About the position
Job Overview
The Business Application Manager role ensures that the RFG Application Portfolio optimally supports all the RFG Business Units. The position's responsibilities include management of the existing application portfolio and sourcing and implementing of new application and digital technologies that support a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. This entails ensuring that effective and efficient business processes are implemented and supported, an architecturally sound application portfolio is implemented and supported, and that all application users are properly enabled. A key outcome of the position is to work closely with business units to improve application and digital innovation through process, application and training improvement interventions.
The position will be responsible for managing a small internal team of analysts, developers and support personnel, as well as managing interaction, contracts and service level agreements with third party application and support providers.
Responsibilities and Duties
Maintain and Support the Application Portfolio
- Enhance and Innovate the Application Portfolio
- Ensure timeous and effective finalization of helpdesk requests and master data information.
- Ensure adherence to change control processes.
- Manage support of business end-users in accordance with service level agreements (SLA's) and quality standards.
- Maintain and troubleshoot core business applications to optimise system performance and availability.
- Management of Application Portfolio Life Cycle, including all best practice architecture requirements (scalability, supportability, ease of maintenance, system performance)
- Regular engagement with Business Unit management to ensure that applications address business needs and identify opportunities for application or digital innovation or improvement.
- Consideration of alternative application or digital solutions, including providing business with pro-active suggestions on innovation or improvement opportunities.
- Pro-active engagement with business to provide simplification and standardization opportunities.
- Conducting technological, architecture and economic feasibility analysis for any potential application changes.
- Prioritisation of application changes based on business needs, benefit realization and resource constraints.
- Co-ordination of internal and external stakeholders to ensure comprehensive and accurate business analysis and project scope, timelines and costs are performed.
- Design, sourcing (develop or purchase), implementation, maintenance and support of applications in accordance with agreed business requirements, best practice SDLC processes and a sound project management methodology.
- Effective change management during transition phases.
Manage training of users
Ensure that all users are effectively trained on applications.
- Identify business improvement opportunities that can be realized through internal or external training interventions.
- Ensure that updated training material is maintained for all applications.
Performance and Quality
Be an ambassador for IT, working across the business to provide effective communication on IT matters and build relationships with other teams to ensure effective dialogue between departments.
- Pro-active project management of all activities and ensure actions are followed through to completion in a timely manner.
- Provide regular and accurate management reporting on Application Portfolio and active projects.
Our ideal candidate must have:
- A Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, a related field or equivalent experience
- 8 - 10 years' experience in information technologies and systems, with a proven track record in business analysis and systems implementation.
- Innovative mindset.
- Experience of developing and managing an ERP system (Syspro experience will be an advantage).
- Experience of managing a diverse application portfolio.
- Demonstrated track record of sourcing and implementing digital solutions.
- Proven understanding of application architecture and Life Cycle Management.
- Commercial and business awareness.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Analytical and problem-solving ability.
- Self-starter and self-motivated, willing to put in extra time.
- Lead and manage a team of professionals and build strong working relationships.
Desired Skills:
- Computer science
- Information technologies
- Application architecture
- Life Cycle Management.
