Vice President - IT Business Partnering

The Vice President, IT Business Partnering is the senior technology leader accountable for the digital and technology agenda of the Al Ghurair Foods and Resources businesses and is a member of the Group Digital and Technology leadership team. The role sets the direction of the business unit technology portfolio, commissions and directs the IT Centres of Excellence (COEs), platform principals and delivery partners against that direction, and is jointly accountable with business leadership for the value the portfolio returns. The incumbent represents the voice of the business within IT and the voice of technology within the business, at senior level, with the standing to shape commercial and operating-model decisions rather than receive them.

STRATEGIC

• Work with the IT leadership team on IT strategic planning and take overall responsibility for the management and development of the Application requirements, liaising with key staff to ensure that services meet business needs 
• Keep abreast of new technological developments in Applications and present proposals with recommendations to senior management which would benefit the Business Unit and Group. Lead such transformation initiatives for the BU
• Manage the implementation of project plans, contribute towards managing project budgets, roles and responsibilities, issues and risk management, project governance, following PMO governance, project stakeholder management 
• Have an overall view of the capabilities of the Application services and contribute to continuous improvement to meet future needs to ensure competent and forward-thinking management of IT 
• Develop Applications management processes with lean and efficient procedures in conjunction with other relevant teams 

OPERATIONAL

• Analyzing business operations and solutions to improve efficiencies
• Drive solution assessments and drive evaluation across both business and IT teams – This includes creation and management of RFP processes
• Drive the overall BU-specific solution architecture also taking into consideration any group applications and the broader solution ecosystem
• Monitoring the roll-out of new software applications to ensure adequate business controls and limited or no issues
• Creating and overseeing protocols and procedures for the use of any new software applications
• Driving operational efficiencies and service improvement initiatives across internal teams and service partners
• Advise the Senior Leadership Team on emerging Applications technologies as appropriate. Manage and drive PoC’s as appropriate Drive adoption of solutions with the broader user community. Measure and own adoption plans for solutions that have already gone live
• Manage prioritization and report progress to the business executive and IT management teams
• Participate in the design of Applications solutions working alongside specialist teams to ensure that initial and anticipated future business requirements are represented.
• Ensure compliance with IT policies, standards and strengthen internal controls

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Partner and manage relationships with key external partners, project managers and team members, contractors, business stakeholders, to ensure integrated and successful delivery as a team
• Manage team health addressing team conflicts, communication problems, etc.; and ensure that team and team members understand their roles, their goals and is fully motivated to perform
• Play effective change agent role on the program reinforcing the IT vision and business objectives
• Actively contribute in development of the team with target competencies and upskilling as required
• Build industry relationships to stay abreast with latest developments, innovations and business direction

PRODUCT / PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

• Advocate for the implementation of technology that adds value to the Group and aligns with the IT strategy 
• Identify opportunities of process optimization and implement initiatives based on prioritization in line with the overall BU and IT strategy 
• Jointly work with the product owner (where applicable) to ensure solutions are fit against the business requirements and user stories 
• Inculcate an agile mindset and ensure continuous improvements with multiple enhancements in line with the broader solution roadmap 

EDUCATIONAL & TECHNICAL CERTIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science / IT 

8+ years’ experience in managing and delivering technology solutions with specific experiences in healthcare

Project Management (PMP) certification is advantageous 

KNOWLEDGE & SKILL

• Strong process knowledge across multiple industries
• Evidence of strong collaboration skills with excellent communication & interpersonal skills 
• A sound general Applications background with knowledge of industry standards 
• Excellent knowledge of ICT initiatives and developments. 
• Experience managing resources in a fast-moving environment and on projects with evolving requirements and accelerated timelines. 
• Strong project management skills (organization and time) 
• Self-learner/self-starter who can be immediately effective with ambiguity or a lack of direction. 
• Core Skills 
  • Digital Transformation
  • IT Project Management 
  • Knowledge of system design, development, implementation, and user support principles and practices. Experience with database management. 
  • Experience with Information system troubleshooting. 
  • Demonstrated skill in developing automated business systems. 
  • Ability to communicate technical information to a non-technical audience. 
• Advanced Skills 
  • Business Process Design 
  • Knowledge of advanced systems analysis methods, practices, and principles. 
  • Knowledge of cost modeling principles. 
  • Experience leading and facilitating training (including preparation of training materials)

EXPERIENCE

Industry experience for multiple industries

Minimum of 4 years’ experience managing a team.