Manager - Digital

Zain is the pioneer of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East. We began life in 1983 in Kuwait as the region's first mobile operator, and since the initiation of our expansion strategy in 2003, we have expanded rapidly. Read more here: Zain Overview

The manager will work with cross-functional teams to define, design, and ship new features, ensuring the applications are responsive, user-friendly, and meet the highest quality standards. He/she will be part of the digital transformation of the core business processes and building new technical and business capabilities tied to our business strategy. They will also act as a bridge between business goals and technical implementation. They will meticulously analyze requirements, leveraging their technical insights to guide solution design and prioritize features. Collaborating closely with stakeholders, they ensure alignment between business objectives and user needs, while navigating technical constraints. Throughout the development cycle, they play a crucial role in crafting viable solutions and driving innovation. Their continuous monitoring of industry trends and best practices ensures that solutions remain at the forefront of excellence, delivering maximum value to the business and its users.

1. Education: Bachelor's degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
2. Experience:
   1. 8 -10 years of experience in application development / Implementation.
   2. At least 5 years of hands-on experience in the areas of digital transformation projects.
   3. Proven experience with at least one of the major mobile platforms (iOS or Android) and eCommerce platform.
   4. Experience in Design Thinking, ability to work with internal/external stakeholders to translate their business objectives into digital strategies.
   5. Experience working on building Enterprise Digital Strategy and roadmap and tying Digital Strategy to Business strategy and Business Architecture.
   6. Experience supporting business stakeholders to design and align upon a future state business architecture considering business capabilities, roles and responsibilities, processes, systems, and data to support business goals.
   7. Experience and knowledge to help to drive business prioritization for short, medium, and long-term planning horizons, then translate the path from a current state to the future state into a prioritized and aligned upon roadmap and drive that roadmap to execution through projects.
   8. Experience in process design by leading with the clarification and design of business needs first, remaining agnostic about technology solutions when appropriate until the business needs are adequately understood.
   9. Experience leading efforts through facilitation of venues with different types of audiences, including executives, core team members, business, IT, Digital and other extended team members. Experience tailoring the approach, content, and duration to fit the audience needs and keep the teams aligned at the appropriate level.
3. Skills:
   1. Strong understanding of mobile app and eCommerce architecture and design patterns.
   2. Experience with cross-platform development tools (e.g., React Native, Flutter, Angular and Drupal) is a must.
   3. Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
   4. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
   5. Experience in implementing KYC solutions.
   6. Ability to troubleshoot, optimize, and performance-tune applications.
   7. Good communication skills including presentation and articulating concepts and analysis to senior executives.
   8. Understanding of delivery methodologies such as Agile, SCRUM, and Waterfall with an emphasis on agile methodology.
   9. Experience in systems analysis and programming of software applications.
   10. Experience in managing and implementing successful projects.
   11. Working knowledge of consulting/project management techniques/methods.
   12. Ability to work under pressure and manage deadlines or unexpected changes in expectations or requirements.
   13. Good understanding of security best practices, networking, performance, and local storage.
   14. Strong proficiency in server-side programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, and Python.
   15. Experience with microservices architecture and RESTful API design principles.
   16. Proficiency in database management systems including MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Redis.
   17. Good understanding of relational databases, SQL, and JDBC.
   18. Understanding .NET Framework and its Components.
   19. Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Azure.
   20. Knowledge of containerization technologies like Docker for creating, deploying, and managing applications.
   21. Understanding of message broker systems such as Kafka for building scalable and distributed systems.
   22. Proficiency in using version control systems like Git for code collaboration and management.
   23. Experience with Agile methodologies for software development and project management.

1. Identify and develop digital innovations to reduce operational inefficiencies and transform work processes.
2. Contribute to the design of technology solutions pertaining to user experience, data quality and security.
3. Develop automation of processes currently performed manually with high workload and repeatability.
4. Lead the requirements gathering process using various techniques, and capable to write the URD (User Requirements Document) or URS (User Requirements Specifications) or PID (Project Initiation Documents) for Digital projects.
5. Analyze stakeholder needs and translate them into clear, concise, and measurable requirements.
6. Create user stories, use cases, and acceptance criteria for development teams. Document requirements in a comprehensive and easy-to-understand format (e.g., user stories, use cases).
7. Facilitate communication between stakeholders and ensure all requirements are understood and agreed upon.
8. Manage changes to requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
9. Monitor and control all phases of development process and analysis, design, construction, testing, and implementation as well as provide user and operational support on applications to business users.
10. Utilize in-depth specialty knowledge of applications development to analyze complex problems/issues, provide evaluation of business process, system process, and industry standards, and make evaluative judgement.
11. Recommend and develop security measures in post implementation analysis of business usage to ensure successful system design and functionality.
12. Consult with users/clients and other technology groups on issues, recommend advanced programming solutions, and install and assist customer exposure systems.
13. Ensure essential procedures are followed and help define operating standards and processes.
14. Analyze market trends and user feedback to identify opportunities for digital solutions applications including not limited to (Mobile App, Portal/eShop, Self Service channels) new applications or enhancements to existing ones.
15. Collaborate with developers, designers, and other stakeholders to create functional specifications and wireframes.
16. Conduct cost-benefit analyses and feasibility studies for proposed / on-going projects.
17. Define and prioritize features and functionalities based on business value and user needs.
18. Create user stories, use cases, and acceptance criteria for development teams.
19. Conduct user acceptance testing and gather feedback to iterate on projects under implementation.
20. Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of digital applications.
21. Provide ongoing support and maintenance for deployed applications, including troubleshooting issues and implementing updates.
22. Stay informed about industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.

If you meet the criteria and you are enthusiastic about the role, we would welcome your application. To complete the application you would need the following document(s):