Senior Manager IT

QNB Group’s presence through its subsidiaries and associate companies extends to more than 31 countries across three continents providing a comprehensive range of advanced products and services. The total number of employees is more than 28,000 serving up to 20 million customers operating through 1,000 locations, with an ATM network of 4,300 machines.

QNB has maintained its position as one of the highest rated regional banks from leading credit rating agencies including Standard & Poor’s (A), Moody’s (Aa3) and Fitch (A+). The Bank has also been the recipient of many awards from leading international specialised financial publications.

Based on the Group’s consistent strong financial performance and its expanding international presence, QNB currently ranks as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa, according to Brand Finance Magazine.

QNB Group has an active community support program and sponsors various social, educational and sporting events.

Role Summary:

You will be responsible for administration and safeguarding from an IT perspective, to help identify and improve business system needs and objectives, current operational procedures, problems, input/ output requirements, data scope and successfully deliver services to support the enterprise’s strategy systems and networks installed in the International branch with full compliance with the Group IT, security, operations and BCP policies

Role Description:

Implements KPI’s and best practices for role

Lead and manage the day-to-day activities within the IT data centre for the branch. Act as a data centre supervisor responsible for and not limited to smooth operations of the systems, networks and reporting cycles.

Observes and promotes cost consciousness and efficiency, and enhance productivity, to minimize costs, avoid wastes, and optimize benefits for the bank

Act within the limits of the powers delegated to the incumbent and delegate authority to the respective staff and monitor exercise of the same.

Demonstrate clear understanding of the important factors behind the bank’s financial & non-financial performance.

Supervise IT vendors responsible for maintaining and supporting IT systems and networks.

Collaborate with architects, analysts and designers in the development and initiation of new software programs and applications.

Gather statistics and prepare written reports on the status of the programming process for discussion with management and/or team members.

Interact regularly with managers and business partners to field queries and questions.

Train, manage and provide guidance to users.

Work independently within own unit and will be required to supervise IT Coordinators/System Admin employees to maintain the systems in international projects.

To assist customers in all their queries on Bank’s product and seek solution to their requests

Maintain activities in accordance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with internal departments/ units to achieve improvements in turn-around time.

Build and maintain strong and effective relationship with all other related departments and units to achieve the Group’s goals/objectives.

Provide timely and accurate information to the external and internal Auditors, Compliance, Financial Control and Risk Functions as and when required.

Develop yearly budget for I.T. and project plan.

Responsible for ensuring service levels and quality metrics are achieved.

Accountable for ensuring effective utilization of available resources and a cooperative team atmosphere.

Ensure that architectural issues and core competency directions are considered and resolved across all I.S. Projects, including those involving internal development, package acquisition and outsourcing.

Apply and extend standardized methodology and analysis techniques to problem solving.

Research, document, and implement program requirements and specifications.

Write business analysis and business requirement specifications for all projects undertaken by the branch.

Oversee the quality assurance of program logic, data processing, and error resolution.

Administer diagnostic analysis of test results and deliver solutions to critical areas.

Determine, develop, and maintain user manuals and guidelines.

Take an active role in cross-departmental projects when needed.

Develop an awareness of programming and design alternatives.

Cultivate and disseminate knowledge of application development and testing best practices.

Establish vendor schedule to ensure proper coverage and support for systems.

Ensure backup DR readiness at the country level and head office level and conduct rehearsals. Update DR plan.

Responsible at DR site for bringing up applications, connecting all branches, monitoring, running EOD, starting normal replication and activate VPN concentrator.

Monitor the SLA level performance and ensure compliance with policies and regulations.

Dispatch all incoming messages to all the concerned departments and maintain archives of all messages.

Configure all IT hardware following H.O. specifications.

Maintain all external storage and media inventory.

Train Back-up on IT related tasks.

Produce all requested Equation Extracts.

Produce U.A.T. plan, U.A.T. issue documentation, and U.A.T. acceptance documents for projects specifics  in conjunction with HQ Project Teams

Review of Local Regulatory Technology Risk Management Guidelines and ensure its implementation in conjunction with HQ accordingly.

Review of SLA with internal and external outsourced parties to manage and ensure the availability and reliability of the outsourced IT services.

Produce test scripts for each department in the Branch.

Perform, supervise, and validate test scripts during projects.

Comply with all applicable legal, regulatory and internal compliance requirements including, but not limited to, the QNB Country Compliance manual; Group Compliance Policies and Procedures (Anti Money Laundering & Counter Terrorist Financing, Sanctions Policy, Data Protection Policy, Fraud Control Policy, Whistle Blowing Policy, Conflict of Interest and Insider Dealing Policy).

In accordance with the Branch Governance manual, contribute to and comply with the Branch’s Risk Framework, consider Risk Appetite and promote a positive Risk Culture:

Understand and effectively perform your role under the Three Lines of Defence principle to identify measure, monitor, manage and report risks.

Ensure systematic good outcomes for clients in accordance with Conduct Risk policy.

Support the framework of RCSA, KRI, Incident reporting and remediation, as appropriate, in accordance with the Operational Risk Management requirements.

Maintain appropriate knowledge to ensure to be fully qualified to undertake the role. Complete all mandatory training provided by the Bank, attain, and maintain the required levels of competence.

Attend mandatory (internal and external) seminars as instructed by the Bank.

Ensuring high standards of data protection and confidentiality to safeguard commercially sensitive information. Maintaining utmost confidentiality with regards to customer and internal bank information obtained during the course of business and provide such information on a need to know basis only to Senior Management of QNB, Audit and Compliance functions, and relevant Regulators

Qualification:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related technical field.

Minimum of 8 years of experience in the field of IT Systems and Network and/or Security; preferable in banks

Excellent oral and written communication skills (including report writing) in English; with Arabic, French or applicable local language highly desirable

 

Required Special Skills:

Strong technical skills in local and wide area networks as well as systems administration

Knowledge in CISCO Device Management Skills / Redbox Voice Recording preferred.

Knowledge in database administration would be an added advantage

Excellent time management skills and ability to work in a fast paced environment with tight datelines.

Customer service oriented.

Ability to effectively interact at all levels in the bank and outside contacts.

Perform duties with limited supervision from reporting manager.