Head of Cognitive Solutions

Key responsibilities:

Products Development & Management

• Lead the entire lifecycle of a digital product, from inception to launch to ensure alignment with Cognitive Government objectives.

• Maintain the products post launch and assure their continuous enhancements.

• Cascade the approved Cognitive Government strategy to other respective stakeholders to ensure it is aligned with collective goals of the Cognitive Government function.

Research and Studies

• Conduct user research and studies and collaborate with designers, developers and research teams from end to end of the process.

• Participate in market research, validation, and analysis to identify new opportunities for new and existing features and functionalities.

Product Delivery

• Lead the production of comprehensive project plans and documentation to enable the project to be managed against a clear set of defined deliverables and milestones.

• Control the monitoring, measurement, review, and update of project process, adjust project plans and implement remedial plans and informing all relevant parties.

• Conduct an evaluation of the project and any follow-on action recommendations as required.

• Direct the creation and implementation of a dynamic government-wide digital communications strategy supporting Cognitive Government objectives and ensuring that the mission, message and brand are used professionally and effectively across the internet, from the main website

Technology Standards

• Manage the creation of Cognitive Government technology standards and practices to ensure adherence with technology standards and direct the analysis and improvement upon technology standards across the organization to maintain a technological advantage.

• Conduct research to remain up-to-date and knowledgeable regarding industry trends and emerging technologies in anticipation of new processes and system alterations.

Customer Experience

• Organize and implement client relations management initiatives including client satisfaction surveys, client development activities, client skills training, special events.

• Reviews services benchmark, service indicators, Voice of the Customer insights and complaint reports in order to identify customer pain-points and improvement opportunities.

• Oversees the identification and mapping of processes against the most appropriate measurement parameters related to quality of service.

• Lead the communication with Stakeholders, Clients, and Partners regularly to gather feedback stakeholders’ and use feedback to inform necessary improvements and adjustments to the team in order to ensure and maintain the continuous improvement related to the technology.

Corporate Strategy

• As a member of the Leadership Team, contribute to the broader development of cognitive government vision, mission and strategy to ensure the organization achieves its short, medium, and long-term objectives.

• Lead the development of the strategy for the assigned function, ensuring its alignment with the broader objectives of the organization.

• Ensure that the strategy is translated into annual operational business plans for the sector and that performance is monitored annually to ensure business plans are in line with the overall strategy.

Leadership

• Build and lead a motivated, engaged and competent manpower throughout the function, by setting priorities and objectives, managing performance, and providing ongoing feedback and coaching to meet the divisional challenges and goals.

• Serve as a role model for the division to ensure employees’ awareness and commitment to Cognitive Government vision, mission, values, fundamentals and corporate strategy to establish a highly engaged and motivated manpower, and continuously improve performance.

• Champion the process of effective leadership to manage direct reports’ performance, recruitment and development, and to raise their awareness towards the mission, vision, strategy and values to ensure high level commitment towards the Cognitive Government while raising levels of engagement and competence.

Stakeholder Management

• Maintain high levels of trust and understanding with key internal and external stakeholders to promote full compliance with industry regulations and promote broader understanding of Cognitive Government interests and practices.

• As the business owner collaborate with the related stakeholders while running the agile product teams to build product roadmaps that will be incorporated in to the broader company product portfolio plan.

• Coordinate with all levels of staff by championing the digital strategy with senior stakeholders, presenting concepts to senior audiences, or representing the director of marketing/communications at internal and external meetings.

• Manage the roadmap and backlog to ensure that IT delivers all capabilities on time and per expectation.

• Work with product marketing to develop positioning and messaging to ensure objectives of each product.

People Management

• Oversee employee performance and development by assigning performance targets and development objectives at least on an annual basis.

• Oversee the people management process to ensure formal and informal feedback are regularly provided on a timely basis, to ensure that all work is carried out in an efficient manner and in accordance with set targets.

Organization Structure Manpower Planning & Budgeting

• Define an optimum organization structure for the Cognitive Government Sector and direct the development of departmental structures underneath to ensure efficient and effective utilization of resources.

• Provide support and input for the development of the department’s manpower plan collaborating with Human Resource to ensure timely and best-of-class delivery of tasks.

• Provide direction on the preparation and consolidation of the organizational department budget in line with Cognitive Government’s annual business plan.

• Ensure organizational department costs are monitored on a regular basis highlighting any relevant opportunities and issues that facilitate appropriate Leadership Team decision-making in line with changing priorities.

• Coordinate with the Human Resources Department for Organization Structure, Manpower Planning and Budgeting process for the respective Department.

Policies, Procedures & Processes

• Oversee the implementation of departmental policies, systems, processes, procedures and controls covering all related areas so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements are fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service in a consistent manner.

• Consistently review and monitor existing policies and processes to support independent oversight in assessing all approved strategies, standards, tolerance and appetite including adherence to escalation mechanisms to support decision-making and any corrective measures as appropriate.

Reporting

• Maintain the confidentiality of information that they have access to or came across during their employment at Cognitive Government.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Multilingual Arabic and English written and oral.

• Agile Methodology.

• Open Mindset.

• Proficiency in Cloud.

• Cross Platform Development for mobile app development.

• Knowledge in Technology Platforms: delivery solutions.

• Knowledge in Dev-ops.

• Knowledge of technological trends to build strategy.

• Understanding of budgets and business-planning.

• Ability to conduct technological analysis and research.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Leadership and organizational abilities.

• Strategic thinking.

• Problem-solving aptitude.

• Analytical and conceptual skills.

• Business Acumen.

• Strategic Planning

• Change Management

• Drive for results

• Customer Focus

• Taking Ownership

• Communication Management skills

• Stakeholder Relations Management skills

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related field.

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, and be a recognized expert (or equivalent experience).