General Manager: Product, Portfolio Optimisation and CX at MTN

Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

The General Manager:  Product, Portfolio Optimisation & CX is responsible to define, develop and implement the Product Marketing and Customer Experience (CX) strategies through the establishment of key communication channels between BankTech and its’ customers. The role is responsible to build and operationalize a multi-channel GTM strategy that results in exponential customer growth and revenue generation.

The role will work closely with UX/UI across digital channels teams (USSD, WEB, App, Bot, WPA) and BankTech segments (Consumer, Merchants, SMMEs, Agents, Developers) in order to enhance Customer Experience. The General Manager is also responsible for ensuring the high penetration of Mobile App and WPA users among data/smartphone enabled Fintech users.

Further the General Manager is responsible for the overall quality, performance of portfolios, portfolio administration and credit quality of assigned portfolios . This includes strategic alignment of portfolios to business objectives, defining portfolio execution processes, planning and implementation, and ensuring consistency of delivery standards to drive optimal delivery, financials, and quality.

As part of the leadership team, the General Manager is responsible to contribute to Finco’s overall strategic goals, to achieve profitable growth, and to continuously improve the operations performance.

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's) 

Strategy Development and Implementation

• Provide input into the BankTech strategy in line with the overarching business goals, ensuring that Finco maintains and improves its leadership positioning
• Define the overall functional strategy and business planning for the team
• Ensure the effective execution of the strategy by means of providing direction, structure, frameworks, models, plans and roadmaps, aligned to group strategy and frameworks, implementing to Opcos
• Drive the effective cascading of the overall business plan
• Execute the functional strategy by driving customer awareness, engagement, experience and monetization
• Provide input into the BankTech Business Plan and cascade this to Opcos
• Drive product revenue and growth, operational excellent and customer satisfaction

Staff & Leadership Management

• Build and manage a high performing team by providing leadership, role clarity, training and career development
• Build and manage a high-performance team
• Continually develop a culture of strong collaboration and effective team working
• Ensure open communication channels with staff and implement change management interventions where necessary
• Provide definition of roles, responsibilities, individual goals and performance objectives for the team
• Set KPIs and provide regular performance feedback through a well-defined and implemented performance review program
• Develop and implement a training plan in order to build and develop skills within the team
• Encourage knowledge transfer through the implementation of a knowledge transfer plan and drive continuous improvement philosophy through the knowledge transfer plan
• Performance manage resources in accordance with HR policy and legislation where necessary
• Actively participate in leadership team and develop skills of own team
• Promote a ‘Finco centric’ and ‘partnership approach’ to develop strong relationships with other working groups and ensure adherence to Group governance

Operational Delivery

Functional Leadership:

As the functional leader of the Product, Portfolio Optimisation & CX vertical, the General Manager is accountable to:

• Establish, monitor and align the direction, strategy and results of the vertical collectively and as individual work areas
• Lead and drive an integrated solution development and problem-solving philosophy within the function
• Monitor true-value metrics to measure the impact and benefit of the function to Group Finco
• Drive continuous improvement across the function

Product Portfolio (Asset Management/ Commercial Portfolio & loans)

• Review and oversee the deal pipeline for BankTech, managing the different categories and geographies as a portfolio to maximize the performance of the portfolio
• Review portfolio strategies to increase BankTech revenue and market share
• Review and optimize product value propositions including issuing, acquiring, new product propositions.

Governance

Operational, Tactical and Strategic Meetings

• Hold strategic meetings, ensure relevant participation and provide guidance and support in the various discussions
• Drive enterprise wide transformation initiatives, elicit inputs from relevant parties
• Drive adequate risk mitigation and controls, and elicit inputs from relevant parties
• Sign off approval on new initiatives
• Provide relevant budget for internal projects
• Prepare proposal on change initiatives, SLA policies and procedures

Escalations

• Resolve and provide guidance to escalations that have impact on critical path of service delivery
• Resolve issues that will result in severe time, scope, productivity, and cost or resource or reputational impact

Tactical

• Review BankTech-related projects initiated (internal or global)
• Review and finalise objectives, targets, and budgets for the function as applicable
• Review key risks, issues and dependencies and set mitigation actions
• Sign-off / provide guidance on decisions regarding tactical changes

Performance

• Define the standards and set targets for performance across the sub-division and identify the parameters for measurement of performance
• Responsible to drive revenue, this is one of the core revenue generators for the business
• Monitor performance against business plans (i.e. business plan tracking) as well as alignment with global strategy and industry best practices
• Identify opportunities for improvement, and provide the necessary support to respective teams to take the corrective action needed to drive performance against business targets
• Oversee business planning, forecasting and reforecasting

Reporting

• Report on a periodic basis to BankTech Executive relating to progress made within the function and in accordance with the measurement metrics set by the organisation
• Report on an ad hoc basis on specific projects, as required

Budgets

• Develop and manage the functional budget in line with business objectives
• Develop and manage project initiative budgets in line with business objectives
• Ensure that the “cost of operations” is reduced, in line with a least cost operating strategy stemming from the business drivers
• Ensure delivery of revenue and growth targets

Job Requirements (Education, Experience and Competencies) (1/2)

Education:

• Minimum of 4-year tertiary degree in Business Management, Marketing or related field
• MBA or Masters (advantageous)
• Master’s Degree in a Financial, Commerce, Statistical, Credit Risk Management or related field (preferred)
• Postgraduate qualification/ Certification in Credit Risk Management (advantageous)

Experience:

• Minimum of 10-12 years post qualification experience plus at least 4 years in Fintech / banking industry /financial sector in Product & Portfolio Management space
• Senior management track record of 5 years or more; with at least 3 years in relevant sector/ industry as per relevant role
• Proven experience in leading and managing BankTech products in a global multi country environment
• Experience in a senior capacity in in CX, digital marketing, digital product management
• Proven experience executing customer experience and retention campaigns
• Experience in marketing product category will be advantageous
• Experience in Commercial/Financial/Lending Portfolio Management in a scalable/large scale Financial Services and/or Consumer Finance multi-country environment
• Experience in defining and project managing the technical and business implementation of portfolio strategies within a FinServ/FinTech environment
• Experience in B2C financial products with a broad range of products offered (secured, unsecured) and/or experience with rating agencies with knowledge across various financial products
• Hands on experience in managing and implementing digital products and initiatives
• Deep understanding of the digital banking ecosystem, players, business models and industry related best practices.
• Understanding emerging markets advantageous
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies
• Pan Africa multi-cultural experience is advantageous
• Entrepreneurial spirit, self-driven and ability to motivate a fast-paced team
• Attitude of Innovation, inventiveness and thought leadership
• Abreast of global mind-set and best practice
• Willing and flexible to travel within Africa and Middle East
• English speaker. French, Portuguese, Zulu, Swahili, and other African languages a plus

Competencies:

Functional Knowledge:

• Understanding of FinTech, banking, microfinance and payment businesses
• Digital marketing
• Digital Banking product management
• Fintech & Digital Business
• Digital content, media and/or applications
• Customer value chain
• Customer management platforms and systems
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• E-commerce and electronic payment business
• Go-To-Market strategy
• Customer Experience management
• Expert knowledge on Deep Learning and its applications
• Working knowledge in related Big Data technologies

Skills

• Business Acumen
• Analytics and Interpretation
• Strategic Thinking
• Organizational Agility
• Digital mind-set
• Dealing with ambiguity and complexity
• Decision Making
• Conflict Management
• Negotiation
• Financial and Numerical
• Project Management
• People Management
• Executive Presentation

Behavioural Qualities

• Adaptable
• Complete candour
• Culturally aware
• Emotional Maturity
• Innovation
• Integrity
• Leadership