TITLE: Regional Head of Business & Technology Solutions (BTS) ESA
TEAM/PROGRAMME: IT
LOCATION: Any Country office within ESA Region
GRADE: 2
CONTRACT LENGTH: Permanent
Child Safeguarding
Level 2: either the role holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young people as part of their work; or they will be working in a ‘regulated’ position (accountant, barrister, solicitor, legal executive); therefore a police check will be required (at ‘standard’ level in the UK or equivalent in other countries).
ROLE PURPOSE:
The role holder is accountable for leading and driving the delivery of technology services, business solutions and setting direction to all field/country office IT staff and act as the key link between the regions and their countries and the centre. The role holder will also act as the primary Technology Business Partner and point of contact for the Regional Director and senior management team along with the Country Directors within the region to deliver high quality programmes for children. The role holder is accountable as part of the Global IT Operations team to ensure the operation of all SCI IT services consumed in the region whilst ensuring all Regional and Country Offices comply with IT Standards, Policies and Procedures as laid out in the SCI Quality Framework. Supporting Transformation and Project Delivery team to help implement any new IT projects into countries within the region.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Director of IT Global Operations
Dimensions: East and Southern Africa (ESA) region consisting of 13 Countries located in East and Southern Africa with an estimated 4000 staff in the region. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
The scope of the role includes:
- To ensure all CO’s deliver safe, secure and effective IT services.
- Ensure services are complaint with COOM, apply appropriate escalation to CO/RO and Centre IT leadership where required to achieve compliance.
- Working with the Global IT Leadership in other locations to provide reliable, scalable IT services to all SCI countries & members that consume shared service to agreed standards.
- Ensuring level 1 and 2 support and maintenance of all operational systems are delivered to SLAs and KPIs to the countries including user IT devices such as laptops and mobile phones.
- Technology business partner to Regional and Country leaders, with focus on helping them understand how to use technology to deliver high quality programmes for children.
- Effective Oversight of Regional and Country Infrastructure including telecommunications networks, Field technologies, IT Security and Data Protection ensuring all Co’s are meeting the security standard and fully compliant with all aspects of Data Protection.
- Ensuring new Technology 4 Development and business simplification Process Initiatives get the required approval and T4D Catalogue is kept up to date.
- Supporting the delivery of global priority projects in the region, in line with any agreed PMO plans as well as regional projects which are approved by RD and CIO
- Technology and Brand Advocate, including speaking at Technology/NGO conferences.
Staff directly reporting to this post: 2 direct reports and dotted line responsibility for approximately 20+ country IT leaders.
Budget responsibilities: Direct budgetary responsibilities in the order of $300-400 K per annum, with a broader indirect influence over country IT spend, estimated at a further $1000k p.a.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
- To ensure IT across the region is delivered in a safe, secure and effective manner.
- Ensuring all COs and ROs comply with the IT Controls as laid out in the Country Office Operating Model. Where any risk is identified, hold the RD/CD to account for the delivery of the remediation plan to agreed timelines.
- Leading a small regional IT team to provide effective oversight, support and direction to the regional & country office IT staff.
- Ensure Child safeguarding, personal safety and security and protection of sensitive digital data is foremost in all activities.
- Supporting Global Head of IT Security & Director of IT Global Operations to ensure effective Risk Management & Information Security processes and adherence to IT policies and standards in the region
- Capacity-building through coaching, training and mentoring the technology staff within the regions to continuously improve their personal and team performance, and staying updated on IT guidelines, standards, policies and strategy.
- Coordinating IT needs during emergency operations where required.
- Working with each global IT service domain leader (applications, user devices, Enterprise and field technologies) to develop specific regional and country service strategies and sourcing arrangements, which collectively help deliver the overall SCI IT Strategy.
- Adhering to global ‘service management framework’, based on ITIL industry standards and tools, with focus on effective incident, problem and change management across centre , regional and country IT staff
- Maintaining supplier management process for regional IT suppliers, working with procurement to ensure alignment and adherence to SCI Technology Minimum Requirements.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- holds self accountable for IT delivery across the region and the delivery of central services to the region
- holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving results together with children and role modelling Save the Children values
- holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
- sets ambitious and challenging goals for self and team, takes responsibility for own personal development and encourages team to do the same
- widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- future-orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale
Collaboration:
- builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members, donors and partners
- values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
- develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
- willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
- honest, encourages openness and transparency
always acts in the best interests of children
EXPERIENCE & SKILLS
Essential
- A master's degree in computer science or a related field.
- At least 7 years of professional experience in information technology management, including at least five in a senior leadership role.
- Substantial experience of working at regional IT leadership level, preferably working with IT service and project delivery teams;
- Experience of managing regional IT staff and suppliers;
- Significant experience of implementing IT service management processes and tools, in accordance with recognized industry standards such as ITIL.
- experience of working in a fast-paced environment with quick turnaround times, whilst delivering to the highest standards
- evidence of having operated successfully in a ‘matrix’ organisation, with global, regional and country based staff.
- ability to resolve complex service issues, with a balance of pragmatism and rigour.
- commitment to Save the Children values.
Desirable
- experience of ‘field operations’ and the IT-related issues associated with working in remote, inhospitable and insecure environments
- strong understanding of/willingness to learn key trends in international and humanitarian development and how technology can and is being utilised to support these developments