The Chief Information Officer operates at an executive level and is responsible for developing and governing our information technology strategy in order to drive intelligent business decisions and build scalable systems to support the rapid growth of the companys network
This role oversees the optimisation of current systems and critical business processes while also being accountable for the implementation of new technologies, ensuring that they meet the business requirements and that they are delivered on time and within budget
The Chief Information Officer develops required policies and procedures and works closely with various functions within the companies business to collect, prepare, organize, protect and analyze technology assets while ensuring that the company meets industry best practices. This will often require that they lead interdisciplinary project teams to improve and streamline SPARK’s systems while ensuring compliance with the relevant regulations (POPIA, GDPR, etc.)
A successful candidate will have a proven track record in information technology initiatives, systems, and tools. A strong background in IT, mathematics, analytics, business leadership will be advantageous.
Responsibilities:
Design and refine future-fit technology strategy for the company supported by a strong business case
Definition of systems integration and architecture requirements based on the data and technology strategy, with a particular focus on the Customer Journey and the alleviation of pain points therein
Development of best practice data migration processes and procedures to support the migration from existing systems, back-ups, and archives to new ones
Impact assessment of data and technology changes ahead of implementation
Overseeing the change management for various stakeholders before, during and after systems and technology migration
Designing risk mitigation initiatives for the technology work streams
Feasibility assessments of projects aligned with the company's technology strategy
Oversee the collection, storage, management, quality, and protection of data
Oversee the implementation of data privacy policies and complying with data protection regulations
Delivering actionable insights derived from data for decision-making across the business
Overseeing maintenance and management of SPARK’s big data solutions and tools.
Leading, motivating and managing technical teams.
Updating functional job knowledge of technology and data teams by facilitating and encouraging participation in educational opportunities
Training of existing and onboarding of new staff formulated with the professional development team as part of the relevant KPIs relative to the competency frameworks for the appropriate roles
Ongoing industry and functional research to ensure that the company aligns with best practices and minimizes project risks
Reporting to the Executive Committee and Board on key strategic projects to ensure alignment, buy-in, and adequate return on investment
Qualifications and Criteria:
BSc / BCom in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related degree(s)
5 to 10 years experience in a senior-level technology management role
5+ years of experience in P&L ownership
MBA or another aligned postgraduate qualification preferred
Competencies:
Extensive experience in cloud computing (infrastructure, storage, platforms, and data), working with a variety of technology systems, designing solutions, or developing business applications
Experience working in a start-up or scale-up organization would be advantageous
Development experience
ERP software experience and experience
Cloud-based Enterprise Service Bus / Middleware layer and integration approaches
Payment gateway/billing
Essential to have experience with the Google Cloud Platform
Experience in Technology Project Management essential
Stakeholder Management experience to include internal stakeholders, vendors, operational and executive committees
Systems and data change management process design and execution
Understanding of POPIA, GDPR, IT security and privacy regulations
Knowledge of Business Processes relating to Billing, Workflow, Customer Relationship Management, Procurement, Operations, Human Capital Management, and Finance would be advantageous
Student Information System experience advantageous
Qualities:
Strong verbal and written communicator with the ability to have firm conversations with suppliers, implementation partners, as well as staff members during requirements-gathering sessions and stakeholder updates
Proven ability to analyze and solve problems
Proven track record in the implementation of systems
Excellent understanding of business operations
Ability to create team congruence and foster collaboration to stay motivated and to achieve goals.
Ability to lead business and process transformation and to position technology as an enable
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
Ability to collaborate across different teams and build strong working relationships
Displays grit, a high level of excellence, is mission and vision aligned, and a high level of self-reflection (GEMS)
