Chief Digital Officer

Job Introduction

• The company is the diversification arm of the Group, focused on solidifying and growing its business offerings within the Automotive, Media, Freight and soon in health care and entertainment industries.
• Its’ vision is to be the hub of all business in KSA.

Role Purpose

• The core responsibility is to lead the company in digitalization objectives by working closely with the executive committee and other organizations’ senior executives ensuring that the enterprise's business strategy is optimal, given current and emerging digital realities, opportunities and threats.
• The CDO champions the use of information and technology in business model design and all aspects of the business to create business success.
• The CDO will also lead the development of the ‘digital transformational journey’ action plan. This requires collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Success in this role demands a strong strategic and analytical orientation coupled with exceptional communication skills as well as a highly developed collaborative nature.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Works with board members, the executive committee and other directors, C-level and Business unit leaders to create a digital vision for the enterprise, and to identify the opportunities for differentiating digital capabilities and solutions. Leads the process to identify and evaluate internal digital asset capabilities and strengths.
• Work closely with the BD team on assessing external digital opportunities and threats as key inputs to making the best decisions on business strategy, given digital realities. Leads the development of the digital business strategy and roadmap, and ensures its integration with the enterprise strategic planning process, and the resulting business strategy and plans. Provides a single point of coordination and executive oversight for all digital initiatives and transformation projects. Ensures that the enterprise is developing the digital assets and capabilities that will be needed to survive and thrive in the midterm and long term.
• Acts as a champion and change agent in leading the organizational changes required to create and sustain enterprise digital capabilities.
• Defines and reports on digital business KPIs and metrics that represent progress against digital goals.
• Acts as a thought leader on emerging digital business models and technologies, articulating the digital future and the enterprise's role in it internally and externally.
• Builds and maintains external relationships in academia, as well as with industry bodies, vendors and technology analysts to learn and influence.
• Manages a small team of analysts, researchers, technologists and champions in executing the enterprise's digital business mission. Incubates new enterprise capabilities.
• Partners with the IT Director and IT organization to develop and exploit new digital business solutions to create a competitive edge for the enterprise. May also own and lead development teams and projects directly.
• Partners with the HR function to build digital talent in the enterprise.

Skills

• Deep understanding of the evolving digital world on both the demand side (how people/companies are using technology) and the supply side (emerging technologies)
• Strong business acumen,
• Excellent analytical, strategic conceptual thinking and consulting skills
• Strong influence and negotiation skills
• Ability to effectively drive people, process and technology change in a dynamic and complex operating environment
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain digital concepts and technologies to business leaders, as well as business concepts to technologists

Education

• A bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, Information systems or related field.
• Additional education in marketing as well as information and technology disciplines is required.
Experience
• Fifteen or more years of business experience, ideally in business management, product management, ideally with some independent P&L responsibilities
• Five or more years of progressive leadership experience in leading cross-functional teams and enterprise wide programs,
• Preferably five or more years of experience in data driven or digitally advanced enterprises
• Experience in innovating business models and developing new channels, business models or business transformation
• Strategy and management consulting experience desirable
Key Behaviors/Competencies

The CDO is expected to demonstrate all of the listed below required
competencies at a proficiency level of advanced or expert.
• Building relationships
• Builds formal and informal professional networks.
• Maintains and extends networks within, across and external to company boundaries.
• Obtains and shares information, ideas and problems.
• Solicits advice, support, championship, sponsorship and commitment that result in a smooth transition of change, as well as the development of mutually acceptable solutions.
• Develops digital ecosystem partner relationships within the company's industry and emerging adjacent industries.
• Solicits information on the enterprise's direction and goals, as well as the industry's competitive environment, to determine how the CDO function can add value to the company and customer satisfaction.
• Makes decisions and recommendations that are clearly linked to Enterprises strategy and financial goals, reflecting an awareness of external dynamics.
• Demonstrates awareness by providing clear explanations for actions taken, relative to customer requirements, needs and industry trends.
• Identifies and acts on opportunity breakthroughs and continuous improvement.
• Guides the enterprise leadership to take an "outside-in" view of the digital possibilities for the future of its industry.
• Encourages different styles of prudent risk taking, and exploration of alternative approaches and organizational learning.
• Demonstrates personal commitment to change through actions and words.
• Mobilizes others to support change through times of stress and uncertainty.
• Communicates ideas or positions in a persuasive manner that builds support, agreement or commitment.
• Takes actions that directly or indirectly influence others to create buy-in, gain trust and motivate actions in others or win concessions without damaging relationships.
• Improves Enterprises performance through the application of original thinking to existing and emerging methods, processes, products and services.
• Employs sound judgment in determining how innovations will be deployed to produce ROI.
• Sets and accomplishes challenging goals.
• Defines standards in terms of doing what is appropriate and doing it well.
• Competes resourcefully, and takes calculated risks to achieve results.
• Examines issues, and creates plans with a long-term perspective.
• Generates ideas, and critically evaluates future scenarios.
• Applies external and internal factors to strategy development.
• Considers long-term strategic impact when making decisions or setting direction.
• Ensures that short-term goals support long-term strategy.
• Develops, directs, coaches, mentors and reinforces team members in line with the mission, vision, values, goals and performance standards of formal and informal teams.
• Encourages and facilitates cooperation and results orientation.
• Fosters an environment of collaboration.
• Inspires, motivates and guides team members.
• Fosters commitment, team spirit, pride and trust.
• Allocates team roles and accountabilities.