Lead Specialist: Benefit Realization (Projects) FTC at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Job Purpose

• As a Lead Benefit Realisation Specialist, you will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and managing internal investment opportunities within the organization. You will work closely with various departments to develop and implement strategies that optimize our internal capital investments and drive business growth.
• You will be required to provide expertise and advice, facilitate the formulation, review, and monitoring of the Enterprise Resource Plan. Disburse funds by managing the Benefit Realisation Management Framework. Monitor and review projects and assess whether the organisation has met its capital investment goals.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• Honours / Postgraduate Diploma (NQF 8) in Financial Management or similar AND minimum 10-12 years' experience in Benefit realization, Project management and Finance with 3-4 years at a specialist level.

#Alternative

• Bachelor’s degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Financial Management or similar AND minimum 12 - 15 years’ experience in Benefit realization, Project management and Finance, with 3-4 years at a specialist level

Minimum Functional Requirements 

• Experience in a few project roles with significant experience of benefits management in project, programme, or portfolios.
• Strong Finance, Business and Projects Background
• Experience of benefits planning and prioritisation in complex environments.
• Experience in Financial modelling (NPV)
• Recent experience of benefits management and mapping across complex environments.
• Expertise in portfolio reporting tools and techniques.
• Good analytical and presentation skills.
• Independent thinker who is solution driven.
• Confidence to work with multiple stakeholders at all levels of SARS.
• Understanding and knowledge of the software lifecycle.
• Excellent communication skills to provide clear messages to internal teams and external stakeholders.

Job Outputs:

Process

• Lead the provision of a benefits management, tracking and realisation service to enable the delivery of programs and projects.
• Assess benefits management across Enterprise Portfolio Management Office delivery portfolio of programs and projects to identify current gaps, overlaps and conflicts.
• Work with programmes and projects and provide pragmatic best practice advice on the effectiveness of their benefits management and realisation practices, particularly to identify additional opportunities for benefits management.
• Review investment proposal submissions and the development of business cases during options analysis, investment appraisal and portfolio delivery prioritisation in terms of return on investment.
• Track and report benefits realisation progress for Enterprise Portfolio Management Office dashboard reporting.
• Regularly review and improve the effectiveness of benefits and value management arrangements and escalate any portfolio-level delivery risks with benefits realisation as appropriate.
• Establish the mechanisms for, and monitor, post project closure to compare benefits realised with benefits forecast to capture lessons in relation to benefits management for wider dissemination.

Governance

• Develop and/or align governance and compliance policies in own practice areas to identify and manage risk exposure liability.

People

• Provide specialist support, advice and resources to projects and initiatives and where appropriate representation on national committees.
• Provide specialist know-how, support, advice, and practice thought leadership in area of expertise.

Finance

• Implement financial models and monitor the value of projects.

Client

• Participate in the specialist practice community and contribute positively to organisation knowledge management.
• Provide authoritative, specialist expertise and advice to internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and ensure implementation of own practices to build delivery excellence, encouraging others to provide exceptional stakeholder service.

Behavioural competencies

• Analytical Thinking 
• Accountability
• Conceptual Ability
• Expertise in Context
• Fairness and Transparency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Attention to Detail
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Organisational Awareness
• Respect
• Trust
• Building Sustainability

Technical competencies

• Data Collection and Analysis
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Reporting
• Business Knowledge
• Efficiency improvement 
• Workforce Planning
• Change Management
• Planning, Management and Measurement
• Programme and Project Management