National Savings

Profile - Muhammad Rafique Sheikh​​

Muhammad Rafique Sheikh

Director Operations

Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS)

Ministry of Finance, Pakistan

Contact

Email: directoroperations@savings.gov.pk

Categories

Executive Team (CDNS)

About Muhammad Rafique Sheikh

Director operations CDNS (BPS 20) 2017 to present

As a senior civil servant of National Savings department, Finance Division and having a charge of executive position of Director operations Mr. Muhammad Rafique Shiekh has done revolutionized work in restructuring of National Savings operations as well as its digitalization and modernization to make it compete with international organizations. 

  • Administration (overall) of the Operations Wing of CDNS
  • Budget Related Matters i.e preparation of New Item Statement (NIS), Revised Budget and Estimated Budget of Operations Wing
  • Procurement Related Matters i.e preparation of procurement plan, tender document, request for proposals (RFPs), Terms of Reference (TORs) etc.
  • Audit Related Matters i.e internal audit (MoF) and external audit (Federal Audit)
  • Provide detailed phase wise plan for the replication of the system at different regions.
  • Provide detail document covering the hardware and communication infrastructure requirements of the CDNS for remaining regions.
  • Act as a Chairman Purchase Committees of CDNS.
  • Evaluation of vendor selection.
  • Liaison with software/ hardware consultants and other vendors for smooth coordination among stack holders of the project.
  • Monitor the overall field operation across Pakistan.
  • Supervised, Facilitated and provided guidelines in preparation of Project Document for the Automation Project of Central Directorate of National Savings funded by DFID for remaining 153 National Savings Centers.
  • Assisted Director General, CDNS in several meetings/discussions, administrative and technical matters with the World Bank and Karandaz Pakistan for their contribution to promote financial inclusion through digitization, harnessing the Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs) to minimize the digital divide in the business of the National Savings and reduction of barriers to access the transitional accounts for every possible citizen of Pakistan.
  • Prepared a mid- term IT Strategy of CDNS (in the light of discussions/meetings with World Bank and Karandaz), in the light of which a Consultant for Technology Up-gradation and Support Services of Existing Business Software Solution/System of CDNS was hired through open competitive bidding.
  • Liaison/ engage with M/s Alvarez and Marsal, M/s Access Consulting, and several other entities / parties engaged with CDNS for delivery of Alternative Delivery Channels (ADCs).
  • Act as Project Manager, Financial Inclusion & Infrastructure Project (FIIP) (World Bank Project) upon the directives of Ministry of Finance.
  • Monitored/Supervised the matters related to networking and establishment of Data Center at NTC in collaboration with the Consultant hired for the Technology Upgrade and Support Services of Existing Business Software Solution/System of CDNS.
  • Successfully handled the operational and connectivity related matters in association with National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) for establishment of centralized business operations using WAN connectivity (Primary and Secondary links) including Data Center hosting at NTC and their payment related matters
  • Correspondence with Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning Development & Reforms, NTISB, SBP, NADRA and other Government and Private entities in relation with the computerized business operations of CDNS.

Director Operations CDNS (BPS 19) 2008-2017

  • Worked as Director (operations), CDNS, and Project Director (BPS-20), Automation Project of CDNS, Phase-I and Phase-II.
  • Functioned as a chairman / member of several committees of the CDNS. Assist the Director General, Central Directorate of National Savings in resolving various official matters.
  • Coordinated with external bodies /Ministries/ Organizations like Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, AGPR and other organizations.
  • Visited the project sites across Pakistan to monitor and resolve their technical issues successfully.
  • Successfully achieved the target of field operations at 222 NSCs
  • Prepared and submitted the NIS (Budget Estimates and Revised Estimates) for development budgets.
  • Coordinated with MoF and Planning Division for creation of Ninety Three (93) posts on the basis of PC-IV of AP, CDNS (Phase-I) and also formulated the recruitment rules for the said purpose.
  • Facilitated CDNS in addressing several matters/correspondence with different entities related to the completed/closed automation project of CDNS (Phase – I) and operational issues. Provided necessary guidance to the officers for different matters and field issues related to operational matters.
  • Recruited 479 Project staff of Phase-II and 245 Project staff of Phase-I of BS-2 to Bs-19 on merit in the capacity of Chairman / Member of DSCs and by assisting DSB.
  • Prepared presentations, demonstrations and references for different government officials.
  • Provided the technical support to computerized sites for continuity and sustainability of I.T operations. In addition to all above, the day to day routine office work / issues / file work / progress monitoring and reporting of project to concerned quarters were carried out timely during the period under consideration.

Data Administrator Finance Division, Islamabad (BPS 18)

  • Maintenance, development, test and creating new database environments.
  • Monitor and maintain security of databases.
  • Database synchronization/ replication among all Database services, at all levels.
  • To plan and manage the database system.
  • Monitoring and Maintaining security of databases and database software on corporate, application, role program and when applicable, table, view and column levels in co-operation with security experts.                                   
  • Defining and initiating backup and recovery procedures
  • Design and implement effective replication strategy for branches and MITC
  • Design and implement database policies for secure database access
  • Implement industry standard database encryption as per best financial institute practices
  • Defined and implemented completes database purge techniques
  • Implement and manage Oracle Real Application Cluster for enterprise environment
  • Initiate the profiling and send the email to participants to get register for the profiling.
  • To provide support to the participants.
  • To issue confirmation letters to the participants.
  • Update Calling/Email/Proposal/Participant/Meeting Synopsis/TCS databases. Each team member will be sending the request for the update required.
  • Manage the openings & closings of trainings.
  • Arrange and handle conference calls.
  • For taking  refresher  call  after  training  I  will  support  the  person  to  manage  the logistics.
  • Checklist is prepared before the workshop and is closed once the workshop has been executed.
  • Material dispatching to workshop and see the venue arrangements.
  • Certificate printing and delivery at the training venue.
  • Maintain the stock required at workshop.
  • Resolve PTCL regarding issues.
  • Thank you emails to be sent to the participant who attended our workshop.
  • Trainers Travel and flight booking on time checking the program dates.
  • Initiate the CRM and make sure the participants are receiving the emails regularly.

Educations and Trainings

   M.Sc. (Comp) in 1st  Division, from Peshawar University

   BSc in 1st  Division, from Karachi University

   Training of System Analyst from JICA, (Okinawa) Japan

   Senior Management Course from National Institute of Mangement Lahore