Manager: -Strategy and Planning, Case Selection at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

About the Position

• SARS is looking for individuals with risk management, business/data analytics skills and leading a team of business analyst to mitigate risks on a strategic level.

Job Purpose

• Developing and management of risk detection and mitigation strategies.
• Leading and providing guidance to a team of business analysts to mitigate risks on a strategic level.
• Conduct research to investigate areas of concern to resolve problems and identify new solutions.
• Be observant and engage on possible violations of procedures and standards of conduct and escalate where necessary.
• Plan and organize own work tasks within area of work.
• Identify and resolve queries and problems timeously, apply discretion in line with process guidelines provided.
• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with peers, SARS role players and third parties to achieve predefined objectives.
• Execute specialist input through investigation & opportunities within the product process including risk concern.
• Provide specialist input through the investigation of opportunities for operational and process product and risk optimisation.
• Plan for value-added process improvements, initiatives and services to deliver on operational strategy and objectives.
• Draw on own knowledge and experience to diagnose symptoms, causes and possible effects to solve emerging problems and mitigating risks.
• Accumulate information to review work progress that provides input to reporting, decision making and the identification of improvement opportunities.
• Apply practical and applied knowledge and act authoritatively on methods, systems and procedures to identify trends and potential risks.
• Communication of situational interpretation and judgement of work outputs and queries in area of specialisation.
• Correctly apply policies, practices, standards, procedures and legislation in the delivery of work outputs.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• Relevant Business and/or Data Analytics Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) AND 8-10 years' experience in a data & business analytics environment of which 3-4 years ideally at junior management level
• Experience acquired in handling data & business analytics in a banking, insurance or consulting environment will be an added advantag
• Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 15 years' experience in a data & business analytics environment, of which 3-4 years ideally at junior management level

• Experience acquired in handling data & business analytics in a banking, insurance or consulting environment will be an added advantage.
• Data Analytics
• Business Analytics
• Microsoft SQL experienced (Beginner level)

Job Outputs:

Process

• Act as the managerial driver of strategic implementation within the context of business unit excellence and performance improvement.
• Direct, control, coordinate and optimise budgeted resources to meet specific objectives and deliver agreed results and productivity requirements.
• Ensure the development and implementation of a practice in alignment with operational policy and procedural frameworks.
• Implement tactical strategy and delivery plans through the development of operational activities, ensuring the achievement of operational targets.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives, implementing best practice solutions.
• Provide periodic reports on performance against plan & progress on short-term initiatives & use to realign tactical plan and objectives appropriately.
• Use the insights gained through integrated business reports to measure success & realign strategy implementation objectives appropriately.
• Plan for handling work outputs, pull together interdependent activities & specify priorities, standards & procedures to ensure tactical implementation.
• Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, policies and procedures, and execute the implementation of change and innovation initiated by the organisation.
• Timeously communicate top-down policy and associated single practice area modification, objective achievement progress and critical success factors to impacted stakeholders.
• Conduct assessments and use information to advise, make recommendations and facilitate improvement.
• Monitor the integration of manual and automated processes to ensure efficient and effective service delivery & optimise quality.
• Proactively drive optimisation and integration of processes across business areas to achieve efficiency

Governance

• Manage governance, risk and compliance policy in own practice area to identify and manage governance and risk exposure liability.
• Manage and or advise on the translation and application of policy in a specific functional area.

People

• Create a positive work climate & culture to energise employees & give meaning to work, minimise work disruption and maximise employee productivity.
• Plan & implement enhanced organisational efficiency by identifying and addressing development requirements & providing tools for people resources.
• Translate performance expectations into specific metrics and goals to identify and provide effective services, solve problems, and achieve objectives.
• Develop & implement appropriate people capacity plans in line with delivery & efficiency targets, on budget & in partnership with specialised area.
• Encourage and enable teamwork, by enabling collaboration with others and commitment to pursuing set goals.
• Develop and maintain a team that is capable for operating to their full capability and provide appropriate skills, knowledge and experience.

Finance

• Adhere to organizational policies and procedures to ensure cost effectiveness and reduction of financial costs.

Client

• Contribute to a culture of service excellence, which builds positive relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service.
• Provide authoritative, specialist services, expertise and advice to internal and external.

Behavioural competencies

• Integrity and Honesty
• Trustworthy
• Conceptual and Strategic Thinking  
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Meticulous
• Good Time Management
• Self-Improvement & Self-Driven & Accountable
• Good Communication skills
• High Emotional Intelligence
• Building Sustainability
• Champion the Mandate
• Developing & Influencing Others 
• Driving for Excellence 
• Fairness and Transparency
• Leveraging Diversity

Technical competencies

• Business Acumen - Understands main business drivers to impact on decision making and get things done.
• Decisiveness - confidence and ability to take timely and appropriate decisions.
• Effective Business Communication - communicate information and ideas in a clear and concise manner appropriate for the audience to explain, persuade, convince and influence others to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Functional Policies and Procedures - knowledge and interpretation of the functional policies and procedures, including monitoring their consistent application internally within SARS.
• Information management - Ability to prepare and extract qualitative and quantitative reports for submission to management. Ability to monitor and review operating documents or information handling processes and procedures within the department or business unit, with a view to identifying, investigating and notifying the Head of Department or Business Unit Head of risks.
• Planning, Management and Measurement - Applies concepts of knowledge / skill without requiring supervision able to provide business and technical guidance when required.
• Problem Analysis and Judgement - Identifies problems, analyses the problem in a logical way, defining the root cause and formulating the correct mitigation, solution, or line of action.
• Statistical and Mathematical Analysis – Analyses and interprets numerical and non-numerical data to determine potential risk exposure and statistical inferences to inform business decisions and mitigation strategies.
• Data Management - The ability to effectively and efficiently manage business related data in an accurate manner, through the application of various technologies.
• Data Collection and Analysis - Ability to determine risks and trends from raw data to assist decision-making and strategic mitigating solutions.
• Reporting - Ability to create reports for various SARS stakeholders as relevant, in a lucid and effective manner, keeping in mind the purpose of the reports.

Compliance Competency

• Security Clearance: Top secret