William Jilowa
Lusaka
Summary
Delivery-focused information technology leader with strong financial services business acumen, delivered innovative solutions harnessing technology to achieve business goals. Proactive and goal-oriented professional with excellent time management and problem-solving skills. Known for reliability and adaptability, with swift capacity to learn and apply new skills. Committed to leveraging these qualities to drive team success and contribute to organizational growth.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
4
4
Certification
Work History
Head-ICT
Development Bank of Zambia
03.2023 - Current
- Oversee the IT Function: Lead the IT department to ensure seamless IT support and uninterrupted services, including high availability of the data center, network, and core business applications. Focus on optimizing IT operations while minimizing costs and enhancing ROI through continuous technology upgrades and process improvements.
- Automation and Digitization: Spearhead automation and digitization initiatives, with a key focus on automating lending operations to drive operational efficiency and improve service delivery.
- Cybersecurity Leadership: Develop and implement robust cybersecurity policies to strengthen the organization’s cyber resilience and enhance its security posture.
Head-ICT
Madison Life Insurance Company Zambia
04.2020 - 03.2023
- Led and successfully delivered a multi-year, complex implementation of the insurance ERP system. This initiative automated critical business operations, including Underwriting, Claims, Sales, Actuary, Premium Collection, Investments, and Finance General Ledger. By managing the entire project lifecycle, I enhanced operational efficiency across departments, improved data integrity, and streamlined business processes. The successful delivery of this project resulted in optimized resource management and significantly improved service delivery, aligning IT strategy with core business objectives.
- Re-engineered the Information Systems (IS) organization by establishing a dedicated software engineering unit based on my recommendation. Led the recruitment and development of the team, which successfully delivered high-value internal solutions, including payment portals and integration with Discovery Insurance. This transformation significantly enhanced in-house development capabilities, driving operational efficiencies and creating tailored solutions to meet evolving business needs.
- Achieved a 15% year-on-year increase in premium collections and a 5% reduction in lapse rates for Individual Life product lines by integrating and deploying payment gateways, including mobile money and card payments. This initiative enhanced customer service by offering flexible payment options, improving customer retention, and attracting new business. The streamlined payment process contributed to better customer satisfaction and overall business growth through improved accessibility and convenience for clients.
Head-IT Infrastructure/Head Business Applications
Madison Financial Services Ltd/LSA Group of Companies
09.2017 - 03.2020
- Cost Reduction and Performance Improvement: Successfully renegotiated connectivity contracts with service providers, achieving a remarkable 20% cost reduction while simultaneously enhancing service level agreements (SLAs). This strategic initiative resulted in a significant decrease in link outages and reduced average time to restoration, ensuring improved network reliability and performance. The financial savings contributed to optimized operational budgets, while the enhanced performance metrics bolstered overall business continuity and user satisfaction.
- Performance Enhancement and Support Reduction: Led critical server and storage upgrades that effectively resolved longstanding application performance challenges. This initiative resulted in a significant decrease in Helpdesk calls and support tickets, demonstrating enhanced system efficiency and user satisfaction. By optimizing infrastructure performance, the upgrades not only improved the overall user experience but also allowed the IT support team to focus on more strategic initiatives, contributing to a more proactive approach in managing IT services.
- Network Management and User Satisfaction Improvement: Spearheaded the implementation of advanced network management and monitoring tools equipped with real-time alerts, leading to proactive user notifications. This initiative significantly enhanced the responsiveness of IT support and resulted in a notable increase in user satisfaction scores. By enabling the team to address potential issues before they escalated, the tools fostered a more reliable network environment, ultimately improving the overall user experience and operational efficiency within the organization.
Assistant Manager/ Manager-IT
Madison Life Insurance Company Zambia Ltd
03.2009 - 09.2017
- Successfully managed high-impact transformation projects, including the comprehensive virtualization of servers and the migration to Microsoft Office 365. These initiatives resulted in enhanced operational efficiency, reduced IT costs, and improved collaboration across the organization. The migration to Office 365 also facilitated remote work capabilities, allowing teams to collaborate seamlessly while maintaining security and compliance standards. This strategic shift not only modernized the IT infrastructure but also positioned the organization for future scalability and innovation.
- Collaborated with the management team to develop strategic plans for business growth and improvement.
Education
Post graduate Diploma in Knowledge and Information Systems - Knowledge Management
Stellenbosch University
Cape Town, South Africa01.2017
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Copperbelt University
Kitwe, Zambia01.2005
High School Diploma -
Munali Secondary School
Lusaka, Zambia01.2000
Skills
- Strategic Leadership
- Technical Expertise
- Project Management
- Vendor Management
- Change Management
- Data Management
- Communication
- Negotiations
- Budget Management
Certification
- 2022 Project Management Professional (PMP) from Project Management Institute
- 2022 Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals
- 2022 Microsoft Certified Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP)
- 2014 COBIT5 Foundation Certified
Affiliations
- Information and Communication Technology Association of Zambia (ICTAZ) - Full Member
- Project Management Institute (PMI), PMI Zambia Chapter.
References
- Mr Mundia Mundia, Managing Director, Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO), mundiam@zaffico.co.zm, +260 977 826640
- Ms. Ceclilia Siabusu Muntanga, Managing Director, Providence Assets Management, cecilia@providenceassets.com, +260977753262
- Mr. Ackim Sinkala, Chief Financial Officer, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Ackim.Sinkala@cidrz.org, +260976 900494
Training
- Oracle 11g Database and Weblogic Server Administration, Technobrain, Lusaka
- Oracle 11g Database Administration-Workshop 1 & 2, Technobrain, Lusaka
- Nimble Storage Installation & Configuration, Nimble South Africa
- Oracle 11g BI Build Repositories, Adept Training, Zimbabwe
- Netapp DataONTAP, FastLane, South Africa
- ITIL Foundation, Torque IT, South Africa
- Leadership & Transformation, SSI Zambia
- Customer Services, IIR, South Africa
- Red Hat Linux System Administration
- CQCS Programming
Corecompetences
- Enterprise architecture/Architectural vision
- Strategic planning and budgeting
- Organizational Change and IT transformation
- Talent acquisition, team building, leader, and retention
- IT Governance/IT Road Map
- Project and Program Management
Timeline
Head-ICT
Development Bank of Zambia
03.2023 - Current
Head-ICT
Madison Life Insurance Company Zambia
04.2020 - 03.2023
Head-IT Infrastructure/Head Business Applications
Madison Financial Services Ltd/LSA Group of Companies
09.2017 - 03.2020
Assistant Manager/ Manager-IT
Madison Life Insurance Company Zambia Ltd
03.2009 - 09.2017
- 2022 Project Management Professional (PMP) from Project Management Institute
- 2022 Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals
- 2022 Microsoft Certified Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP)
- 2014 COBIT5 Foundation Certified
Post graduate Diploma in Knowledge and Information Systems - Knowledge Management
Stellenbosch University
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Copperbelt University
High School Diploma -
Munali Secondary School
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