IT Service Specialist: IT Vendor Management at Discovery Limited

Job Purpose

• The Service Specialist for IT Vendor Management role is to provide support for the financial management of Discovery Bank’s IT infrastructure. This involves formulating and maintaining the policies, procedures and practices for IT commercial services and performing the necessary monitoring and reconciliation to ensure sound and effective financial management practices in line with applicable policies.  The role specifically includes monitoring and managing the IT budget and reporting against the spend.

Areas of responsibility may include but are not limited to

• Process

IT Budget Management

• Manage the IT Infrastructure and Operations budget, by recording, tracking and reporting actual spend against contracts and budget effectively and efficiently.
• Review supplier invoices for accuracy (and approve / reject as appropriate) to ensure suppliers are billing accurately and as contracted.
• Provide accurate forecasts of spend, total cost of ownership, contract cost to complete, phasing of spend and  building of detailed budgets.
• Review and authorise all IT related spend items and ensure they are processed in-line with established guidelines within agreed timelines

FinOps

• Manage FinOps practices to optimize cloud spending and improve cost efficiency.
• Monitor cloud usage and spending data to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Conduct regular cost analysis, identify cost drivers, and recommend optimization strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align FinOps practices with business goals.
• Continuously research the latest cloud platform features and enhancements to leverage new trends effectively.
• Optimize performance and costs related to cloud platform resources.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure controlled and consistent use of cloud platforms.
• Create reports and dashboards to track and communicate cloud cost optimization efforts to stakeholders.

IT Procurement and Contract Management

• Manage the IT Procurement and Contract management practice, ensuring that IT suppliers deliver maximum value through their services.
• Facilitate procedures for contract performance, relationship, and risk management.
• Perform overall contract operations oversight for performance management including benchmarking and SLAs.
• Manage relationships with IT suppliers for cost-effectiveness and maintain a repository to ensure formal and effective contract management and vendor relationships.
• Maintain a contracts repository to ensure that supplier documentation including contract changes, reports, notices and relevant supporting materials are stored with controlled access.
• Maintain a calendar of important contracted deliverables required of each supplier and ensure that these are performed timeously.
• Drive supplier innovation, cost reduction and performance improvement to maximise the value from supplier relationships over and above contractual commitments.
• Lead or partake in sourcing activities within cross functional teams ensuring compliance with applicable policies and procedures.

Leadership and teamwork

• Work with internal colleagues to ensure they have the appropriate information and knowledge at hand to be successful in what they do.
• Facilitate and guide activities involving cross-functional teams to achieve outputs and objectives.
• Provide periodic reports on performance against plan & progress on medium-term initiatives & use to realign operating plan and objectives appropriately.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, develop and model alternative solutions as well as contingency plans.
• Continuously identify areas of improvement that will enhance efficiency.

GOVERNANCE

• Ensure the consolidation of the risk profile for the area of accountability, manage critical risks, and provide timely reporting and feedback.

PEOPLE

• Communicate strategic context that guide best practice, foster an environment of continuous learning and improved employee engagement levels.

CLIENT

• Define and influence relationships made with internal and external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure integrated approaches in pursuit of collective goals.

Personal Attributes and Skills

• Strong knowledge of IT Financial Management practices
• Data analysis, modelling and reporting
• Knowledge of IT Infrastructure technologies and processes
• Ability to engage at all levels of seniority (including Executive Management)
• Decisiveness and Influencing Others
• Effective Business Communication
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Strategic Planning and Reporting.
• Ability to carry out assigned tasks independently with little supervision.

Education and Experience

• Relevant Tertiary Qualification
• At least 8 years’ experience in IT contract and finance management
• Solid experience in compiling of reports and presentation
• Formal certification is IT Financial management would be advantageous.
• IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification would be advantageous.