Senior Manager: Digital Technology Solutions at Absa

Job Summary

• This role assumes overall responsibility for the end-to-end execution of the strategic digital roadmap across multiple digital front-end channels across a complex portfolio of business units. These product strategies must be aligned to the Group and / or business unit requirements and contribute to the overall achievement of the bank’s strategy.
• Leads the implementation of the strategic digital roadmap of multiple streams within the portfolio across multiple channels. Delivers complex, large scale digital products through the integration and optimisation of the internal value chain. 
• For the designated portfolio of digital products, lead and drive operational excellence in the delivery of the relevant business plans with respect to customer and colleague digital adoption, consequently driving business value and business performance in digital channels.

Job Description

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Accountable to the customer, lead the end-to-end execution of the digital strategy across various digital front-end channels through driving parallel execution paths across various products within the portfolio
• Lead and take accountability for multiple product streams by evaluating both market and technology opportunities for improvement of Digital products and features on offer within Channel.
• Contribute to the formulation of product strategies by providing key inputs into defining product vision, roadmaps and growth opportunities to penetrate possible market opportunities in line with the larger digital business strategy. 
• Execute on the strategic vision for the product portfolio through translating strategic outcomes into defined work packages that can be interlocked across various structures
• Assess value, develop cases, and prioritize stories, epics and themes, across product streams to ensure work focuses on those products with maximum value that are aligned with overall Digital product strategy
• Remain abreast with local and international trends and developments within the digital PM (Lean Startup) world to identify opportunities for the improvement of Product sets 
• Drive the product release planning and set expectation for delivery of new functionalities. Track progress of work and address risk and interdependencies which impact on business units and product streams within the portfolio.
• Serve as a professional functional specialist and contribute to digital thought leadership, trends and market insights to influence and optimise the formulation of the business digital transformational strategy
• Provide key inputs into the multiyear (3-5) roadmaps that will drive out the portfolio strategy. Must provide the expertise to influence prioritisation and investment decisions for the channel portfolio
• Implement the required improvements to improve the maturity of the capability
• Product Development
• Drive the end to end achievement of the digital strategy of the Channel. In so doing must create appropriate plans to achieve these objectives and establish metrics and data points to ensure effective monitoring of the strategy execution
• Drive development and management of internal processes to ensure the effective delivery of products. 
• Provide innovative solutions to digital problems and seek to identify customer opportunities that can be solved digitally.
• Drive and deliver on mobile feature development and guide team on crafting a mobile first transformation agenda with portfolio of products.
• Evaluate, implement and leverage product management technology and tools to increase productivity, and accelerate team learning and skills development.
• Product lifecycle
• Focused on the needs of the customer, adopt a holistic approach that considers the end-to-end product system to drive out key results and interlock key deliverables across the value stream.
• Guide and advise cross-functional teams through the entire strategic and tactical product lifecycle, from ideation and roadmap to development, refinement, ongoing optimization, growth and finally product retirement. 
• Drive the development of go to market strategy and preparation of both internal and external plans before go-to market launch.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to develop scale and marketing plans. Measure ROI of marketing investment on an on-going basis.
• Enforce the continuous Product performance analysis in terms of all product parameters (including market share, customer take up, utilisation / activity, financial performance etc.) and promote a focus on market activity to gain traction and market share in the industry.
• Design and implement continuous improvement action plans.to drive greater levels of service management and customer experience
• Drive the development of sunsetting plans for products in the portfolio that are outdated, and which are not providing a ROI.
• Learning and Growth / PM / Risk
• Establish and promote adherence to the necessary processes and standards and set the governance for the lifecycle of digital assets.
• Lead the interview and recruitment process for product portfolio.
• Drive formal performance development and provide informal coaching for the portfolio team and facilitate frequent knowledge sharing between team members.
• Ensure effective utilisation of the knowledge management and agile learning system by the team to support real- time learning.
• Drive new ways of working by implementing best practices and methods for the portfolio. 
• Facilitate and maintain an engaging, enabling and productive work climate aligned to the employee value proposition and cultivate a culture of innovation, experimentation and results-orientation
• Lead the execution team of cross functional experts and foster a culture of ownership and accountability.
• Commercial performance
• Promote and commercialise the strategic outcomes of digital assets through the effective use of marketing tools, communication methods and digital techniques for different channels.
• Deliver on the commercial outcomes of digital assets. 
• Continuously seek new opportunities to maximise the value of digital assets.
• Contribute to the setting of portfolio budgets to ensure adequate funding for strategic deliverables of the business unit.
• Continuously review product performance against key SLA’s delivering corrections where necessary. Track commercial performance against annual targets set.
• Identify new revenue opportunities and cost reduction opportunities within the portfolio for current and future considerations.
• Proactively manage high risk and problematic financial issues in respect of accountability and governance.
• Support the commercial decision making of digital assets throughout the product lifecycle 

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences (Required)