Group Service Delivery Director at Kerridge Commercial Systems South Africa

As a Senior Delivery leader at Kerridge Commercial Systems, you will head Service Delivery teams supporting specialized or distributive ERP software, ensuring the smooth delivery of solutions to customers reporting incidents and / or service requests. Teams will be responsible for provision of all service articulated in the KCS Service Level agreement with their respective customers and achieving internal key performances objectives around achievement of service level objectives, Backlog ratios CSAT, ASAT and CES closed case survey responses.

 Reporting to the Chief Support Officer, this pivotal and most Senior Delivery role demands strategic acumen, exemplary team leadership and a steadfast commitment to operational excellence tailored to the nuances of the relevant industry sector(s). 

Overseeing and nurturing a team of Directors, Managers, and Heads of Service Delivery, you will play a crucial part in driving forward the company and department strategic goals. 

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Strategy: 

• Provide strategic, operational, and personnel leadership to the Service Delivery department, focused on Distributive or Specialized software.
• Advocate for people, ensuring trust, diversity, equity and job satisfaction. 
• Confident leader, with the natural ability to motivate and lead across multiple teams. 
• Able to recognize training and continual improvement initiatives across the entire organization. 
• Advocate for the customer within the organization, spearheading initiatives to elevate customer satisfaction and foster loyalty.
• Inspire and lead a high-performance Service Delivery team, nurturing a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to cultivate a highly skilled and motivated workforce.
• Maintain a prominent role in the Senior Leadership team, upholding core values and advancing the Service Delivery strategy.
• Lead end-to-end incident resolution, serving as the senior management escalation point during major issues.
• Drive cultural shifts necessary to support the transformation plans for Service Delivery over the next 5 years and beyond.
• Effectively manage talent, build diverse teams, promote internal talent growth, and plan for progression and succession.
• Implement and champion best practices in Service Delivery, incident response, and customer engagement.
• Establish, monitor, and achieve agreed-upon targets for various key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and enhance Service Delivery efficiency and effectiveness.
• International travel is required due to the global nature of the business and the Service Delivery function.
• Attend in person events, conferences and meetings as required. 
• Deliver comprehensive reporting to board-level management and investors, ensuring information is presented with utmost clarity and professionalism.
• Domestic and international travel required for role. 

Technology Leadership: 

• Drive the consolidation of product support, transitioning from a diverse portfolio to a focused approach on key strategic products.
• Collaborate closely with technology and product development teams to seamlessly integrate Service Delivery capabilities with product features and enhancements.
• Explore and implement innovative technologies to optimize Service Delivery processes.
• Partner with Product leadership and customers to define strategic operational and non-functional requirements, present compelling business cases for funding prioritization, and develop a roadmap.
• Lead collaborative efforts with external service providers, fostering effective partnerships and customer-centric forward thinking.
• Articulate complex technical concepts, problems, and solutions effectively to audiences with varying seniority and technical acumen.
• Work with technology vendors to identify opportunities to leverage new products.
• Ensure that technology initiatives comply with data security and privacy regulations, such as GDPR, HIPAA, or other applicable regional laws.
• Develop and maintain incident response plans specific to technology-related incidents.
• Understands the concepts of SaaS Delivery and PaaS environments such as Microsoft Azure. 

Organizational Excellence: 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to track strategic product transitions, facilitating employee cross-training and staff migration.
• Collaborate seamlessly with cross-functional teams and leadership, ensuring the smooth integration of Service Delivery initiatives with overall company objectives, consistently representing the "voice of the customer."
• Responsible for succession planning at all levels within business area.
• Represents the team, department, the product and the company to internal and external stakeholders.
• Creating diverse and highly effective product teams through complimentary skill sets and strengths.
• Understands risks across the unit, providing direction and protection.
• Create an increasingly robust delivery department that is agile, directable and knowledgeable.  

Policy Oversight: 

• Ensure that the Service Delivery department complies with industry-specific standards and best practices.
• Stay updated on changes in industry regulations and standards that may impact policies.
• Oversee the entire Service Delivery lifecycle, ensuring top-tier support and prompt resolution of customer issues.
• Ensure that the department is in compliance with Kerridge policies and standards.
• Create policy, process and procedure the best serves our customers and provides accountability and efficiency to the Service Delivery organization.
• Ensure compliance with legal obligations regarding the handling of confidential data.
• Maintain procedures for obtaining and managing customer consent as required by applicable regulations.
• Conduct regular reviews of policies to ensure they remain in compliance with evolving legal, regulatory and Kerridge landscapes.
• Establish a process for updating policies in response to changes in laws or industry standards.
• Maintain proper documentation to demonstrate compliance with legal and regulatory policies. 

Financial Management: 

• Accountable for budgetary aspects, including proposal reviews and compliance with legal regulations, ensuring strict adherence to budget targets.
• Take charge of critical people management functions such as recruitment, travel approvals, performance management, and salary/bonus considerations, aligning seamlessly with group HR policies.
• Responsible for protecting revenue through industry leading exemplary service. Monitoring customer churn to track issues affecting revenue. 
• Accountable for tracking the financial performance of Service Delivery on a monthly basis. 
• Facilitate and cooperate with internal and external audits to ensure financial transparency and compliance.
• Ensure that the expense management processes comply with company policies and legal regulations. 

Legal Compliance: 

• Collaborate closely with security, infrastructure, and service governance teams to ensure compliance with internal and external standards, expectations, and certifications.
• Ensure that legal requirements such as contractual support obligations are met.
• Ensure compliance with data protection and privacy laws in all regions of operation.
• Implement and maintain processes to safeguard customer and employee data.
• Understand and comply with intellectual property laws, especially in the context of software development and technology services.
• Ensure that all Service Delivery activities comply with the terms and conditions outlined in contracts with clients.
• Oversee the legal aspects of contract negotiations and agreements.
• Stay abreast of industry-specific regulations and ensure that the Service Delivery function complies with relevant regulatory requirements.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws in all applicable jurisdictions, including regulations related to working hours, wages, and employee rights.
• Uphold high ethical standards and ensure adherence to corporate governance principles.
• Establish and monitor compliance with internal ethical guidelines.
• Be aware of and comply with accessibility laws to ensure that software and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
• Enforce policies to prevent bribery and corruption, ensuring compliance with relevant anti-corruption laws. 

Key Requirements:

Experience and/or Qualifications: 

• Minimum of 5 years in a director-level Service Delivery role within the technology or software industry.
• Proven track record of successfully leading large-scale organizational leadership (preferably including restructuring) and change management initiatives.
• Strong understanding of ERP software and the challenges and opportunities within the specified industries.
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and inspire teams at all levels.
• Global mindset and the ability to work effectively in a diverse, international environment.
• Expert change management skills ensuring smooth organizational transformation.