Executive: Change Portfolio Lead

Absa Group; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services organization in Gauteng is looking for a strategic manager for digital transformation projects. This role involves overseeing portfolio delivery across multiple African markets while ensuring high standards of governance and quality. Candidates should have extensive experience in leading large-scale transformations, along with strong agile project management skills.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading large-scale digital transformation portfolios.
• Experience in large-scale customer and colleague-facing platform delivery.
• Ability to lead and mentor senior delivery teams.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to the business on strategic outcomes.
• Lead delivery across a portfolio of strategic initiatives.
• Manage complex, cross-functional programmes for performance improvements.

Skills

Agile methodologies

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Risk management

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Commerce, or Management

Job description

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

Accountable for managing the successful end-to-end delivery, coordination and embedment of a portfolio of transformational programmes (Value streams) that collectively achieve the desired strategic customer and commercial outcomes. This includes the digital transformation of existing digital channels and colleagues facing platforms, and the modernisation of core banking platforms

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Trusted partner to business: Act as the trusted advisor to the business bringing thought leadership, structure and problem solving abilities to define how we optimally deliver on strategic outcomes
• Portfolio Leadership Across Value Streams: Lead and coordinate delivery across a portfolio of strategic initiatives spanning Channel and banking platform modernisation. Ensure alignment with regional priorities and enterprise transformation goals.
• Regional Delivery Oversight: Provide strategic oversight and delivery assurance across multiple African markets. Adapt delivery models to local contexts while maintaining consistency in governance and execution standards.
• Programme Management: Manage complex, cross-functional programmes that drive strategic performance improvements. Ensure integration across initiatives and alignment with enterprise architecture and change governance.
• Project Management: Monitor the progression of projects at every stage, ensuring scope, time, cost, and quality objectives are met. Champion agile and hybrid delivery methodologies.
• Agile Ways of Working: Champion agile delivery practices across the portfolio. Embed agile principles and frameworks (e.g., Scrum, SAFe, Kanban) to enhance responsiveness, collaboration, and value delivery.
• Quality Assurance: Establish and maintain quality standards across the portfolio. Implement continuous improvement practices and ensure delivery excellence.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across the region, including business sponsors, technology partners, and external vendors. Facilitate transparent communication and decision-making.
• Team Leadership & Capability Building: Lead and mentor a team of senior delivery leads. Foster a high-performance culture, drive accountability, and support professional development across the region.
• Risk & Dependency Management: Identify and manage risks, issues, and interdependencies across the portfolio. Ensure proactive mitigation and escalation processes are in place.
• Governance & Reporting: Ensure adherence to governance frameworks. Provide accurate and timely reporting to executive leadership and steering committees.
• Innovation & Change Enablement: Promote a culture of innovation and agility. Support change management efforts to embed new ways of working and deliver sustainable transformation.

Preferred Experience:

• Proven track record in leading large-scale digital transformation portfolios and programmes across multiple geographies
• Experience in large scale customer and colleagues facing platform delivery, including delivery of Channel, CRM and other platform modernisations
• Track record in building Change delivery Capabilities and high performing teams that deliver large scale changes across multiple geographies

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised