Integration: SOA Integration Specialist

Job Description

Context

  • MTN is entering a new phase in its lifecycle where operational and commercial excellence has become critical for success. The urgency for change has become more heightened amid increased competitive intensity across all markets in which MTN operates.
  • MTN’s back-office functions of Finance, Supply Chain Management (SCM), Acquire to Retire (AtR) and Human Resources (HR) are currently facing multiple challenges in terms of cost structures, disparate processes and systems, inconsistent organisational structures and significant time spent on administrative tasks.
  • To address the above challenges MTN is transforming its back-office functions across all 22 Operations in order to:
    • Centralise transactional activities through implementing standard delivery models across all 22 Opcos with the aim to reduce costs and allow back-office functions to partner with the business more effectively;
    • Implement standardised end-to-end processes (for Finance, SCM, AtR and HR) with clear roles and responsibilities that eliminates redundancy and promotes efficiency;
    • Optimisation and consolidation of the current technology landscape and master data structures to ensure clean, consistent and accurate information, ultimately leading to more streamlined management reporting.
  • The successful delivery of MTN Next! will be contextualized by:
    • Alignment of the Programme objectives with the overall MTN strategy;
    • Rapidly changing ICT environment;
    • The geographic complexity of MTN’s foot print across Africa and the Middle East;
    • Management of executive and shareholder expectations across all 22 Opcos throughout the transformation;
    • Management of customer and supplier expectations.
  • Constant dynamics and local challenges in the economic, regulatory and legal environments.
Key Performance Areas:
  • Execute and implement technical Integration design of opco systems into Next Global template.
  • Where applicable, investigate and qualify potential areas in which to introduce or replace existing integrations withw Web services, SOA, ESB, etc.
  • Promote the use of Open Source Software for areas that show it to be the aligned to industry standards.
  • Collaborate with technology team members, end users, and other stakeholders in the rollout of all 22 opcos.
  • Ensure that any new software integration into the opco meets functional/technical requirements, system compliance from an integration perspective.
  • Review, analyse, and report on the effectiveness and efficiency of existing systems and develop testing strategies for improving or leveraging these systems.
  • Research and make recommendations on software protocols as well as integration products and services in support of procurement and development efforts.
  • Work diligently to enhance or improve business processes via integration, or as necessary, minimize the impact of integration on those processes.
  • Evaluate results of integration milestones per Opco, then report and make recommendations based on findings.
  • Gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of existing systems; develop and implement technical designs for improving or further leveraging of these systems.
  • Define and implement technical roadmaps aligned to governance and strategy for integrating disparate operating system environments.
  • Coordinate and perform in-depth tests, including SIT, end-user reviews, for modified and new systems.
  • Communicate application problems and issues to key stakeholders, including management, and end users.
  • Perform related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position.

Key Performance Tasks

  • Collaborate with Next users and Opco users in composing effective integration technology by understanding As-Is and To-Be gap analysis. Travel in country and perform detailed technical due diligence of Opco As –Is landscape and reporting on Gap Analysis
  • Overall Technical leadership and guidance to the Legacy integration in alignment with the legacy integration strategy and goals.
  • Articulates appropriate Oracle SOA Integration technology practices
  • Possess the authority, presence and integrity to command respect from colleagues.
  • Evaluate and Review technical designs and technical specifications of any new application under deployment or consideration to determine its intended functionality.
  • Manage the performance of the legacy & Next integration to ensure effective delivery and achievement of performance targets.
  • Participate and conduct meetings with collegues, SI and vendors to ensure effective technical delivery is on track per project plan milestones.
  • Participate in performance management and agree action points.
  • Promote a ‘customer centric’ and ‘partnership approach’ to develop strong relationships with other working groups. (Internal and External)
  • Facilitate effective communication and feedback.
  • Identify and drive the legacy integration decisions required to align MTN group policies with the global integration solution.
  • Ensure compliance with MTN Next policies, processes and procedures aligned to MTN Group.
  • Research, introduce and manage systems integration leading practices to the benefit of the MTN Next.
  • Custodian of legacy integration expert knowledge and leading practices.
  • Provide clear direction for legacy integration with cross-functional programme teams.
  • Facilitates and provides guidance when organising forums.
  • Coordinate legacy integration stakeholder relationships to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
  • Support legacy integration skills and competency development and leading practice initiatives in the MTN group.
  • Lead as the exemplar of the ethics, best practice and values of MTN.

Role Dependencies

  • IT Integration Lead
  • Legacy Integration Governance support.
  • Cross work stream participation and support on E2E business process and alignment
  • Local Opco support and collaboration
  • Integrity and quality of legacy integration from Operating Units and programme team.
  • Calibre of direct reports.
  • Positive working relationship with the Next Stream users and Opco users.
  • Knowledge of programme streams and KPI’s.

Creativities (improvement/innovation inherent):

  • Identify and propose opportunities for introducing new or refined solutions or leading
  • practices.
  • Propose new or innovative product or service offering opportunities to enhance the delivery of legacy integration.
  • Identify innovative opportunities to achieve sustainable value delivery.
  • Create innovative legacy integration systems to minimise risk and enhance overall programme management.
  • Continuously search for ways to improve systems integration to minimise operational risks.
  • Proactive reduction of business loss through solution governance ensuring adequate controls, processes, policies and procedures.
  • Specialised input into understanding the links and impact into functional and technical work streams.
  • Make positive contributions in the area of building controls in legacy integration processes and systems across MTN group.
  • Apply leading practice in an optimal way to define MTN Next integration and the ability to localise these integration technologies when required.
  • Continually improve existing legacy integration to enhance programme effectiveness, efficiency and performance.
  • Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources.
  • Legacy and Next integration improvement awareness.
  • Ability to prioritise multiple requests and legacy integration requirements to meet the organisational goals.

Vulnerabilities (control span):

  • Evolution of technology and business requirements.
  • Appetite for change in the organisation.
  • Availability of business resources to execute programme plan.
  • Ensure that process designs cater for all Local and Group requirements.
  • Lack of cohesive and structured integration.
  • Integration failures or missed milestones.
  • Delayed implementation of automation and tedious customisation.
  • Complex and ambiguous project environment.
  • Segregation of Duties Issues.
  • Lack of support from other internal work streams.
  • Changes in the regulatory environments or political environments of the Operating Units and Core.
  • Global changes – political or security – to the global supply and value chain.
  • Autonomy of the Opcos.
  • Cultural diversity of team members and stakeholders.
  • Collaboration:  Refers to formal and informal relationships

Responsibility towards: 

  • Direct reports: IT integration Lead
  • Matrix reports: None.
  • Key customers:   System Integrator, Strategic Partners, Business Streams, Opco IT and Business users, Legacy Vendors , Other Project Leads , Architecture  Governance Forums.
  • Key suppliers: IT Enablement Team, Next steam leads and staff, Opco technical staff and leads, Technical Managers, Vendors and SI’s technical staff, Other Technical Leads and Work stream.
  • Other relations:   Third-Party Consultants, Vendors and Suppliers.

Minimum Requirements

Education:

  • A relevant Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required.
  • Oracle SOA/AIA foundation qualification.

Experience:

  • 8+ years consistent work experience covering similar functions in multinational telecommunication and manufacturing companies, with global or multinational projects/programmes.
  • 5+ years’ technical exposure in the sphere of legacy integration.
  • Minimum of 2 years GSM telecommunication experience is mandatory.
  • Design, Build and Execution experience within a Shared Services and Centre of Excellence operating model is desirable.
  • Demonstrated experience in transforming legacy integration methods as part of large scale back office transformations.
  • An excellent understanding of modern end-to-end ITIL and legacy integration practices.
  • Legacy integration redesign initiatives and ERP implementation project experience is desirable.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively establish and maintain strategic working relationships with peers and constituents at all levels of the organization.
  • Demonstrated analysis, technical and problem solving skills using critical and innovative thinking.
  • Ability to work collaboratively within a Project team, Group of companies, suppliers and internal clients.
  • Familiarity with writing work plans, performance reports, and other legacy integration best practice documents.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently on multiple legacy integration tasks with a fast-paced team and meet aggressive deadlines.
  • Good technical knowledge of current network hardware and standards.
  • Familiarity with TCP/IP protocols, firewall management, and database administration.
  • Working technical experience with Oracle Products
  • Strong knowledge of system testing and software quality assurance best practices and methodologies
  • Direct hands on experience with Integration projects/ programme related to Oracle Products

Training:

  • Vendor and Industry accredited certifications.

Competencies

Knowledge:

  • Integration expert.
  • Broad ICT Infrastructure knowledge.
  • Service Oriented Architecture.
  • Middle-ware.
  • Data conversion expert.
  • Ability to interact and demonstrate value at the technical level while similar be the single point of knowledge for the technical delivery teams
  • Ability to work under stringent timescales and delivery milestones
  • Good knowledge of SDLC
  • Implementation experience using Agile methodology
  • Existing Oracle specialisation in the Middleware area
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

KPA Quality Standards/ Measures (KPI’S for job)

  • Programmee – Successful development and implementation of Next & legacy integration systems.
  • Internal Processors – Contribute in Technical forums, Roadmaps and establish valued partnerships with SI and Vendors
  • People –  Performance and competencies as agreed in conjunction with the Global Process Design Authority.
  • Customer: Customer satisfaction surveys.