Job Description

FSD Africa

Information and Communication Technology Manager

Location: Nairobi

About FSD Africa

Established in 2012 and supported by UK aid, FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to build and strengthen financial markets across sub-Saharan Africa. They work to reduce poverty through a ‘market systems development’ approach, which means they aim to address the structural, underlying causes of poverty by improving how financial market systems function.

FSD Africa believes that investing in building a financial system that is transparent, stable and accessible creates the conditions for a fair and sustainable future. This is one where inequality is reduced, corruption is tackled, and where individuals, businesses and governments alike are able to prepare for future challenges, from climate change to political instability.

From their headquarters in Nairobi, the team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators and policymakers to design and build ambitious programmes that make financial markets work better for everyone. Depending on the project, FSD Africa can provide a combination of grants, investment capital, market insights or technical assistance to ensure they achieve their objectives.

They focus their work where the need is greatest, and where they believe the potential for impact is the most significant. They have a specific mandate to invest in breakthrough, innovative ideas that they believe can have a transformative impact.

By sharing risk with their partners, they’re able to address more difficult, persistent, or higher-risk challenges, in more unstable or fragile geographies, than traditional development finance organisations.

JOB PURPOSE

The ICT department has a dual role: firstly, providing support to FSD Africa which is in a period of unprecedented growth and must have the systems and technology necessary for success. Secondly,supporting the wider FSD Network with the systems support that will underpin achievement of the new FSD 2.0 strategy.

FSD Africa

FSD Africa currently has a local area network supporting 30-odd users; the system has been expanded organically and lacks structure. In future, we anticipate the need to support up to 120 users across a complex of office buildings.

The ICT Manager will audit the current network and operating systems, review the performance of outsourced service providers, make recommendations for improvement and implement best practice.It is critically important to develop and demonstrate technical excellence within FSD Africa that can then be extended to the wider FSD Network.

FSD Network

FSD Network members consist of autonomous organisations, each with their own Board of Directors and independent strategies. FSD’s Strategy 2.0 includes a number of new initiatives designed to identify opportunities for enhancing collective impact by working together. Significant funding has been made available by DFID to support the development and implementation of collaborative programming (CoPro) and to extend the network by founding new FSDs.

The Manager ICT is a member of a dynamic leadership team which is responsible for identifying and coordinating the provision of shared services. The goal is to leverage synergies across thenetwork to drive enhanced impact, decreased costs and improved efficiency.

The Manager ICT is responsible for developing an Information and Communication Technology Vision and Strategy across the FSD Network through a highly consultative process that will clarify needs and identify opportunities for ICT to enhance effectiveness and impact.

He/she is then responsible for overseeing the implementation of strategy; both in terms of managing system-development projects and coordinating the provision of shared services across the network. This includes managing the resources(HR, financial & physical) that will be required for successful delivery of strategy and plans.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS

1. Development of Strategy & Vision

• Utilise a consultative process to clarify needs, in the first instance for FSD Africa,and then extending to the FSD Network; identifying opportunities for ICT to enhance effectiveness and impact:


• Understand FSD Africa’s strategy and operations; mapping out the business processes that will drive effective achievement of strategic goals


• Conduct a comprehensive audit of current technology, systems and resources; determining fit-for-purpose and identifying opportunities for ICT to enhance effectiveness and impact


• Develop and document an ICT Vision and Strategy that will cost-effectively drive enhanced effectiveness, firstly for FSD Africa and then rolling out to the wider FSD Network


• Develop and implement a change management strategy, with communication and capacity-building components, that will ensure all internal and external stakeholders are on board with the strategy

2. System Development Project Management

• Lead the conceptualization, planning and implementation of large-scale systems development projects; ensuring that user-friendly, labour-saving solutions are in place and utilised network-wide to their full potential:


• In line with the strategy, develop and oversee the implementation of Annual Workplans for the department; ensuring that projects are achieved on time and to standard


• Work together with the Procurement team to scope out systems-development projects and procure appropriate technical resources (goods and services); in particular ensuring that appropriate quality standards are delivered and value for money achieved


• Personally, contribute to systems development, according to personal technical expertise; this will often involve acting as system administrator, and working closely with staff and consultants to ensure quality of deliverables


• Set up mechanisms for ensuring business continuity during changeover to new systems; includes ensuring feedback loops are in place to alert the team to implementation problems and ensuring that sufficient resources are in place to quickly deal with any problems

3. Provision of Shared Services

As a member of the Corporate Services Leadership Team, participate in identifying and meeting network-wide needs for the provision of shared services; lead the provision of ICT services, and support the provision of other shared services through effective systems development (as above):

• In the first instance, prioritise the need for provision of effective ICT services amongst FSD Africa staff; ensuring that the team is provided with the resources and support that they need for success:

1. 
   
   1. Ensure that staff are provided with appropriate hardware and software and are empowered to use them
   
   
   2. Ensure that internet connectivity is at the required speed and reliability
   
   
   3. Recommend and support the implementation of appropriate communications and conferencing platforms that are fit-for-purpose
   
   
   4. Ensure that user-support services are in place and providing the level of responsiveness necessary to support effective working
   
   

• Clarify what shared services may reasonably be extended to the network and set up the infrastructure and HR necessary to deliver


• Ensure that users are informed of the services that are available to them, and have a quick and easy mechanism for requesting support; in case of a high volume of requests for support, develop a system for prioritizing and communicating time-lines for resolving customer issues

4. Risk Mitigation

Work with the Chief Financial Officer and the Director Corporate Services to conduct a comprehensive risk analysis for all ICT-related activities; lead the implementation of risk-mitigating policies, procedures and ways-of-working:

• Ensure comprehensive identification of possible areas of risk exposure and recommend appropriate responses to managing risks


• Lead the development and implementation of policies, procedures and routines that will effectively mitigate ICT and data security risks. In particular:

1. 
   
   1. Ensure that firewalls and anti-virus are at sufficient capacity relative to all electronic traffic in and out of the organisation
   
   
   2. Ensure that an appropriate disaster recovery process and business continuity mechanism is well-documented and in place to recover all data in the event of a system failure
   
   
   3. Ensure routine maintenance on all aspects of IT equipment and power backup is carried out
   
   
   4. Ensure statistics and reports are generated detailing downtime and mean time to recovery and that service level agreements re managed and adhered to
   
   

5. Resource Management

Oversee the effective and efficient management of all resources associated with ICT department activities:

• Liaise with the procurement team to develop and implement a multi-year procurement plan for ICT resources; ensuring that FSD Africa keeps pace with emerging technology in an appropriate manner and that resources are procured and disposed of in line with policies and procedures


• Liaise with the finance team to keep an asset register of ICT resources; this includes developing systems and procedures for tracking the physical location of assets (particularly mobile devices)


• Ensuring 24/7 reliable functioning of servers and other critical ICT resources; includes developing and overseeing implementation of maintenance regimes


• Liaise with the finance team and Director of Corporate Services to develop and manage the ICT budget in line with FSD Africa’s policies and procedures

6.Team Leadership

Ensure that the department is resourced with adequate numbers of high performing and well-motivated staff, consultants and outsourced service providers to deliver against the ICT strategy and plans:

• Ensure that the department is resourced with the expertise necessary to deliver on strategy & project implementation; through a combination of recruitment and management of staff, and procurement of consultants and outsourced service providers


• Ensure that each team member (staff/consultants/service providers) has clarity concerning goals and expectations of their personal role in achieving results, standards and behavior


• Plan and organise the work of the department to accomplish project strategic and project goals and targets in the most cost-effective and impactful manner possible


• Ensure delivery of an engaging leadership style that motivates team members and results in high performance


• Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Qualifications and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in ICT or similar


• Master’s degree or equivalent professional qualifications in an IT-related field


• Certification in Microsoft packages is essential


• Excellent skills in written and spoken English


• Essential Experience, Knowledge and Skills


• 3-5 years’ experience within the ICT function/ sector (if holding a Masters in IT)


• 3-7 years’ experience within the ICT Function / sector (if holding a degree)


• Demonstrated track record of rigorous project management skills and achievement of results


• Knowledge and understanding of the functioning and management of large IT networks


• Experience in set-up, configuration and use of computer systems


• Experience in trouble shoot and addressing IT related issues


• Experience in training IT users


• Understanding of IT related business risks and best practice mitigation measures


• Knowledge and skills in IT program planning and development and implementation

Desirable

• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment


• Previous experience of working in donor-funded projects


• Languages: French, local African languages

How to Apply

CLICK HERE to apply online

Apply by 10-04-2020

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