We are looking for “HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY” for a fulltime opening with our client’s office in Doha, Qatar. Client is GSM Telecom Operator.

Interested applicants please apply to: [email protected] highlighting current and expected salaries:

POSITION: HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY

DEPARTMENT: Global Technology / IT

REPORTS TO: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Role Background

The company started business in Q1 2009 and the initial basic services have since been launched to the market. Since then the business continues to require new consumer & business products to complete the company’s customer service offerings.

The focus of the organisation is now to move from a ‘start up mode’ into achieving ‘operational excellence’ and ‘growing the business’ during its first 3 years of operation.

Qatar itself is still a strong emerging market in the Middle East in which the company has taken a new approach to delivering technology solutions in this market. The IT philosophy / approach has been based on a domain structure, partnering with the company’s Group/ Op Co’s as well as the normal third parties. It has taken the out-of-the-box philosophy serious with a drive to zero customisations while balancing the needs of the business.

Role Purpose

The Head of Technology Delivery will play a critical role in ensuring that the technology team and associated partners deliver the required functionality to the business to grow its market share and revenues. However this needs to be done within the framework of moving towards operational excellence and within the overarching IT philosophy / approach.

As such the role is critical to the organisations success and will be reporting directly into the CTO. The Head of Technology Delivery will be responsible for delivering all the Technology releases for the company from requirements definition through to hand over to operations.

The scope of the role will cover the delivery of ‘business services’, cross functional ‘releases’ as well individual ‘domains’. As the IT approach is essentially a domain model the scope of the role includes:

• Customer Facing Domains: Web and On-Line, Retail Applications, Call Centre, etc.
• Core Business Domains: CRM, BSS, Data Warehouse, Office IT, Rev’ Assurance, etc.
• Back End / Network Facing Domains: Roaming, Interconnect, Provisioning, IN Platform, etc.

The primary tool for the Head of Technology Delivery will be using Domain Managers and Programme Releases Managers. The role responsibilities include being able to guide, coach and manage these domain delivery / programme managers. Plus putting in place and running the over-arching structures that ensure success in delivering an end to end total technology solution ensuring successful inter-operation of all elements. Thus creating the complete business solution required.

The role will be responsible for constructing a Technology delivery roadmap, however current on the roadmap for the next 12 months are:

§ Fixed / Mobile Converged IT solution

§ Mobile Number Portability Release

§ International Money Transfer (World Money)

Key Accountabilities

1. Complete new Technology Delivery organisation.

Internal Team Organisation

§ Complete the establishment of the new Technology Delivery team. This will include recruitment of the remaining permanent headcount and replacement of existing contractors / consultants.

§ The new team to be established within the company values and Technology principles.

• The team must operate effectively within the overall Technology Department. As such the new team must work efficiently and operate smoothly and seamlessly with the over technology team including:

§ Technology Demand Management.

• Technology Planning and Process.

§ Technology Enablement.

§ Technology Operations.

External Team Organisation

§ All the technology solutions and domains are based on outsourced or vendor managed services/systems. As such as well as establishing the new internal technology delivery team you must also align and help to form the supplier organisations ensuring seamless operation.

§ As a domain approach has been taken there is no one size fits all with the vendors, you will need to balance both process, delivery method/style and personnel in defining this interaction.

2. Maintain the Company’s Technology Principles

Technology Principles

§ The Company’s Technology solutions are based on a defined set of principles as such one of the primary roles of the Head of Technology Delivery is to maintain these principles.

§ These principles are to be embodied in every solution and will require you to shape the business and partner thinking and solution to conform.

§ These principles include:

§ Domain driven architecture / solutions.

§ Full end to end outsourcing or managed service.

§ Zero customisations

§ Partnering model with either Group/Op Co’s/ 3^rd Parties

§ Change the process not the systems.

Group Responsibilities:

While the Technology team operates locally in Qatar it is actually run by the Company’s Group Technology therefore there is a dotted line into the Group functions.

As such the role requires you to carry out a range of group activities and responsibilities which include the following:

§ Monthly reporting on technology delivery status.

§ Alignment on architectures and conformance to group technology solutions.

§ Formal governance around key decision or direction changes.

§ Alignment on Group policy e.g. Group Supply Chain, etc.

§ Ensure best practise and lessons learnt is feed both ways; from group and back into group.

3. Technology Delivery Responsibilities

The role is all about the delivery of technology for the company and hence the insistence on a demonstratable and provable track record in delivery of technology solution within the telecommunications industry.

Governance

§ Ensure the correct governance, due-diligence and approval steps have been under-taken to initiative projects.

§ Ensure the technology project and programmes are well formed, set up for success and signed off by yourself and the relevant stakeholders.

Overall Delivery

§ Put in place the over-arching technology delivery structures required to run and successfully delivery of multiple technology projects into the business and operational environments.

§ Ensure that each individual delivery project and programmes are correctly set up to use this framework, in particular overseeing and managing the cross project dependencies and milestones.

§ Use all and every available management tool or technique to ensure that the delivery of the programmes are achieved within the following parameters of :

Þ technology delivery is on time,

Þ technology delivery is within budget,

Þ technology delivers the required scope,

Þ and technology delivery meets requires quality levels.

Leadership

§ Provide and demonstrate personal leadership, management and coordination across all delivery programmes. Ensure the programmes and work streams under your remit are getting the required personal support and motivation to succeed.

§ Where needed provide coaching and guidance to the programme / project delivery teams, passing on experience and advice to ensure their success.

§ Provide trouble shooting / ad hoc investigations / management support to either new initiatives or problem programmes.

§ If required produce programme definition, programme financials, planning, risks, issues & dependencies reports to assist with workload peaks.

4. Vendor Management - Delivery Responsibilities

The company’s delivery model is based on no IT development or operations in-house. All solutions to be provided by externals to the company. The structure driven around domains with ideally full managed end to end service or at a minimum totally out-sourced services.

This means that as head of technology delivery you will require very high vendor management skill and experience in the execution of the following activities and accountabilities: -

§ Selection of new vendors (through the formal RFI / RFP process) that can deliver the business and technology requirements and that work with the company in strategic partnership model.

§ Work closely with Group SCM and Local SCM to negotiate the required services and contract.

§ Approval of delivery plans and project definition documents ensuring that the individual plans delivery coherently across the technology delivery roadmap.

§ Using your experience provide guidance, coaching and quality review of the vendors delivery approach and capability.

§ Management of the vendor through all aspects of the delivery life cycle, taking corrective action on issues and escalation as needed.

§ Use all and every available management tool or technique to ensure that the vendors delivers:

- On Schedule

- On Cost

- On Scope

- On Quality

5. Vendor Management - Relationship Responsibilities

Performance and Service Management

Due to the domain approach there are different types of vendors. Your activities will be to ensure that as appropriate set of vendor performance standards and measures are in place. Ensuring that the vendors and 3^rd parties are delivering to the expected standards.

§ Implement and run performance analysis and service delivery to analyse, review, record and report in compliance with services and service levels in line with the contracted schedules.

• Propose and escalate personnel changes, if the vendor performance is not met.
• Were appropriate conducting benchmarking exercises to validate cost and performance.

Contract and Relationship

Provide on-going contract management, owning the relationship with the vendor’s ensuring that the relationship remains correctly balanced. This will include the following activities:

• Ensure adherence to contract in all key terms of the service delivery, in particular on scope, service/performance levels and enable and support the Op Co delivery management at all times.

• Based on the business needs, initiate, and facilitate the required changes to contract.

§ Provide negotiation support to Op Cos for contract changes (together both local SCM and Group SCM where appropriate).

• Support communications management with respect to the services delivered by the Vendor.

Governance

• Set the direction and style of the “governance framework” for vendor management and service / delivery aspects of deal. Thus ensuring effective governance of both delivery as well as business as usual framework.

§ Ensure outcomes of the meeting are documented and communicated as appropriate.

§ Oversee both local and central group governance of 3^rd party / vendor across the organisation ensuring timely and appropriate decisions are taken.

§ Where required at a global/local level, manage to successful conclusion issues and escalation raised from the various stakeholders and third parties achieving dispute resolution

• Periodically review the efficiency and appropriateness of the vendor governance and make recommendations for improvement.

6. Strategy and Budget Responsibilities

The delivery of technology releases, applications, domains, etc is the first and primary purpose of the job. However as this is a senior role, the capabilities, responsibilities and activities of the individual will include:

• Development of a clear technology strategy and approach at both a team and department level.
• Work with and contribute to overall company strategy ensuring the technology strategy is aligned with the business strategy and compatible with other departments.
• Working with the business to develop a medium to long term roadmap to implement this strategy in a timely manager.

• Work with the CFO and team to ensure that the budgeting (at both a capex and opex level) is aligned with the technology and business strategy

7. Decision / Issues / Escalation management

Decision Making

As Head of Technology Delivery you will be responsible for the delivery of all technology releases and as such will be accountable for the making the correct decisions across the delivery landscape.

§ These decision need to balance conflicting pressures of time, cost, quality and scope to ensure the overall business and technology objectives are achieved.

§ Decisions around correctly prioritising of resources, schedule, project and money and projects will be a critical activity for you to perform.

§ The role will require the management of decisions and issues management at multiple levels and areas including:

- within the local technology teams,

- within the various business teams and levels,

- where required to Global Technology organisation,

- and across the technology vendors and 3^rd parties.

Issues & Escalations

With responsibility for overall technology delivery activities risks, issues and escalation need to be managed tightly, your role over-seeing all technology delivery project and release will include:

§ Ensuring correct linkage between any escalation / issues and programme / project plans.

§ Manage business and programme risks, including the development of contingency plans and alternative delivery methods

§ Ultimately you must ensure that all risks, issues and escalations that effect your delivery in terms of time, cost, scope or quality are managed in such a way to allow the programme to succeed.

8. Stakeholder Management and Reporting

Stakeholder Management

§ Devises the overall communication strategy for the technology delivery team within context of the Technology Department.

§ The ‘stakeholder management’ plan needs to incorporate the local organisation, group functions and players, plus 3^rd party / vendors in order to build strong and trusted relationships.

§ The principle customers of the technology delivery team are marketing, consumer and business units/teams. Excellence inter-working is a must. This requires you to create a clear technology vision and technology understanding so the requirements and objectives of the business and technology can be balanced properly.

Reporting

§ Appraise, align and co-ordinate with the company’s business and all related or involved entities and stakeholder involved within the release.

§ Produce / review / maintain regularly reports to ensure visibility of main dependencies of the programmes.

§ Where required produce programme reports on status, financials, planning, risks, issues & dependencies so that all stakeholders are aware of / agree to the status of issues and risks.

9. Leadership and People Management

Leadership

One of the values of the company is to build a ‘hot team’ as such you need to be able to :-

§ Attract & retain top talent, rewarding for success, and developing employees.

§ Embed a cost conscious and profitability culture within the organisation.

§ Maintain a creative and inclusive work environment.

§ Continually assess skills and capability and address performance issues of team members where appropriate.

§ If required manage out none performing employee either to an appropriate function where they can perform or completely out of the organisation.

People

The technology delivery model is based a partner / outsourced structure and as a result your responsibility extend to people management of other 3^rd party and disparate teams. These responsibilities including the following aspects of people management:

• Empower teams to manage and succeed in delivering their projects and work packages. Encouraging them to address cross-functional issues collaboratively.
• Take into account the different culture and styles given the international and global nature of the third parties and the organisation.
• Provide clarity on direction and accountability to both dedicated and virtual teams.
• Motivate all teams, internal and external, to meet delivery targets.
• Maintain a creative and inclusive work environment across local teams, group teams, vendor teams both direct and indirect.
• Where appropriate applying the right of vet and veto over vendor / 3^rd party staff.
• Assist, coach and actively develop direct reports in all staff/management related topics including staff recruitment in accordance with the HR values.
• Mediate in case of conflict both within teams, 3^rd parties and across other company functions including local and group teams.

Skills and Experience Specification :

MUST HAVE.

· Total experience of 15 years in Information Technology.

· At least 5 years of ongoing & latest experience as IT / Technology Manager in a large GSM Telecom company

· Previously having at least 10 years experience as IT / Technology Programme/Delivery Management.

· Knowledge and experience of Vendor / Account Management responsibilities within large corporates.

· Knowledge and experience of managing IT re-organisation / change. Ideally from start up to business as usual.

· Experience in the management of outsourcing / managed service projects and the issues faced.

· Track record in managing and delivering multiple concurrent work packages in an international organisation.

· Experience of managing and delivering integrated projects on a global basis.

· International experience and background in a complex multi business environment essential.

IDEALLY HAVE.

· Operational business background and experience desirable

· Ability to accomplish goals in traditional and matrix organisations preferable

· Proficient in planning, building and reporting against capex and opex budgets

· Experienced in Programme management methodologies and processes, progress reporting, risk management, project management tools, project planning and control techniques

· Experience in managing complex programmes with a proven track record in programme delivery

· Knowledge and experience of IT systems through the full life cycle of analysis, design, development and implementation.

· Strong leadership, communication and negotiation skills

Personal Specification :

· Ability to influence stakeholders in key positions

· Enthusiastic, organised, discipline and motivated

· Excellent oral/written communication skills

· Excellent analytical/ problem solving skills

· Proven IT development & deployment management experience covering the end-to-end product lifecycle with at least 10 years experience in the IT, Telecommunications and/or internet industries

Role Dimensions / Performance Drivers

Putting Customers First

• Ensures others understand business focus on high quality customers

• Prioritizes own and others’ time based on the value of the customer

• Ensures all activities are reviewed from a customer’s viewpoint

• Ensures others anticipate possible customer objections before taking action

• Ensures agreed service levels are achieved for self and own team

Performing Through Our People

• Recognizes and rewards effective performance

• Acts supportively to the diversity and cultural differences of others

• Identifies individuals with potential

• Develops the potential in others

• Delegates challenging work

• Coaches and develops others

• Challenges people in a supportive manner

• Actively resolves conflict within team

• Promotes a concern for the health, safety and well-being of colleagues

Delivering Results

• Sets clear and challenging goals

• Removes barriers to making things happen

• Helps others to concentrate on priorities

• Clarifies to others how their goals link to group plans

• Ensures team makes effective use of available resources

• Monitors the progress of others and advises changes if necessary

• Takes account of the financial impact of actions

• Meets income and revenue and profit targets for team

• Takes calculated risks rather than miss opportunities

Managing a Changing Environment

• Takes a long-term perspective

• Links plans and actions to the company’s Vision, Values and Strategy

• Facilitates the generation of ideas from own team

• Helps others to judge issues objectively, avoiding personal bias

• Challenges decisions to make sure they are based on high quality information

• Makes unpopular decisions if necessary

• Helps others adjust positively to change

• Sells benefits of change

Making a Personal Difference

• Helps others face up to difficult situations

• Gains the trust of others

• Treats others consistently and fairly

• Helps others to overcome pressures

• Takes responsibility for achieving team goals

• Positively learns about individuals in the team

• Finds ways to be more effective

Communicating for Impact

• Presents complex information in a way that others find simple to understand

• Commands attention when presenting information

• Lobbies opinion formers in advance of decisions

• Influences internal and external decision

Interested candidates please send in your resumes in the form of a word document immediately. You are also requested to put in the following details in your cover note –

• Current and expected salaries
• Available date of joining
• Contact numbers

SALARY : TAX FREE

START DATE : ASAP

LOCATION : DOHA - QATAR

APPLY TO : [email protected]