Description

The Application Owner for the Life Business will be responsible for the overall management, governance, and performance of vendor-owned applications that support Life Risk and Life Invest products within Investec. This role focuses on ensuring that these applications meet business needs, are maintained effectively, and align with the strategic objectives of the Organisation, with a strong emphasis on vendor management, cross-team coordination, and production incident management.

Key Responsibilities:
Application Management: Oversee the lifecycle of assigned vendor-owned applications, including implementation, maintenance, and decommissioning.

Vendor Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with third-party vendors, ensuring that service level agreements (SLAs) are met and that vendors deliver value to the organisation.

Cross-Team Coordination: Collaborate with multiple technology teams to coordinate the delivery of projects and resolve production issues, ensuring seamless integration and communication across teams.

Production Incident Management: Lead the management of production incidents, ensuring timely resolution and communication with stakeholders, while implementing processes to prevent future occurrences.

Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain deep relationships with the Life Risk and Life Invest business units to understand their requirements and ensure applications align with their needs.

Product Knowledge: Leverage an understanding of Life Risk and Life Invest products and business processes to inform application management and improvements.

Performance Monitoring: Track application performance metrics and implement improvements as necessary, working closely with vendors and technology teams to resolve issues.

Governance and Compliance: Ensure that applications comply with regulatory requirements and internal policies, including vendor compliance.

Budget Management: Assist in the budgeting process for application-related expenses, including vendor costs.
User Support and Training: Provide training and support to end-users to maximise application effectiveness, ensuring they understand vendor processes and tools.

Documentation:  Maintain comprehensive documentation for applications, including user manuals, process flows, and technical specifications.

Qualifications:
Education:  Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in application management or a similar role, with a strong focus on vendor management, production incident management, and cross-team coordination, preferably within the financial services sector.  Candidate should have strong leadership experience and skills. 

Product Knowledge: Understanding of Life Risk and Life Invest products and business is advantageous.

Industry Knowledge: Knowledge of banking and financial services is advantageous.

Skills:
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, particularly in vendor negotiations and cross-team collaboration.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Proficiency in project management methodologies.
- Self-Starter Attitude: Demonstrated ability to take initiative and drive projects to completion without requiring extensive oversight.
- Proactive Problem Solving:  A positive attitude towards solving problems, even when they fall outside of immediate team boundaries.

Personal Attributes:
- Proactive and self-motivated.
- Ability to work collaboratively within a team and with external vendors.
- Strong customer service orientation.
- Adaptable to change and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Investec Culture 

At Investec we look for intelligent, energetic people filled with passion, integrity and curiosity. We value individuals who in turn value our culture that is, a flexible attitude comfortable to live with ambiguity and willing to challenge the status quo. Diversity, talent and leadership are respected in pursuit of the growth of our business. People who can manage themselves and build strong relationships in order to get things done, will perform in out of the ordinary ways in our environment. 

We are committed to diversity and inclusion when recruiting internally and externally.