Senior IT Operations and Advice Capabilities Manager (Bellville) at Sanlam Group

What will you do?
Our Sanlam Distribution Business Unit (SanlamConnect) seeks an experienced Senior IT Operations Manager to oversee and manage our IT operations support services and Advice Tools Capabilities. The successful candidate will ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of all SanlamConnect IT systems and infrastructure, manage a team of IT professionals, including Advice Management Business Analysts, ensure that our IT services align with business needs and objectives, and manage internal and external service providers.

What will make you successful in this role?

• Manage and lead the IT professionals responsible for delivering IT support, operations services, and the Advice Management team on SanFin and Advice Partner in Sanlam’s distribution business (SanlamConnect)
• Develop and maintain IT operations policies and procedures, including those related to incident and problem management, change management, and service level agreements
• Work closely with other teams to ensure that IT systems are designed and implemented to meet business needs and objectives, including requirements gathering, planning, testing, and deployment
• Ensure the availability, reliability, and performance of all IT systems and infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking, and applications
• Develop and manage IT budgets, ensuring that spending is aligned with business priorities and objectives
• Identify and manage risks related to IT operations and support services, developing, and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies
• Develop and maintain relationships with vendors and third-party providers, ensuring that service level agreements are met, and that vendor performance is regularly reviewed
• Provide regular reporting on IT operations and support services, including performance metrics and KPI’s to senior management
• Manage the BA’s responsible for requirements gathering, solution design and testing for Advice Management tools
• Ensure that Advice Management tools are kept aligned with business and legislative changes

Qualification and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• BSC IT or IT Information Technology qualification
• Certified in ITIL
• At least 8 years of experience in IT operations and support, with at least 5 years in a management or leadership role
• Experience in financial services or a related industry is preferred

Knowledge and skills

• Strong technical expertise in IT infrastructure and systems, including servers, storage, networking, and applications
• Proven ability to manage and lead a team of IT professionals, including experience in hiring, training, and developing staff
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to plan, execute and deliver projects on time and within budget
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organisation