) that facilitate the University’s Content Management; Identity and Access Management, and Integration platforms; 
  • Plan and manage applications projects, overseeing functional and technical aspects of the implementation and project management techniques;
  • Manage and provide guidance in the delivery of systems that ensure business capability through multiple projects and releases, while maintaining alignment with the overall ITS vision;
  • Identify and prioritise system initiatives, and manage the portfolio of system acquisitions and developments to align with business direction;
  • Plan for system suite’s maintenance, upgrades, expansion and replacement necessary to respond to emerging business demands and technology evolution;
  • Ensure quality control and testing of applications to deliver quality services; 
  • Contribute to initiatives consistent with corporate goals and standards;
  • Ensure process to define business requirements in collaboration with functional partners and campus stakeholders;
  • Establish service management governance, procedures and standards for application development and support to ensure consistent, quality releases;
  • Ensure management for the delivery of projects and programs with oversight on projects using appropriate tools to track progress;
  • Ensure change control and releases of new application functionality;
  • Ensure the maintenance, monitoring and running of systems with resolution of system bugs;

• IT budget and financial management:
  • Compile capital and operational budgets for the Enterprise Systems domain on an annual basis for submission to the Director for inclusion in departmental budget application;
  • Ensure management of the portfolio of contracts for both internal and external service providers;
  • Participate in the negotiations pertaining to the portfolio of institutional software licenses managed by the portfolio;
  • Manage the finances of the division in compliance with the University's policies;

• Human Resource and consultant management:
  • Plan and execute personnel management strategy, including personnel development and recruitment;
  • Implement performance management in accordance with University policy, to develop and enhance the performance of staff members and thus contributing to the overall performance of the University;
  • Implement plans for continual development, accountability, positive team dynamics, and cross-functional collaboration;
  • Ensure training, mentoring and employees’ professional development;
  • Ensure daily management and leadership of staff;
  • Liaise with central HR department for management of portfolio;

• Strategic management and IT governance:
  • Develop the divisional strategic planning, objectives setting, financial planning (budgeting), long term capital plans, and operational planning, in collaboration with the Director ITS;
  • Serve as a member of ITS Management Team;
  • Ensure that IT governance and policies are implemented and maintained;
  • Contribute to IT governance processes, including participating in the Information Technology Committee, subcommittees, and related approval structures for IT projects;
  • Contribute to the development, implementation and maintenance of the institutional IT disaster recovery plan from an IT systems perspective;
  • Ensure that the enterprise systems managed comply with Security and Risk management and Cyber security measures and protocols;

• Customer relations:
  • Engage stakeholders to understand business and academic needs, and identify appropriate solutions and continued innovation of technical capabilities that align with agreed upon business requirements;
  • Maintain and manage communication with stakeholders both internal and external;
  • Implement and monitor service levels and service output;
  • Escalate system issues to system vendors and monitor vendor SLA agreements to ensure compliance of support and delivery of its licensed software suites.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• An applicable Honours degree in Information Technology, Engineering, or Computer Science;
• A total of eight years’ experience, with at least three years in Senior Management, in:
  • Selection, implementation and maintenance of large enterprise-wide IT systems (applications/suites) including:
    • Strategic IT and systems planning and selection;
    • Enterprise systems architecture;
    • Business Analysis; systems design, development, implementation and support;
    • Development and implementation of system integration technologies;
  • General IT management:
    • Stakeholder engagement and alignment;
    • IT End-user support;
    • IT Project management;
    • ITS risk and compliance;
    • IT governance;
    • Change management;
  • HR management: overseeing a large team of primarily technically-oriented IT subordinates;
  • Financial and contractual management.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES):

Knowledge:

• Implementation and maintenance of ERP (Financial, Supply Chain, HR) suites;
• Implementation and maintenance of Student systems;
• Understanding of IT concepts, principles, best practise;
• Strategic planning capabilities (approaches and processes, tools, deliverables);
• System/application architecture and design;
• Financial budgeting and management;
• Contract negotiation and management;

• Technical competencies:
  • MS Office packages;
  • Computer literacy;
  • Resources planning and prioritisation skills;
  • Presentation skills;

Behavioural:

• Adaptability/decisiveness:
  • Ability and confidence to vary between being flexible and holding the University on a decision, depending on what the situation requires;
  • Showing leadership by adjusting one's approach to the demands of a particular task by taking and maintaining a position in a self-assured manner;
• Initiative/perseverance:
  • Ability to work effectively with different people and teams of people by putting others at ease;
  • Acknowledging diverse opinions, addressing relevant concerns, minimizing conflict, promoting harmony;
  • Cooperating with others and working toward consensual solutions to achieve the group's objectives;
• Organisation skills:
  • Ability to identify and set priorities, plan and effectively allocate appropriate resources;
  • To attend to detail so that relevant issues are addressed and result in high-quality outcomes;
  • Proven project management skills with demonstrated track record;
• Stress management:
  • Ability to work well under pressure or opposition, while maintaining effectiveness and self-control in the midst of any one or a combination of stressors, including emotional strain, ambiguity, risk to self, and fatigue;
• Valuing service and diversity:
  • Ability to be sensitive to client and community needs and perceptions by providing prompt, efficient and equitable service, involving clients and community in the resolution of problems that affect them;
• Leadership skills (strategic and operational):
  • Ability to facilitate effective change management;
• Analytical skills;
• Interpersonal skills;
• Communication skills;
• Attention to detail;
• Managing people;
• Negotiation skills (e.g. Stakeholders, vendors, contractors).

ADDED ADVANTAGES AND PREFERENCES:

• Applicable M-degree, MBA or Doctorate – ideally with exposure to Financial and HR management and strategic IT planning;
• Five years’ experience, exposure to, and sound insight of, a portfolio of institutional systems, suites and technologies including:
  • Large enterprise-wide ERP (HR, Financial, Procurement) systems/suites – PeopleSoft suites;
  • Student Information Systems and student management processes – PeopleSoft suites;
  • Enterprise Business Intelligence suites – Oracle suites;
  • Enterprise Content Management systems – Oracle suites;
  • Enterprise Identity and Access Management systems – Oracle suites;
  • System Integration platforms and technologies – Oracle suites;
  • Application Server software and database technologies that underpin enterprise systems – Oracle WebLogic/Oracle database;
  • Various IT technologies and platforms (OnPrem/Cloud);
  • Experience working in the Higher Education vertical;

• A valid driver’s license.