The Digital Product Manager plays a critical role in controlling, managing, and delivering digital banking product strategies, channel developments, and program governance across Absa Bank Limited.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Control & Governance, Business Direction (30%)
Ensures project/program manager produce, manage and control projects to Absa Africa standards and guidelines.
Ensures review and escalation if required, of project/program Risks and Issues.
Responsible for monitoring activities and ensure compliance with laid down Program standards and procedures.
Responsible for assisting the Program Office Manager in undertaking Project Assurance/Health reviews on project/program manager.
Provide feedback to BA on local competitor product activity.
Undertake local market research to provide management information.
Undertake legal and regulatory assessment as required.
Feedback suggestions for new channels and channel enhancements to BA, Local stakeholders.
Provide data for Local and Centre management information.
Resource/Finance & Business Management (50%)
Implement new channels into market by engaging all stakeholders, creating a steering committee, building a business case, completing all testing, and building detailed local implementation plans.
Closely monitor local implementation.
Provide cover for Head of Channels where necessary.
Increase usage across all alternate channels.
Complete competitor research.
Apply pricing strategy to local pricing models and manage the publishing of pricing guides.
Give necessary notices to local government/regulators and public of channel changes.
Liaise with Local Operations Centres, regularly reviewing all operational standards for channel profitability, and identifying skills gaps.
Review and feedback into customer satisfaction surveys, responding to customer complaints.
Liaise with People Development and Sales Management functions to design and deliver appropriate training and give input into sales strategies.
Joint responsibility for the smooth running of the Channels Office.
Ensure that Benefits Realization is actively managed throughout the life of the project and post-project until the Benefits review has been completed.
Work with Head of Digital Commercialization to identify, quantify and document financial benefits to be achieved by the project for input into the business case.
Work with the Head of Digital Commercialization of deliverables that are internal to the Channel Office and agreed with the Head of Digital Commercialization.
Manage the change request process to ensure costs are correctly allocated from the budget or contingency.
Obtain the necessary sign-off for change requests.
Report to the Head of Digital Commercialization on the financial status of the project.
Reporting, Information Management and Risk Management (20%)
Participate in the Team Status Update meetings.
Produce reports for the Head of Digital Commercialization, Account Executive, Sponsor, to identify the status of the project in terms of milestones, key achievements, and key risks.
Prepare presentations on an ad hoc basis.
File project documentation and ensure all documentation is correctly configured.
Ensure that the correct associated impact and probability scoring is given to each Risk and Issue.
Ensure that the associated mitigating actions are identified and tracked for the risks and issues.
Ensure that internal and external dependencies are identified with the associated mitigating actions.
Identify risks and/or dependencies and escalate these to the Head of Digital Commercialization where appropriate.
Responsible for assessing the impacts of new change against the existing planning portfolio.
Responsible for consolidation of all in-country project activity and issuing reports to key stakeholders, business leaders, Change Managers and all staff involved with change.
Responsible for the adherence and definition where required of best practice change standards, tools and processes to optimize the delivery of governance of change.
Requirements & Qualifications
Degree from a recognized institution.
Detailed knowledge and application of project/programs management and systems development techniques.
Knowledge of the Bank’s policies, standards, procedures covering premises, equipment, security procedures/controls and snap checks.
A comprehensive knowledge of Absa Africa products and systems that support them, and a good understanding of Absa Group products.
A detailed understanding of product offerings in the wider financial services industry.
A detailed knowledge of Absa Africa strategy and policies.
Detailed knowledge of consumer buying behavior, marketing techniques and evolving trends.
An understanding of customer segmentation theory and practice.
A detailed understanding of industry, advisory, regulatory and professional bodies.
A good understanding of legislation related to financial services and channel delivery.
A good knowledge of constructing reports, executive summaries and briefs.
Change governance and policy framework.
Some experience of managing activity across the whole of a project lifecycle, using current technology, structured methods and a quality process.
Exposure to governance, control and risk management.
