Head: IT Support and Service Delivery

Job Advert Summary

(Land Bank) is South Africa’s only specialist agricultural bank established in 1912, the bank’s sole objective is to serve South African commercial and emerging farmers and bring specially designed financial services within their reach. These services enable farmers to finance land, equipment, improve assets and obtain production credit. The Land Bank provides financial services that have moved with the times and continues to provide services to agri-business and constantly reviews its offerings to ensure that they match the needs of an industry. As change has swept across the sector in South Africa the socio-economic makeup of agriculture has altered, bringing new entrants from historically disadvantaged backgrounds on to the land. These new farmers, facing the challenges of establishing sustainable agri-businesses across the agricultural value chain, find the Land Bank a commercial lifeline offering appropriately designed financial products that facilitate personal and commercial viability in a sector that is vital to the sustainability of South Africa and its people.

This role is responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of the delivery of IT support services (end-user hardware and software and related services) and first-line support to the Land Bank computer end-users. The role includes managing sound vendor relations to ensure that software licensing, infrastructure, network, and all related 3rd party contracts are managed appropriately. Additionally, the role requires proactive management of IT end-user complaints and ensuring the achievement of the service targets agreed with Business Units.

• Manage IT resource scheduling
• Coordinate technology assessment, planning, acquisition, installation and associated training with other end-users and heads of IT & business
• Coordinate capacity management activities
• Manage 1st line support:
  • Application
  • Infrastructure
  • Data
  • Telephony
  • Networks
  • Security
  • Provide helpdesk support
  • Ensure query resolution
  • Manage IT assets
  • Manage identity and access management (Applications)
  • Monitor problem resolution

Oversee the provision of IT service delivery support to end users.

Key Performance Areas

1. IT Service Delivery Management

• Make appropriate recommendations related to the IT Division’s strategies.
• Examine business critical user queries of various departments of different application systems.
• Implement, maintain and improve IT Support Services controls and processes to ensure an acceptable level of systems availability (Hardware & OS).
• Prioritize, coordinate and delegate critical queries from different applications to supporting teams.
• Review and monitor that all queries are resolved and users of all departments are provided with adequate and effective solutions.
• Liaise with vendors by conducting conference calls and/or correspondence to address unresolved queries emanating from various user departments of different application systems.
• Conduct meetings with process owners and users across all departments to address and provide effective solutions to all systems issues.
• Develop and deliver periodic management reports.
• Determine service level requirements and needs and manage and monitor the telephone management system.
• Set escalation protocols and resolution criteria.
• Manage and control assigned IT projects.

2. Vendor Relationship Management

• Responsible for growing and maintaining relationships between the Land Bank and nominated Strategic IT Suppliers providing IT support services systems.
• Initiate, manage and coordinate the necessary activities within this particular supplier environment, to ensure that the relationships between the Land Bank and the relevant suppliers remain at a strategic level.
• Ensure that all business critical systems, including communications facilities are covered by suitable maintenance contracts.
• Ensure that all hardware and software related contracts are reviewed and renewed in a timely manner.
• Maintain and manage end user licensing contracts and reporting.

3. People Management

• Participate in the selection and appointment of new team members.
• Conduct regular meetings and promote open and ongoing communication with the team.
• Ensure IT Support and Service delivery divisional performance management and capacity planning.
• Provide direct reports with opportunities for growth and development through on-the-job training.
• Coach and train team members to perform optimally in their roles.
• Create and maintain a professional culture within the team, where employees take ownership and deliver excellence and quality.
• Facilitate growth and development of the team.
• Manage and drive high performance.
• Hire the right fit and competence into Risk & Governance roles.

4. Disaster Recovery Planning

• Participate in the development of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy and related programme for Land Bank.
• Collaborate with IT Architect responsible for application and infrastructure as well as Head of infrastructure for the strategic planning, operations, implementations, and monitoring of cybersecurity practices within the organization.
• Collaborate with IT Architect responsible for application and infrastructure as well as Head of infrastructure to ensure disaster recovery services are delivered.

5. Budget and Finance Management

• Governance, budgeting, and management of change delivery in the IT Support and Service delivery, including oversight of incremental changes and major change and upgrade programmes.
• Analyze the business plan to determine the financial requirements within the area of responsibility.
• Manage budget in accordance with policies, procedures and legal requirements.
• Conduct the budget reviews as prescribed by Finance and adjust budget where necessary.
• Develop the IT Support and Service delivery budget and contribute to broader IT budget (OPEX & CAPEX).
• Deliver the IT Support and Service delivery projects as agreed within budget.
• Approve expenditure within the delegation of authority level.
• Ensure effective use of budget and resources – no wastage.
• Analyze the costs, value, and risks of information technology to advise management and suggest actions.

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Information Systems or Information Technology or related fields
• ITIL Foundation
• COBIT Foundation
• Certification in A+ and N+

Critical Competencies

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Windows and MS Office Products
• Knowledge/Experience Service Desk Applications
• Network architecture and hardware configuration
• ITIL Foundation
• Disaster Recovery principles and processes
• SAN, WAN & LAN maintenance
• Knowledge and understanding of the principles of business, the application thereof, the opportunities within business and the seizure of such opportunities
• Sound knowledge of the different business systems, associated applications and the interrelationship between the business systems
• Advanced report writing skills (Process reports, specifications and executive summaries)
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the processes, logistical and financial, required to account for the assets of an organisation
• Knowledge and understanding of the management and development of human capital in accordance with business needs and objectives
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the components of a contract and the methods and procedures to perform contract administration

Additional Requirements

• Knowledge/Experience of supporting remote users across a decentralized branch network
• Data Centre Operations
• Knowledge of the PFMA
• Budget Management Principles
• Strong leadership, supervisory and mentoring skills
• General knowledge of SAP, MS SQL and Internet
• Sound knowledge of Anti-Virus solutions, VPN’s and Data Security
• DNS, DHCP & WINS configuration
• Managed Print Services
• MPLS and APN Networks
• Knowledge of supporting multiple PABX & Telephone Management systems.