Job Description

Who are we?

The Sanlam Retail Affluent business (SRA) is dedicated to empower South Africans in the middle- and upper-income segments to be financially confident, secure and prosperous. With deep client understanding and a focus on excellence in technology, client and intermediary experiences, SRA delivers financial solutions including comprehensive financial planning, life- and disability insurance, credit solutions, savings and investments, retirement and fiduciary services that can be accessed through various platforms.

Role Description

As the Heritage BI Manager, you will focus on the legacy data warehouses, including those running on Cobol, DB2, Essbase, Cubus, DataStage and mainframe technology. Your primary responsibility will be to establish and manage the newly formed Heritage BI team, which will be dedicated to application support and daily data operations of these critical systems.

In this role, you will lead the transition of relevant team members to the Heritage BI team and define streamlined processes to efficiently support and maintain the legacy data warehouses. Your keen focus on operational excellence will ensure the smooth functioning of these systems and enable the delivery of reliable and timely data to business stakeholders.

You will play a significant role in promoting a culture of continuous improvement within the team, fostering an environment that embraces best practices and encourages professional growth. Your exceptional leadership skills will empower the Heritage BI team to deliver high-quality results and ensure seamless data operations, mitigating any potential risks to business operations.

What will you do?

Output/Core Tasks:

• Establish and lead the Heritage BI team, comprising data analysts, programmers, and other relevant members. You are expected to provide clear direction, mentorship, and performance management to team members to ensure optimal team dynamics and individual growth. You will oversee the day-to-day operations of the team, ensuring efficient handling of incidents, data loads, and other operational tasks.
• Manage the maintenance, enhancements, and continuous improvement of the legacy data warehouses running on Cobol, DB2, DataStage, and mainframe technologies; through these practices you will ensure the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of data within the data warehouses to meet business reporting needs. You should be comfortable to effectively collaborate with business stakeholders and analysts to identify system enhancements and implement necessary changes.
• Monitor and optimize the data warehouse performance, ensuring efficient data retrieval and processing. Define and establish streamlined processes and governance frameworks for demand management, incident handling, data load monitoring, and related activities; while you ensure compliance with data management policies, procedures, and data governance standards.
• Technical Infrastructure Management: Manage the technical infrastructure that support the Heritage BI function. Ensure high availability, scalability, and security of the infrastructure to meet business needs.
• Incident and Problem Management: Act as the primary point of contact for managing BI-related incidents and problems. Coordinate troubleshooting efforts, resolve technical issues, and implement preventive measures to minimize disruptions.
• Lead and manage projects related to data warehouse enhancements, system upgrades, and integration with other platforms. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful project delivery within timelines and budget constraints.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to ensure the availability and reliability of data warehouses. You will lean on your experience to contribute to disaster recovery planning and execute necessary procedures when required.
• Establish and oversee the project to determine a comprehensive people transition plan from Heritage BI to the new BI teams. This initiative will involve working closely with Change Managers, senior management, and team members to ensure a smooth and well-managed transition process. Champion the upskilling initiative aimed at helping team members acquire the necessary skills and expertise in new technologies used by the new BI teams. Collaborate with training resources and external partners to provide relevant training programs and resources

What will make you successful in this role?

Role Requirements:

Qualifications:

• Must have an Appropriate IT Qualification (Diploma/Degree)
• Minimum at least 5 years of hands-on experience in data management, business intelligence, or related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Must have strong expertise or desire to learn more about legacy systems, including Cobol, DB2, and mainframe technologies.
• Must have proven experience in leading and managing teams, with excellent leadership and mentoring skills.
• Knowledge of technology and its application in the insurance industry
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and analytical thinking.
• Financial acumen in budgeting and management of IT costs to business unit/s
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Outstanding communication, facilitation, negotiation, and coaching skills
• Proven track record in successfully maintaining, enhancing, and optimizing legacy data warehouses.

The ideal candidate should possess a blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and a deep understanding of data management within the context of legacy systems.

Competencies:

• Proactive self-starter
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A strategic mindset
• Client-focused
• Disciplined
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Passionate about building new data services, offerings, and solutions.
• Attention to detail.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Takes initiative.
• Effective promotion of ideas throughout the business, creating an understanding of the value of the outcome
• Ability to work under pressure.

Personal Attributes

Organisational savvy - Contributing strategically

Balances stakeholders - Contributing strategically

Plans and aligns - Contributing strategically

Optimises work processes - Contributing strategically

Build a successful career with us

We're all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future - your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its four business clusters - Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Emerging Markets, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office - the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Core Competencies

Cultivates innovation - Contributing strategically

Customer focus - Contributing strategically

Drives results - Contributing strategically

Collaborates - Contributing strategically

Being resilient - Contributing strategically

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.

Closing Date: 28 August 2023

Our commitment to transformation

The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.

Sanlam