Recruiting M-Pesa Africa - Application Operations Specialist

Safaricom is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Technical Operations Lead to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the Technical Operations Manager, you will be tasked with ensuring the successful delivery of M-Pesa services to end customers and Local Market Business Teams. This critical role involves acting as the first point of escalation for service vendors, L2 support teams, and Local Market IT teams that support the infrastructure and connected services.

In this role, you will collaborate with internal and external partners throughout the support chain to maintain high service levels and ensure adherence to agreed-upon processes. Your leadership and expertise will be crucial in deploying, configuring, and maintaining software applications vital to the organization’s operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Application Deployment and Maintenance: Lead the deployment, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of software applications that are integral to Safaricom’s operations. Ensure that applications run smoothly and are updated as necessary to meet the organization's needs.
• Performance Monitoring: Identify monitoring requirements to track the performance and health of applications. Proactively address issues to minimize downtime and ensure seamless service delivery.
• Best Practices and Process Improvement: Work closely with third-party vendors to identify and implement best practices for application operations. Continuously seek ways to improve processes to enhance the efficiency and reliability of services.
• Incident Management: Coordinate with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and resolve application-related incidents. Ensure prompt restoration of services, minimizing the impact on end users.
• System Audits: Support system audits for assigned markets and services, ensuring compliance with internal and external standards.
• Cybersecurity Compliance: Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to ensure that all applications comply with relevant security standards and regulations, safeguarding the organization’s digital assets.
• Disaster Recovery Planning: Develop and maintain disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity in the event of system failures or other disasters. This includes coordinating with relevant teams to ensure readiness.
• Capacity Planning: Forecast future resource requirements and scale applications accordingly. Work with teams to ensure that systems are prepared to handle increased demand.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance application reliability, performance, and efficiency. Stay updated on technology upgrades and integrate them where beneficial.
• Documentation: Maintain comprehensive documentation for all applications, including configuration details and troubleshooting guides. Ensure that documentation is up-to-date and accessible to relevant teams.
• Training and Support: Provide training and support to internal teams on application usage and support procedures. Ensure that team members are well-equipped to handle their responsibilities.
• Team Leadership: Lead a team of operations engineers or technicians, providing guidance, coaching, and mentorship. Foster a high-performance culture within the team, ensuring that members are motivated and aligned with the organization’s goals.
• Service Level Compliance: Ensure that technical service levels are met for services operated by Product Operations or by third-party vendors on behalf of the service owner. Manage incident resolution times within SLA targets.
• Incident and Service Request Management: Oversee the management of incidents, including the implementation of workarounds and changes. Execute service requests and fulfill on-call duties as required.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in managed operations for large-scale IT applications and services within a multinational environment.
• At least 5 years of experience in managing third-party vendors and solution providers, ensuring that services are delivered according to agreed SLAs.
• Strong knowledge of operations management for highly complex IT and financial services.
• Deep understanding of operational procedures and process standards, such as ITIL, with the ability to apply and evaluate them for continuous improvement in service operations.
• Experience working in a complex business environment and managing multicultural teams, with a strong focus on supplier management.
• Ability to understand and evaluate web and mobile service technologies, including operating systems (e.g., Linux, Windows), databases (e.g., Oracle, MongoDB, Postgres), and cloud solutions.
• Strong ability to manage in dynamic, high-growth, and high-uncertainty environments.
• Proven capability to balance conflicting interests and make informed decisions under pressure.

How to Apply

If you meet the qualifications and are excited about the opportunity to contribute to Safaricom's success, please submit your application online through the Safaricom careers portal. Ensure that you include a detailed CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role. In your cover letter, please specify your experience in managed operations, vendor management, and your understanding of IT and financial services.

Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submissions are encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further steps.

Submit your CV and Application on Company Website : Click Here

Join Safaricom today and be part of a team that is making a significant impact in the telecommunications and financial services sectors in Kenya. Your expertise could help shape the future of communication and financial services in the region.