IT Application Support Engineer, GrandWest Casino at Sun International

Main purpose of the job:

• Responsible for providing specialist technical advice and support for the installation, configuration, testing and maintenance of all applications and software (including gaming, hospitality and ERP applications) within the business unit, in line with Company standards and regulations.

Education and experience:

• IT Diploma or equivalent NQF Level 6 certification in IT with relevant experience
• ITIL Certification
• Minimum of 4 years relevant experience in the IT industry including experience in application administration
• Experience with monitoring & supporting large scale solutions

Core and personal behavioral competencies:

• Problem solving
• Implementing & coordinating resources
• Assessing & Evaluating information
• Planning
• Decision-making skills
• Developing Relationships
• Analytical Thinking
• Results Orientated
• Application Solution Design & Planning
• Technical Writing
• Business continuity Management
• Applications Development
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Project Management
• Gaming Product & Service Knowledge
• Hospitality Product & Service Knowledge
• English Verbal & Written Communication Skills

Key Performance Areas

Applications Administration

• Understands the business processes and policies and how the application automates and invokes control for these processes and policies respectively.
• Maintain the business unit’s application software and licences ensuring the configuration of the environment is in line with best practice
• Maintains application access and security control within published guidelines (and in liaison with Central Application Management), including managing the user list for business unit
• Publishes a qualified weekly performance dashboard including providing demand forecasts to Group IT
• Maintains a current specification of the application
• Documents and communicates policies, procedures and processes related to all applications at least quarterly if not required sooner
• Audits the use of all application resources
• Maintains an asset register of application resources
• Understands the application related contracts and monitors the usage of licenses
• Validate Systems documentation (incl. source code, technical specifications, release notes, unit test cases, and deployment requirements)
• Facilitate release management processes including the planning, scheduling and controlling of the movement of releases to test and live environments
• Implement installations and releases

Incident Management

• Act as a subject matter expert for the resolution of technical issues related to various applications at a business unit level
• Monitor and manage the status of all calls logged with the service desk with regards users experiencing problems with Gaming, Hospitality and ERP applications
• Monitor incidents severity and pick up on new incidents, ensuring these are correctly assigned as per SOPs
• Detect and respond to technical application problems, escalating any issues that cannot be resolved to Group SunIT
• Ensure Incident priority reports are done for shift handover meetings correctly detail current incidents
• Track trends in incidents with regards specific applications and detect potential technical problems
• Maintains an online monitor detailing application usage, capacity, performance and availability
• Make recommendations on amendments, changes to products or equipment to improve application/ system fluency
• Determines application and user faults and is able to correct those for which training and documentation has been provided. All other issues related to the application are escalated to the central application support teams
• Assesses the need for training amongst users and raises it with management.

Software Asset & Configuration Management

• Consult with stakeholders and obtain sign off on system changes
• Approve and plan changes or configuration requirements
• Monitor process to ensure no unapproved changes are made
• Identify issues and challenges with software configuration
• Identify risk areas
• Conduct quality assurance on work performed
• Project manage changes
• Conduct post implementation reviews

Stakeholder Engagement

• Determines and communicates the dependencies of the application to the infrastructure team
• Liaises and manages vendors with regards parts, repairs, services
• Interact regularly with the Group IT with regards challenges, escalations and issues identified if relevant
• Contributes to knowledge articles and training materials and feeds this information to a central level
• Proactively trains Service Desk staff on new technologies to ensure that they can deliver 1st line support
• Maintains own competency and enhances personal growth