General Manager: Digital Services

Job Description

Education / Business Degree 

  • Minimum of 4 year tertiary qualification
  • MBA or Masters advantageous
  • Fluent in English and language of country preferable

Work Experience  

  • Senior management track record of 5 enterprise
  • Understanding emerging markets advantageous
  • Worked across diverse cultures and geographies

Any other specifications 

  • Attitude of Innovation, inventiveness & thought leadership
  • Global mind-set to service worldwide operations
  • Pan Africa multi-cultural experience
  • Telecommunications industry experience
  • Willing and flexible to travel within Africa and Middle East
  • Fluent in English
  • Worked across diverse cultures and geographies

 

Key Job Responsibilities 

Strategy Development

  • Lead the formulation of the MTN Digital Services strategy in line with the overarching business goals and ensure that MTN maintains and improves its leadership positioning
  • Ensure  effective implementation of the strategy by means of providing direction, structure, frameworks,  models, plans and roadmaps to be adopted by the Opcos
  • Define the standards and set targets for performance across various activities and identify the parameters for measurement of performance.
  • Lead the development of the digital communication and Media strategies
  • Provide strategic direction for life cycle and management strategy 

Staff Leadership and Management

  • Build and manage a high performing team by providing leadership, role clarity, training and career development;
  • Source, induct and manage talent in accordance with legislative guidelines;
  • Ensure open communication channels with staff and implement change management interventions where necessary;
  • Provide definition of roles, responsibilities, individual goals and performance objectives for the team;
  • Set KPIs and provide regular performance feedback through a well-defined and implemented performance review program;
  • Develop and implement a training plan in order to build and develop skills within the team;
  • Encourage knowledge transfer through the implementation of a knowledge transfer plan and drive continuous improvement philosophy through the knowledge transfer plan;
  • Performance manage resources in accordance with HR policy and legislation where necessary;
  • Actively participate in leadership team and develop skills of own team; and
  • Promote a ‘MTN centric’ and ‘partnership approach’ to develop strong relationships with other working groups and ensure adherence to Group governance.

Governance

Strategic Meetings

  • Hold strategic meetings, ensure relevant participation and provide guidance and support in the various discussions;
  • Drive enterprise wide transformation initiatives, elicit inputs from relevant parties;
  • Drive adequate risk mitigation and controls, and elicit inputs from relevant parties;
  • Sign off approval on new initiatives;
  • Provide relevant budget for internal projects; and
  • Prepare proposal on change initiatives, SLA policies and procedures.

Escalations

  • Manage and resolve issues that will result in severe time, scope, productivity and cost or resource impact; and
  • Resolve and provide guidance to issues escalated.

Tactical

  • Manage all projects and initiatives;
  • Review key risks, issues and dependencies and set mitigation actions; and
  • Sign-off / make decisions regarding tactical changes.

Performance

  • Monitor performance and alignment with MTN global strategy and per industry best practices;
  • Review performance against agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and review service level agreements;
  • Identify opportunities for improvement and collaborate with respective OPCOs and teams to agree on corrective actions;
  • Ensure provision of appropriate support to consumer functions; and
  • Create and monitor plan for continuous improvement and monitor adherence to the plans.

Reporting

  • Report on a monthly basis to Group Chief Digital Officer relating to progress made within the division and in accordance with the measurement metrics set by the organisation;
  • Highlight to the management significant deviations from defined performance metrics; and
  • Report on an adhoc basis on specific projects, as required. 

Budgets

  • Develop and manage of divisional budgets in line with business objectives;
  • Develop and manage project initiative budgets in line with business objectives; and
  • Ensure that the “cost of operations” is reduced, in line with a least cost operating strategy stemming from the business drivers.

Operational Delivery

Video and Music:

  • Review the content calendar and strategy that covers and Music and Video touch points
  • Oversee and approve the Music and Video content from all stakeholders to ensure alignment to content calendar and strategy
  • Drive the development of the Music and Video portfolios, by ensuring that partners are sourced and launched on SDP
  • Maintain and strengthen relationships with content owners to ensure that the content is relevant and timely
  • Review and authorize the implementation of all content management processes and procedures to ensure that they are aligned to the operational framework of MTN as well as to allow for consistent quality improvements
  • Oversee the establishment of systems and sound practices in accordance with best practices, legislation or other regulations and guidelines around Music and Video
  • Establish, improve and maintain Music and Video quality/ process standards that will improve customer experience and cost efficiency
  • Ensure that standard operating procedures are communicated and adhered to, so that high quality portfolios of Music and Videos are delivered.

SDP:

  • Make decisions around new products and services to be launched on the SDP and manage quality assurance during product/service launches
  • Oversee the development of new Portal related products and services
  • Champion the effective management of marketing principles focusing on customer needs
  • Define and monitor project management processes of SDP to ensure that deadlines, project scope and quality standards are met
  • Review progress reports on projects against set timelines and targets, and reports pertaining to process and output for executive management
  • Review revenue targets for the products included in the portfolio
  • Ensure that SDP policies and procedures are followed
  • Effectively manage product life-cycles on SDP
  • Regularly evaluate, analyse and review product performance on the SDP
  • Oversee the integration of business requirements and network enablers to establish solutions for consumers and business partners on the SDP
  • Oversee the subscription and charging functions, Application Programme Interface (API) Capability Management and accurate and timely reporting

Mobile Advertising:

  • Initiate and implement a strategic plan to build a Mobile Advertising business
  • Approve the promotion of MTN products and third party products and services
  • Develop and drive the advertising services strategy and approach to align with the Group-wide advertising strategy
  • Approve and ensure that optimal advertising space is sold at a strategic price
  • Ensure that advertising is relevant, targeted and well-timed as well as subscribers receive advertisements through relevant channels
  • Oversee and coordinate the digital products and services across the Group and provide support to the OPCOs.
  • Strategically manage all electronic advertising environments including managing relationships with service providers such as content suppliers the areas of Digital Marketing Portal, Digital Web Environment and Digital Content Portal
  • Identify and plan for future business challenges and opportunities to increase market share
  • Develop and oversee advertising models and structures based on Big Data

Big Data:

  • Monitor and enhance the relationship between MTN and subscriptions
  • Oversee the analysis of competitor intelligence to establish benchmarks, from which best practices are derived and standards are set
  • Keep abreast with business environment to identify threats and plan for action
  • Develop the requisite access to data analytics and insights using existing or new systems
  • Create insightful extracts to inform business decisions
  • Utilise the extracts to create targeted, relevant and contextual advertising to differentiate our mobile advertising offering in the market
  • Extend the big data capacity to follow industry best practise
  • Interpret the extracts to create new business opportunities from strategic insights

Managerial / Supervisory Responsibilities

  • Accountable for the morale, performance, and development of the department’s human capital;
  • Align departmental values with MTN brand values;
  • Approve work structure process before adoption by the team;
  • Coach and mentor direct reports;
  • Enforce team members’ compliance to standard working processes and procedures;
  • Ensure adequate succession planning and that succession plans that are in place are achieved;
  • Ensure assigned team is led motivated, and rewarded to achieve KPA’s;
  • Ensure that coaching / mentoring programs and personal development plans are in place for all staff members;
  • Ensure effective management of diversity among personnel in the division;
  • Identify staff training and development needs and implement necessary actions;
  • Motivate and manage individuals to perform at the highest level, especially in terms of delivery and meeting target deadlines;
  • Possess the authority, presence, and integrity to command respect from colleagues and from external contacts;
  • Provide career development for direct reports (counselling, coaching, identifying key performance areas, career planning and goal setting);
  • Provide guidance and leadership ensuring future focus and current efficiency;
  • Recruit and build a world class information management team;
  • Set goals and objectives for direct reports, monitor progress and maintain motivation;
  • Set overall direction for the division; and
  • Provide an advisory function on governance and best practices in client experience.