My client based in Durban (Springfield Park) is looking for a Operations Manager - Software Development to join their team

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Job Title: Operations Manager - Software Development

CORE PURPOSE OF THE JOB

• Responsible for design, development and support of stock management, automation and other software written by the software development team
• Provide guidance, training, leadership and assistance with problem solving in areas of programming, database and software platform
• Accountable for managing, coordinating resources and processes to deliver software releases for new solutions or upgrade of existing products, while participating in the strategy of the product development
• To propose and assess solutions to design problems, including identifying, evaluating new technologies and third part components
• Promote and advocate best practices within the development team and throughout the business

PRINCIPLE DELIVERABLES

System/Program Development

• Analyse designs and build component-based applications in a web/internet delivery environment
• Determine operational feasibility by evaluating analysis, problem definition requirements, solutions development, and proposed solutions
• Manage the installation of program elements into production from the staging server
• React to problem and correcting the program as necessary 

Project Management

• Perform hands-on coding, mentor junior developers and assists in architecting web content solutions
• Managing multiple concurrent projects throughout their full life cycle, from business analysis through start up, execution, completion and wrap-up
• Obtain approval on proposed scope and prioritisation changes
• Identify project risks and critical paths and manage mitigation process with project team and stakeholders
• Reconcile key stakeholder interests, conflicting priorities, and business strategy 

Strategy

• Responsibility for software release management
• Responsibility for research and introduction of new software technology including class structures and methodology
• Provide guidance, training, leadership and assistance with problem solving in areas of programming, database and software platform
• Allocation and management of full life-cycle of programming tasks for developers from concept to development through to testing of completed work
• Lead direct communication with other business areas at all levels 

 Communication

• Develop open and effective communication with all Divisional Directors, Sales managers and Technical
• Share knowledge with others to draw on skills of experts where required to fulfil requirements
• Communicate with senior management regarding the status of current projects; obtain guidance and approval as required to advance projects
• Coordinate and attend meetings with clients and managers to define requirements and project goals for development staff
• Manage communication to and from internal clients and development staff about project status and clarification of requests
• Advise on business practices, procedures and projects downstream
• Responsible for organizing meetings and producing minutes, and being the facilitator of these meetings

Research

• Must be able to research ideas in the industry work creatively and keep up-to-date with changing technology
• Reflect on work and consider its commercial viability
• Brainstorming ideas
• Keeping up to date with technical as well as industry sector developments

Mentoring/Training

• Must be able to pass the skills/ideas through to infrastructure team and users by mentoring

Conflict Resolution

• Resolve any conflict issues internally or externally that may impact on the business 

Human Resources

• Develop & monitor KPA’s for all staff within the Software Development team
• Follows HR/IR policies and procedures
• Recruitment of staff appropriate to the needs of the company (in line with the latest BEE rulings)
• Ensure effective and adequate training so that staff operates effectively
• Ensure Career and Succession Planning to minimize business interruption
• Performance management and appraisal to be done bi-annually
• Ensure that clearly defined and approved signed KPA’s exist for staff members
• Implements discipline & performance measures
• Ensure leave is planned and approved in advance for all staff (including self) to minimize disruption to business 

 COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

Knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in management / leadership experience in software development role
• Must have at least 7 years’ experience working through the design, development, release cycle, and delivering software products to market Successful completion of large-scale software projects
• Must be hands on in Software Development / Coding
• Experience with managing the development of SaaS and cloudBbased applications
• Experience in Microsoft Technology Development stack and J2EE/JBoss application server software development (EJB,  JMS, JDBC, JTA)
• Relevant experience with web services and REST
• Experience with Entity/J2E/Swing frameworks
• Extensive knowledge of C#, SQL Server, , MVC, Visual Studio, Team Foundation Server
• Strong management and analytical skills, good understanding of organisational development and business planning and experience in KPI tracking and analysis
• Demonstrable experience in optimisation strategy and delivery
• Knowledge of working in a highly commercial environment having devised business cases and strategies
• Be a forward thinker and having a change oriented mind-set
• An understanding of digital best practice, wider industry knowledge and technological advancements 

Skills & Behaviour

• Ability to translate business needs into integration and solution architecture requirements
• Ability to estimate the financial impact of solution architecture alternatives
• Ability to apply multiple technical solutions to business problems
• Comprehend the functions and capabilities of new technologies
• Strong critical thinker with problem solving aptitude
• Personal drive & delivery
• Judgement and decision making
• Excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills
• Change leadership skills
• Role model and coach
• Customer centricity
• Commercial thinking
• Be technology literate and digitally savvy
• Extensive use of digital analytical tools and testing
• Ability to manage a team of developers
• Ability to oversee multiple simultaneous projects
• Ability to communicate and work with other management levels within the business
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with departmental staff as well as end users on the terminals

 Competencies

• “Can do” attitude
• Business savvy
• Action-orientated
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Decision-making
• Communication skills
• Proven experience in people management
• Delegation
• Negotiation
• Conflict management
• Adaptability
• Stress tolerance
• Analytical skills
• Results and goal orientated
• Ethical

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• Extended hours and willingness to travel frequently
• Monday to Friday 08h00 to 17h00 (40 hour week) 

CONTACT RELATIONSHIPS

• Industry interaction at a senior level
• Group Managing Director
• Group Sales & Marketing Director
• Business Unit MD’s
• Clients

Ref: DBN000385/MK