Head of Operational Excellence at Appzone Limited

AppZone is a response to the growing need in emerging markets for financial services accessibility to the masses. The company was formed with a genuine belief in Africa’s latent ability to support the home grown production and delivery of world class IT Software for the enhancement of key sectors of the budding economy. AppZone started off primarily as a developer of custom e-Banking and payment software for leading commercial Banks in Nigeria. In less than 3 years, AppZone had accumulated a remarkable asset-base of e-payment software products and intellectual property. In a bid to extend existing payment solutions to smaller scale Financial institutions, AppZone observed the absolute dearth of basic IT infrastructure and commenced a 2 year project to develop a world class yet affordable core Banking platform for Microfinance Banks (MFBs) and other small scale retail financial institutions. The culmination of this project saw AppZone in full ownership of an entire integrated suite of IT infrastructure required for the effective functioning of any modern retail Bank. Today AppZone has consolidated these platforms into a shared and entirely managed Banking and payment automation IT infrastructure under the brand BankOne. AppZone was incorporated in July 2006 as Price and Networks Limited and commenced full operations in June 2008 with a knife edged focus on creating a world class organization and defacto provider of IT software for the financial services industry. The young, dynamic and driven co-founders of AppZone decided to bring together their wealth of technical, administrative and entrepreneurial experience as well as key leadership competences to create a winning team comprising the best in brains and character. The end point being to transform the financial services industry in Africa and emerging markets around the globe thereby creating immense value for the respective economies and facilitating their overall growth and development.

Operational Strategy Management

• Evaluate current workflows, processes, and systems to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement.
• Create detailed, long-term operational strategies and roadmaps to optimize resources, streamline processes, and align with the company's overall business goals
• Oversee and manage the execution of strategic initiatives and projects by leading cross-functional teams, managing project timelines, and ensuring milestones are met.
• Work closely with senior leadership and various departments to ensure strategic alignment and buy-in.
• Continuously monitor the effectiveness of implemented strategies using data and key performance indicators.

Process Management

• Develop and design new or improved processes that are more efficient, effective, and aligned with the company's strategic objectives.
• Lead and manage the implementation of new processes by collaborating with cross-functional teams, managing project timelines and resources, and ensuring smooth transitions.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation, including standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training materials, to ensure process consistency and compliance across the organization.
• Continuously monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of processes and identify any issues.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement (e.g., Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen) by conducting regular audits, gathering feedback, and making iterative changes to optimize process performance.
• Collaborate with various departments and stakeholders to analyze existing business processes and identify tasks that are repetitive, manual, and well-suited for automation.

Operational Governance & Risk Management

• Design, implement, and oversee a comprehensive operational risk management framework that aligns with regulatory requirements, industry best practices, and the company's risk appetite.
• Proactively identify and analyze potential risks across all operational areas, including processes, systems, and people
• Establish and maintain governance structures and reporting lines to ensure that all business units adhere to the established risk policies.
• ?Continuously monitor the effectiveness of risk controls and management strategies.
• Prepare and present detailed risk reports to senior management and the board of directors, providing insights into the organization's risk profile and recommendations for improvement.

Performance Management

• Develop, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that directly measure operational health and effectiveness.
• Collect and analyze operational data to identify performance gaps, trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Lead projects to improve performance, working with cross functional teams to streamline processes, eliminate waste, and enhance productivity.
• Prepare and present regular performance reports to senior management.

Requirements

• 8+ years work experience in a financial technology, software development, financial services, or technology organization in a similar role. 
• BSc/BEng in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field. MSc/MEng in similar fields with relevant certifications will be an added advantage.
• Good reporting skills and standards and a high level of intelligence with the ability to learn with ease and speed.   
• Ability to motivate, counsel, and constructively deal with people at all levels.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office packages is highly essential and recommended.  
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and proficiency in both spoken and written English, problem solving, analytical thinking, and communication.  
• Self-confidence and authenticity while having high personal ambitions and strong work ethic.    
• Understanding of project management methodologies and thorough understanding of Kaizen process improvement technique. 
• Proficient in the use of agile delivery tools like JIRA, Confluence etc., and comfortable with the use of enterprise productivity tools Microsoft 365 applications, process automation tools, ticket management platforms, etc.

Method of Application