Chief of Staff

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (SA) Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (SA) Ltd. is seeking a Chief of Staff to the L&S Cluster CEO.

The role sits at the nexus of strategy, governance, and execution, orchestrating key business cycles, initiatives, and executive communications across L&S and OML where required. The successful candidate will translate the CEO’s agenda into decisive action, coordinate leadership cadence with Exco, Board, and investors, and manage complex stakeholder interplays with high judgment and integrity.

Qualifications

• Strategic judgement with execution discipline.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Executive presence and credibility at senior leadership level.
• Ability to influence without formal authority.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication.
• High emotional intelligence and stakeholder agility.
• Impeccable integrity, discretion and judgement.
• Ability to operate in ambiguity and move between big picture and detail.

Responsibilities

• Translate the CEO's agenda into actionable plans with executives and track delivery.
• Coordinate the strategy cycle, Exco offsite, and strategy briefs to units.
• Lead annual business planning, performance reviews, and investor engagement.
• Support governance cycles with Exco, Board, and CEO readiness end-to-end.
• Partner with CFO to drive Capital Strategy, deal forum outcomes, and M&A prep.
• Prepare CEO materials and signs off on materials prepared by others.
• Provide trusted advisory to the CEO and align stakeholders across the group.
• Ensure timely, high-quality outputs and executive communications.

Skills

Action Planning

Adaptive Thinking

Business Requirements Analysis

Change Management

Current State Assessment

Customer Value Management

Data Compilation

Executing Plans

Negotiation

Oral Communications

Presenting Solutions

Professional Presentation

Readiness Assessments

Strategic Planning

Stakeholder Management

Interpersonal Savvy

Education

Masters Degree (M): Commerce

Job description

Let's Write Africa's Story Together!

Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

The Chief of Staff will serve as a strategic partner to the L&S Cluster CEO. Operating at the intersection of strategy, governance, and execution. This role is designed to orchestrate the management of key business cycles, strategic initiatives, and executive communications across the L&S and OML (where required) landscape. The incumbent will facilitate the translation of the CEO’s agenda into decisive action by the executive team, direct issues to the appropriate forums, and coordinate the leadership cadence across L&S Exco, Board, Investors, and other stakeholders with rigour. This is a high-profile position requiring sound judgement, strong organisational capability, and the executive presence to engage credibly at the highest levels. We are looking for someone who combines strategic prowess with execution discipline: an intellectually curious, commercially astute individual who is comfortable with ambiguity and can move seamlessly between the big picture and critical detail.

You will bring:

• exceptional strategic judgement and structured problem-solving ability;
• strong commercial and financial acumen;
• executive presence and credibility at senior leadership level;
• the ability to influence without formal authority;
• outstanding written and verbal communication;
• strong organisational and execution discipline;
• high emotional intelligence and stakeholder agility;
• impeccable integrity, discretion and judgement;
• and resilience and composure in a fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Cycle & Execution: Facilitate the translation of the L&S Cluster Strategy into actionable plans with executives, and track delivery of strategic projects through accountable owners. Coordinate the strategy cycle, including the Exco strategy offsite, cluster strategy engagements, and strategy briefs to business units, ensuring alignment with CEO priorities.

Finance & Reporting Cycle: Coordinate the annual business planning, performance reviews, results reporting, and investor engagement cycle in partnership with Finance, bringing the CEO’s perspective and ensuring timely delivery by accountable teams.

Governance Cycle: Coordinate the L&S Exco, Cluster Board, and support the CEO’s effectiveness at OML Board cycles end-to-end, developing and working with executives and governance teams to ensure agendas, materials, and follow-through align with strategic priorities.

Capital Cycle: Partner with the office of the L&S CFO to ensure execution and tracking of the Capital Strategy, Deal Forum outcomes, and M&A processes, working with the relevant executives to ensure CEO input and decisions are well prepared and actioned.

CEO Office Operations & Materials: Prepare CEO materials, including memos, slides, talking points, and texts. Review and sign off materials prepared by others, and curate items requiring CEO review, input, or consumption, directing matters to other executives where appropriate. Work closely with the CEO's PA to ensure smooth operations and proactively address any issues that arise.

Strategic Advisory, Partnership & Stakeholder Alignment: Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO, providing insights, challenging assumptions, and serving as an escalation point for key business matters. Connect people across the business, aligning executives and internal and external stakeholders up to top management, and enabling them to work together to deliver CEO priorities.

ROLE CONTEXT AND WAYS OF WORKING

The role is office-based, with an in-office presence expected five days a week, aligned to the CEO’s requirements. Periodic travel may be required on business and CEO commitments. Success in this role requires a self-directed, resourceful individual who operates effectively with minimal supervision, demonstrating strong problem-solving ability amidst ambiguity, and proactively sources information and solutions. The dynamic and fast-paced nature of the CEO’s agenda requires exceptional agility, including the ability to deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines and maintain availability outside traditional working hours when critical matters arise. The role extends beyond CEO support, encompassing review and quality assurance of materials across the organisation to ensure strategic alignment and excellence in all outputs reaching the CEO.

Skills

Action Planning, Adaptive Thinking, Business Requirements Analysis, Change Management, Current State Assessment, Customer Value Management, Data Compilation, Executing Plans, Negotiation, Oral Communications, Presenting Solutions, Professional Presentation, Readiness Assessments, Strategic Planning Competencies Balances Stakeholders Builds Effective Teams Business Insight Communicates Effectively Develops Talent Drives Vision and Purpose Ensures Accountability Interpersonal Savvy

Education

Masters Degree (M): Commerce

Closing Date 22 November 2026 , 23:59

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

The Old Mutual Story!

Old Mutual is a premium African financial services organisation that offers a broad spectrum of financial solutions to retail and corporate customers across key market segments in 14 countries. The lines of business include Life and Savings, Property and Casualty, Asset Management and Banking and Lending. We are rooted in our purpose of Championing Mutually Positive Futures Every Day and believe that a great customer experience is anchored in a great employee experience.