Head – IT and Change at Prudential Life Assurance Zambia

Purpose of the Role: 

1. The jobholder is responsible for implementing Change Projects in Prudential Zambia. They provide project and programme management expertise to the activities to successfully deliver change in the organisation. This will involve co-ordination of resources and management of dependencies for selected projects. They will provide oversight of any risks and issues arising.

The jobholder will promote best practice in Business Analysis, Project Management, Testing, Process Documentation and Benefits Realisation. They will be involved in projects from inception to implementation and benefit delivery. The jobholder will be responsible for providing the strategic direction to Change Management, IT & Digital function and ensure execution of plans and policies so that IT becomes a business enabler for PLAZ.

The jobholder will be required to update senior stakeholders on project progress and issues. They will be required to anticipate problems and propose solutions to ensure delivery on time and to budget. The role is crucial for maintaining focus, enthusiasm, and momentum on projects.

2. The Jobholder is also responsible for the development and maintenance of the IT estate for PLAZ. This includes the suite of software in place to allow PLAZ to operate effectively, either via inhouse developed software or packaged solutions from external suppliers.

The jobholder additionally is responsible for the effective setup and operation of all IT infrastructure to support PLAZ, including the delivery of sufficient operational bandwidth, telephony capability, cloud-based solutions, Data security, and disaster recovery capability.

Key responsibilities and approximate time split: 

➢ Change Management (50%) 

1. Outlining the strategic direction of IT in PLAZ by defining the means by which IT can facilitate efficient business delivery. This includes planning technology interfaces that can assist in business planning as well as operational delivery.

2. Delivery of change projects to time, cost and benefit requirements for all divisions.

3. Managing dependencies between projects to ensure optimal delivery.

4. Developing change guidelines and standards for topics including project management, testing, process improvement, process documentation, implementation and benefit realization.

5. Management of stakeholders ensuring efficient communication to all stakeholders and appropriate escalation of any issues.

6. Reporting progress to senior management and representing PLAZ on steering committees for pan-African projects.

7. Developing and agreeing with the program of change necessary to deliver business strategy, and providing input to the annual business planning cycle.

➢ IT Support and Delivery (40%) 

1. Overseeing the IT department ensuring effective delivery and maintenance of software and infrastructure to meet business requirements.

2. Defining guidelines on IT policies of the company and ensuring implementation across functions and regions.

3. Provision of IT support services to manage incidents and restore service within agreed SLAs.

4. Providing disaster recovery capability to ensure business continuity.

5. Providing data security for Prudential’s data, whether stored onsite, offsite on cloud-based.

6. Relationship management with third-party software and service providers, ensuring delivery to required SLAs.

7. Design and implement robust knowledge management system for collation and dissemination of relevant information, across the organization

➢ People management (10%) 

• Manpower planning for projects based on the changing timetable.

• Undertaking performance review and feedback for direct subordinates and ensuring the same for all other department members.

• Working with Department Heads to secure resources for projects and providing performance feedback on resources allocated to projects.

• Ensuring timely information flows within and across departments

➢ Attributes 

• Experience and knowledge of change management principles, methodologies and tools

• Proven experience in IT at Senior Management level with at least 5 years’ experience

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal

• Ability to establish and maintain strong relationships

• Organized with a natural inclination for planning strategy and tactics

• Problem-solving and root cause identification skills

• Able to work effectively at all levels in an organization

• Must be a team player and able to work collaboratively with and through others

• Acute business acumen and understanding of organizational issues and challenges

• Detailed knowledge of project management methodologies, tools and phases of the project lifecycle

• Experience with large-scale organizational change

➢ Qualifications 

• BSc/BA in computer science, engineering or relevant field; MSc/MA will be a plus

• Certifications in any of the following will be an added advantage:

Project management Certification 

ITIL® Foundation Certification

Change Management Certification 

.