Job Description

Who are we?

Sanlam Developing Markets [SDM] (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sanlam Life Limited) is one of the top financial services providers in the South African entry-level and emerging middle market. It aims to understand the unique requirements of clients and offers a wide range of simple and affordable financial solutions that cover needs such as funeral insurance, savings for education, life cover and personal accident plans. In terms of the Sanlam Group Governance Policy, SDM is managed by the SA Retail Mass cluster, which is part of the Sanlam Life and Savings cluster within the Sanlam Group. The cluster focusses on retail products, as well as group schemes.

Purpose of the role

The Manager: First Line Support is responsible for managing a servicing business area in line with strategic objectives in our Wealth Service business unit. The incumbent is individually accountable for achieving results through effective management of the team (manages service delivery through layers), over a defined period.

Key Responsibilities

Management Effectiveness

Effective management of service delivery through a team of managers.
Provides thought leadership and strategically aligned direction and drives towards best practice and leading edge execution.
Manages and develops managers of others and specialists under supervisions.
Drives operational excellence through area of supervision.
Holds line managers accountable for Managerial work, including selection, performance management and talent management.
Selects Potential people managers to sustain pipeline.

Governance and Compliance

Accountable for governance of change to the internal environment.
Plan, priorities and allocate tasks and change requests to the technical support and maintenance team.
Ensure implementation of the approved plans by supervising staff and their deliverables.
Monitor and review the execution of the deliverables on an ongoing basis.
Conduct checks on deliverables to ensure that the solution is of an appropriate standard and that system is functioning optimally.
recommend ideas and solutions to guide technical support and maintenance team to deliver the best technical solutions to the production ICT environment.
Perform research and development of ideas and concepts.

Operational Efficiencies

Delivers on strategic projects as a sponsor and supplier of resources under their control.
Integrates delivery metrics across the people, process, finance and customer dimensions of the business.
Develops and takes accountability for a business plan which is aligned to segment strategy.
Sets Direction for an operational unit.
Vendor and contract management.

Human Capital Management

Work closely with the Human Capital Team and business to:

Lead and motivate subordinates to enhance employee engagement and working efficiencies.
Recruit and fill open positions.
Support training plans and the provincial unit.
Equip area managers and branch managers by providing appropriate on the job training, coaching and regular performance feedback.
Facilitate meetings timeously according to prescribed agenda.
Implementation of the performance management process for the provincial business unit.
Provide input in succession planning with direct subordinates.
Ensure that quality performance appraisals take place.
provide leadership in living and embedding the Sanlam Retail Mass culture across province.

Qualification and experience required

• Matric
• A related degree in the following:

• Information Systems
• Information Technology.
• Postgraduate degree will be an added advantage
• At least 5 to 10 years related experience in the following but not limited:
• Financial services knowledge and experience essential.
• Relevant experience in managing and leading teams.
• Relevant operations management experience in customer service, process enhancement and redesign, working with multiple stakeholders both internally and externally eg, project steercos, various heads of departments across legal, compliance, finance, and product
• Experience in compliance, legal, product and risk implementations.

Knowledge and skills

• Own and manage client data and compliance integrity and the remediation thereof by developing strategies to increase quality and correct any issues.
• Experience with LEAN / process improvement methodologies will be advantageous.
• Proven track record of leading technical solutions and programs or large-scale. projects including teams who process out of the ordinary transactions.
• Strong interpersonal and client relationship skills.
• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to implement controls to reduce risk to the business.
• Knowledge of Insurance and Financial Sector Industry
• Exposure to and experience in digital enablers (i.e., Robotics and Artificial Intelligence solutions) of the customer experience process will be to your advantage.
• Implementation of controls for compliance and risk management.

Personal Attributes

Communicates effectively - Contributing independently

Plans and aligns - Contributing independently

Directs work - Contributing independently

Decision quality - Contributing independently

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 independently

Customer focus - Contributing independently

Drives results - Contributing independently

Collaborates - Contributing independently

Being resilient - Contributing independently

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.

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