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Job Title: (Internal Vacancy) Senior Lead Global IT Operations (WCA)
Team: IT
Reports To: Head, Global IT Operations
Contract Length: Permanent
Grade: M4
Location: Any existing WCA SCI location
Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in):, WCA Time Zone (UTC/GMT + / - 3 hours)
Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.
Language Requirements: French and English
International Travel Requirements: up to 20%
Budget Responsibility: 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.
People Management Responsibility: (direct/indirect reports)
Number of people managed in total: 2 direct reports and dotted line responsibility for approximately 9+ country IT leaders.
Manager of a team: Yes
Team Manager (manager of multiple teams): No
Team purpose
To ensure technology across the WCA is delivered in a safe, secure and effective manner, empowering staff and supporting SCI's mission to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. This role will be pivotal in driving IT compliance, promoting child safeguarding, and enhancing the overall IT capabilities of the organisation.
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.
West & Central Africa (WCA) consisting of 9 countries in West and Central Africa with an estimated 3000 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 WCA Country leaders, with focus on helping them understand how to use technology to deliver high quality programmes for children.
- Effective Oversight of WVA 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.
Principal Accountabilities
- To ensure IT across WCA 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.
Experience and Skills
Essential
- Substantial experience of working at regional IT leadership level, preferably working with IT service and project delivery teams in a ‘matrix’ organisation working in remote, inhospitable and insecure environments managing regional IT staff and suppliers.
- Familiar with all day-to-day aspects of managing the IT needs of an organization, with familiarity of MS365, MS Windows, MS Office Products, Servers, LAN/WAN infrastructures and cybersecurity.
- Demonstrable and good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, considering cultural and language difficulties. Tact and diplomacy are essential as is the ability to speak English and French Fluently.
- Outstanding business partnering & communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders with focus on helping them understand how to use technology to deliver high quality programmes for children.
- Considerable experience in Technology “Governance” developing and implementing IT policies, procedures, and best practices.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, ensuring timely delivery and prioritising tasks effectively.
- 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 with ability to resolve complex service issues, with a balance of pragmatism and rigour whilst delivering to the highest standards.
Key Relationships
Internal (excluding direct team and manager)
- TDIT SLT
- Country SLT
- Global Enterprise Technology Team
- Global Application Services Team
- PMO Team
- Information Security Team
External
- Members
- Core Technology Vendors
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field: Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of formal educational qualifications.
- Continuous Learning: Proven track record of engaging in continuous professional development to stay current with industry trends and best practices.
Desirable
- ITIL Certification
- Relevant professional certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, etc.) are highly desirable.
Competencies
Cluster: Leading
Competency: Leading and inspiring others
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Creates a culture in which people strive for excellence and continuous improvement.
Cluster: Leading
Competency: Developing others Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Develops a culture of learning by encouraging people to take time for reflection and development.
Cluster: Thinking
Competency: Problem-solving and decision-making
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Anticipates risks and considers the impact of various solutions.
Cluster: Thinking
Competency: Strategic thinking and innovation
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Encourages bold and innovative ideas to drive the organisation forward.
Cluster: Engaging
Competency: Working effectively with others
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Fosters an environment where the team can produce its best results by leveraging individual strengths.
Cluster: Engaging
Competency: Communicating with impact
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Influences others through compelling communication and skilled knowledge sharing.
