Specialist, IT Business Partner

Job description

At First Quantum, we free the talent of our people by taking a very different approach which is underpinned by a very different, very definite culture – the “First Quantum Way”.

Working with us is not like working anywhere else, which is why we recruit people who will take a bolder, smarter approach to spot opportunities, solve problems and deliver results.

Our culture is all about encouraging you to think independently and to challenge convention to deliver the best result. That’s how we continue to achieve extraordinary things in extraordinary locations.

Job description:

Purpose

Key Responsibilities

Project strategy, initiation and business value

• Shape project objectives, scope, success measures and delivery approach with sponsors and business stakeholders.
• Develop, review and challenge business cases to ensure projects remain viable, prioritised and aligned to business value.

Requirements Management & Solution Alignment

• Lead requirements-gathering initiatives, ensuring business needs are thoroughly understood and documented
• Conduct business impact assessments and gap analysis to inform solution architecture and implementation approaches
• Validate that delivered solutions meet business acceptance criteria and champion user-centric design principles

Delivery planning and execution

• Plan and manage software development and IT projects using fit-for-purpose Agile, Waterfall or Hybrid delivery methods.
• Define roles, accountabilities, milestones and governance controls, including Scrum Master responsibilities where required.
• Support IT Finance and Procurement management

Change Management & Digital Adoption

• Design and implement enterprise-wide change management strategies for major technology initiatives and digital transformation programs
• Lead organizational readiness assessments and develop comprehensive change management plans including communication strategies and training programs
• Oversee user adoption initiatives, ensuring business users are equipped and motivated to leverage new technologies effectively
• Drive digital transformation and supporting changes in the organizational culture

Governance, risk and performance control

• Track scope, schedule, budget, quality, risks and issues, and escalate material variances with clear corrective actions.
• Manage financial controls, cost allocation, change requests and delivery reporting to maintain transparency and accountability.

Stakeholder engagement and change adoption

• Build strong working relationships with business sponsors, IT & Digital teams, vendors and end users to sustain delivery momentum.
• Communicate decisions, progress, risks and dependencies clearly, and support transition of project outputs into operational use.

Quality, standards and continuous improvement

• Apply consistent delivery standards, assurance practices, templates and controls to improve quality and reduce delivery risk.
• Coach project teams, promote practical delivery discipline, and recommend improvements in software, digital and project delivery practice.

Qualifications

• Minimum Grade 12 Certificate.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, information systems, data science etc.
• All academic qualifications and results must be verified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA).

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of related experience in IT Project Management/Business Partnerships
• Proven experience as an IS Superintendent, IT Project Manager/IT Business Partner or similar role
• Experience managing IT projects
• Experience with Microsoft PowerApps, .NET platform, Github or Azure devops
• Relevant Project Management certifications i.e. Scrum Master, PMP, Prince 2 certifications etc.
• Member of ICTAZ or EIZ

BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS

• Effective communication
• Ability to influence managers and employees
• Ability to demonstrate leadership
• Critical thinking
• Conflict management
• Problem solving skills
• Ability to work in pressured and deadline-driven operating environment
• Detail-orientated with the technical aptitude and ability to perform tasks accurately and comprehensively
• Expert in multi-tasking, time management and planning of work
• Excellent presentation skills