Head of Special Projects at Discovery Limited

About the Job

Key Purpose

• Lead the conceptualizing and managing of projects within the Special Projects team in Discovery Health. Provides thought leadership and innovation insights to senior business executives to support the health business strategy. Effectively manages the Special Projects team, supporting them with delivery of high-quality projects, within the budget.

Areas of responsibility may include but not limited to

Problem Solving

• Clearly articulates the key questions / problems to be solved / hypotheses to prove and subsequently drives the required analysis in an efficient and effective way, pushing beyond the obvious
• Provides quality assurance on data collection and helps identify creative sources of data where required.
• Identifies innovative but reasonable and feasible recommendations that help to drive strategic business outcomes.
• Provides thought leadership and strategic guidance and support to senior Health Executives
• Consistently guarantees reliability of team analyses and conclusions drawn from them.
• Ensures soundness of findings and practicality of recommendations for implementation

Communication & presence

• Runs presentations and facilitates discussions effectively, adapting to different audiences and handling difficult situations effectively.
• Supports the team to engage with various stakeholders and manage difficult conversations where necessary.
• Effectively engages other business stakeholders to get buy-in for team ideas and remove roadblocks.
• Ensures the quality (clarity, succinctness, and accuracy) of all communications, including appropriateness for audience.
• Leads development of complete communications strategies, going beyond presentations and reports where needed.
• Identifies and raises roadblocks timeously, while providing possible solutions to these roadblocks

Content/Technical expertise

• Demonstrated breadth of understanding across multiple content / functional areas
• Uses expertise in technical areas and insights from cross-business discussions to guide projects.

Stakeholder relationships

• Manages relationships with senior "project sponsors" effectively, building long-term relationships with senior level stakeholders that encourage them to seek out special projects when they require support.
• Leads the team in handling complex/political client situations with positive outcomes.

Project & work management

• Able to oversee large complex projects, providing guidance and coaching to ensure successful implementation.
• Shows sophistication in scoping and managing projects to mitigate risks.
• Provides timely and appropriate guidance to team members; works effectively as a team with project owners/sponsors.

Team contribution & people development

• Committed to coaching and building the skills of team members; perceived as a mentor and leader.
• Able to bring out best in a team by empowering them and supporting them as needed; elicits active participation and creative contributions from team members.

Team Admin

• Manages team capacity, driving hiring and retention strategies and ensuring effective prioritization sessions.
• Develops and manages utilization of annual team & project budgets.
• Able to identify and recommend value-add, opportunity topics for the team to drive.

Personal Attributes and Skills

Behavioural skills

• Customer service orientation, Results orientation, Conflict resolution, Negotiation skills, Time management, Professional communication (written, verbal, presenting and listening), Creativeness, Innovation, Stress management, Assertiveness, Tenacity

Education and Experience

• 4 Year Analytical degree
• Outstanding academic qualification
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in a strategic role
• 3 to 5 years of management consulting experience
• Strong track record of professional performance and delivery