Head: Network Platforms at Sanlam Group

What will you do?

This is a senior management role, reporting to the Head: Infrastructure, Platforms and Operations at Sanlam Group Technology (SGT).

The role is primary accountable for:    

• The provision of cost effective, efficient, stable and secure network infrastructure shared services  including Data/Voice/Video network (WAN/LAN/WLAN) for all participating businesses in the Sanlam Group, across the geographies of a global organisation as per agreed services levels focussed on Infrastructure as a Service Platforms.

• Defining and implementing the SGT Shared Network strategy and delivering networking infrastructure services supporting the Sanlam Technology strategy. The role will work closely across the Sanlam Group businesses, vendors, business partners and Public Cloud Service Providers to design and implement a clear roadmap for ensuring delivery of On-premise Private and Hybrid infrastructure services.

• Understanding and deep curiosity about emergent IT and Infrastructure trends, notably software-defined network, Infrastructure as Code, Hyper-convergence, DevSecOps, Containerisation, Micro services, some application coding skills in addition to systems knowledge.

• Rigorous budget, cost recovery and charge back mechanisms and procedures.

• Continuous standardisation, consolidation and optimisation of shared networking across the Group.

• Delivery on the Software defined strategy for WAN and Data Centre including the technology, process and engineering to enable and maintain it.

• Managing outsourced services delivery and relationships.

• Engaging with Sanlam Group Business Units to understand their strategy and business requirements to ensure alignment of the SGT services offered.

• Technology Strategy Execution and delivery of business requirements.

• Knowledge of contracting trends, licensing models, and traditional and emerging contract and

• Vendor performance models.

• Strong project and process management skills, with the ability to handle multiple vendors and multiple contracts, as well as a wide range of tasks.

• Knowledge of best practices for IT contract negotiation tactics and strategies.

• Inventory accuracy in support of our security, billing and recovery objectives per instance.

• A zero tolerance attitude to non-compliance of security framework including patch management, hardening, user access reviews and technical debt.

Outputs

An understanding and deep curiosity about emergent IT, Networking and Infrastructure trends as referenced above.

• Achievement of stringent SLA’s and mean time to restore of 2 hours for business critical systems.

• Accurate inventory of all networking platforms provisioned in Sanlam Group Data Centers and Cloud platforms.

• Accountable for the provision of cost effective, efficient, stable and secure networking shared services for all participating businesses in the Sanlam Group, across the geographies of a global organisation as per agreed services levels.

• Ongoing Cost optimisation.

• Expense and income management.

• Agile solutions delivery for new business requirements.

• Managing Shared Network Infrastructure risks on behalf of businesses.

• Providing support for all business change initiatives where IT support and guidance is required.

• Maintain and enhance technical hybrid cloud and software defined networking platform.

• Accountable for request, incident, problem, change, release processes and configuration management adherence for areas of responsibility.

• Expose networking API’s to enable self-service provisioning of compute and networking infrastructure.

• Support the development of future roadmaps

• For technologies that the business is accountable for.

• Development of Policies, Standards, Procedures and Guidelines for responsible areas.

• Management of business partners

• Risk Management including the avoidance of repeat audit findings.

• People Management

• Customisation of solutions for diverse business requirements

• A constantly declining unit price if networking infrastructure components measured budget to budget each year.

• Ensuring continuity (Resilience Engineering) of all Sanlam Core connectivity platforms delivered through SGT.

• Align network platforms ways of work with Data Driven Lean and Agile solutions delivery for new business requirements 

• Instil a culture of automation in all provisioning and lifecycle tasks for on premise, and cloud provisioned network platform services.

• Build a competence of scripting and automation within Networking Platform team to enable future efficiencies

• Enable and Integrate Networking Infrastructure (on premise and cloud based) to development environment practices for improved DevOps experience

• Ensure proper integration of security practices and toolsets into the Networking Platform environment for proper security protection (patching, vulnerability, authentication, event, intrusion protection, etc.) for on premise and cloud protection

• Ensure use of cloud based toolsets for vulnerability protection, policy compliance and patching where appropriate to supplement Sanlam provisioned tools.

• Enable strategy and decision making of the correct networking platform, together with easy integration between on premise and respective cloud platforms.

• Networking Platform Design in support of deployments for Africa Operations and related technology risks on behalf of the business.

Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive (10+ years) technical, operations, risk and business management experience in complex large technology environments (at least 10 years of which 5 years is in a senior management role

• Understanding the current state and strategic direction of Networking Infrastructure.

• Understanding software defined networking and automation.

• Understanding and experience of Cloud competencies.

• Understanding and experience of Cisco product suite, WAN, UTP Cabling, Knowledge of the Network service providers’ technologies, Wireless .

• Understanding the business climate and technology needs in the global enterprise, servicing multiple client requirements.

• Understanding and experience of IT cost management and charge out mechanisms.

• Understanding of Software Defined Data Center technologies and operating models.

• Extensive experience in managing Vendor and outsource relationships including risk and financial management.

• In depth experience in the IT environment across the areas of responsibility including but not limited to networking, physical datacenters, remote sites, and enterprise data centre technologies and services.

• Dealing with enterprise customers and Global suppliers and vendors.

• Negotiation across the geographies and cultures of a global organisation.

• Experience of a multi-vendor, multi-Client Environment.

• Management and recovery on large Infrastructure budgets.

• Extensive experience in managing service level agreements.

• Extensive expereince of managing project oversight.

• Rest of Africa experience would be valuable.

Qualifications

• Appropriate Technical degree in Information Systems/Commerce

Personal Attributes

• Organisational savvy - Contributing strategically
• Manages complexity - Contributing strategically
• Plans and aligns - Contributing strategically
• Optimises work processes - Contributing strategically
• Collaborates - Contributing strategically
• Drives results - Contributing strategically
• Financial acumen - Contributing dependently
• Global perspective - Contributing strategically
• Decision quality - Contributing strategically
• Being resilient - Contributing strategically
• Interpersonal savvy - Contributing strategically
• Persuades - Contributing strategically
• Strategic mindset - Contributing strategically
• Tech savvy - Contributing strategically
• Communicates effectively - Contributing strategically

Build a successful career with us

• We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping  our employees to realise their worth. Through its four business clusters – Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Emerging Markets, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Core Competencies

• Cultivates innovation - Contributing strategically
• Customer focus - Contributing strategically
• Drives results - Contributing strategically
• Collaborates - Contributing strategically
• Being resilient - Contributing strategically

Turnaround time

• The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. 

Our commitment to transformation

• The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity.  This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa.  The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.