Specialist Process Engineer

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

Job Description Summary

The Specialist Process Engineer is responsible for leading, managing and deploying business improvement initiatives, including the drafting, sign-off, and publication of procedure documents and process maps in alignment with Absa's Policies and Procedures standards. Business improvement / Project execution includes interactively analysing, researching, designing, recommending and implementing innovative and cost efficient business processes within Absa.

The Specialist Process Engineer will address business problems and needs by defining the overall business requirements with due consideration to process efficiency, cost effectiveness, risk, compliance, local legislation, user experience (UX), and customer experience (CX). To propose solutions that fully address business requirements needed to optimize business and provide end-to-end solutions, in order to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Job Description

Process Optimization and Design

• Identification, Execution, and Implementation of process improvement initiatives aimed at improving efficiencies and effectiveness of business.
• Conduct pro-active detection of process bottlenecks and high-level operational value chain
• Updating processes and procedures, and overseeing deployment and publication of processes and procedures across the organization.
• Apply scientific principles and business inputs to refine and re-engineer as-is business process (as well as newly to-be refined processes) into best scenario to-be processes to enhance customer experience and business profitability.
• Provide input into to the documentation, formalisation and validation of the to-be concept and design proposals.
• Facilitate and integrate process designs, improvements and maintenance amongst role-players.
• Promote the generic functionality and end-to-end value chain ownership, breaking barriers to silo thinking and behaviours, within Business Units.
• Apply various applicable Industrial / Systems Engineering principles in process constraints and opportunity identifications, as well as Solutioning.
• Define process performance criteria and requirements in terms of business-centric measures (e.g. time, cost, etc.) and customer-centric measures (e.g. value demand vs. failure demand, capability of response, etc.).
• Proactively participate in business improvement forums and play an active role in the change initiatives process, by assessing and recommending the feasibility of change request received.
• Act as coach to business (line managers) regarding process re-engineering and improvement methodologies and principles.
• Facilitate and integrate process designs, improvements and maintenance amongst role-players and effectively network with all stakeholders.
• Drive change through cross-functional teams.
• Build relationships with management, project team and stakeholders, and secure their support to achieve project goals.

Business Analysis

• Perform business impact analysis in liaison with line managers on any change that is imposed on the current operational environment.
• Measure and baseline all current main value chains' performance and comparison of the To–Be process performance.
• Provide and identify opportunities for optimization improvements of operational cost base and where process methodologies can be applied. Apply basic methodologies to identify bottom line and economic profit enhancement opportunities, where it relates to cost efficiencies, income enhancements, or customer experience.
• Liaise with line managers on changes that are imposed on current operational environment. Identify process improvement opportunities in the business regarding Quality, Cost & Delivery.
• Deliver QNI (Quality Net Income) & financial savings, in line with improved customer experience, through projects.
• Responsible for the on-time collection and analysis of all metrics related to projects and the production of agreed format reports for the monthly business reviews.
• Coordinate and facilitate analysis, assessment and design workshops and initiatives to identify improvement opportunities.
• Facilitate and conduct Joint Application Design (JAD) sessions with cross-functional role players to design, develop, and review processes.

Project Management

• Manage and coordinate (assist in) implementation efforts of enhancements and change initiatives.
• Ensure inputs are provided to changes reflected on appropriate Absa supporting and training documentation.
• Ensure all projects and change initiatives affecting an area are well coordinated and change impact is controlled.
• Deliver project objectives to achieve desired quality and impact, within time period planned and within approved budget.
• Responsible for project stakeholder communication and management before and during the implementation.
• Execute performance improvement projects within agreed time frames across Absa.
• Ensure smooth transition to re-designed processes and provide project management capability to setup, manage and control projects throughout their lifecycle.
• Identify and manage work stream interdependencies, risks and issues affecting the successful delivery of the project.
• Set up processes to monitor and manage changed processes and maintain their sustainability

Research and Development

• Research Financial Industry Market Trends with respect to Products, Services, Process and Technology.
• Assist in maintaining the Business Process Management Library with the Process Custodian.

Consulting, Coaching and Mentoring

• Motivate, Lead and Direct project team members.
• Engage, motivate and coach project solution consumers towards achieving goals.
• Consult with Business Units managers to achieve Goals and Targets.
• Share best practices both within Projects and between team members across the business.

Business Alignment & Subject Matter Expert (SME) inputs

• Maintain interaction with Customer Experience, Project Implementation, and Change Management teams to create synergies before / during / after process re-engineering and implementation.
• Interact and attend meetings and workshops to ensure that the major change and small enhancement initiatives impacts are pro-actively identified so that implementation can be coordinated.
• Present initiatives at various change councils, delivery councils and other such forums.
• Ensure that promises to business are met and delivered, and highlight constraints for implementation time periods.
• Identify impact of process changes on staff that executes work within the process.

Controls, Compliance and Administration

• Ensure adherence to and compliance with governance, risk policies, procedures and compliance policies.

Preferred Education

• Preferred: NQF Level 7: B Tech / Degree in Industrial Engineering
• Certificates: Scientific methodologies associated with efficiency improvements, i.e. Lean Six Sigma, Agile method, Systems thinking, Process simulation, Customer journeys, and Lean methodologies.

Preferred Experience

• Post Graduate Engineering Degree from top tier institutions will be advantageous.
• Previous experience within the financial sector.
• Aris, I-Server (Visio process mapping).
• Green Lean or six-sigma.
• Business Process Re-Engineering.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of process improvement methodologies, e.g. Lean Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Agile methodology, Systems Thinking (e.g. Vanguard), Customer/User Experience (CX/UX), Customer journeys
• Process Engineering / Business improvement
• Project Management
• Analytical skills
• Workshop skills
• Financial knowledge (entry level) – e.g. Income statement and benefits calculation
• Problem solving mindset
• Prototype and simulation
• Change Management
• Servant Leadership
• Business writing and Presentation skills
• Process Mapping
• Procedure documentation
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Assertiveness skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently, and with a team
• Proficiency with computer (Microsoft)
• Regulatory, and Risk & compliance knowledge
• Networking skills with business stakeholders
• Strategy understanding

Education

Bachelor's Degree: Information Technology

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised