Executive Head: AI Strategy Execution & Performance

Vodafone Group Plc; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 3,200,000 - 4,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Vodacom Group is seeking an Executive Head: AI Strategy Execution & Performance to orchestrate end‑to‑end delivery of the Group AI Strategy across 8 markets. You will bridge AI ambition, Vodafone Group alignment and market delivery, owning governance, performance architecture and business case rigour.

You will build a scalable execution model, drive value realisation, and lead a high‑calibre team to deliver measurable business impact while maintaining financial discipline and enterprise

Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Information Systems, Actuarial Science or Artificial Intelligence.
• MBA or postgraduate business qualification is strongly advantageous.
• Minimum 12–15 years of progressive experience in strategy execution and enterprise transformation, with 3+ years in senior/executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Define execution standards, delivery methodologies and performance rhythms across the Group AI portfolio.
• Own the Group AI Performance Management architecture with KPI and value–realisation metrics.
• Drive high‑performance AI execution culture across markets via structured cadences and reviews.
• Lead a Group AI delivery office coordinating cross‑market deliverables and risks.
• Establish AI investment tracking, benefits realisation and ROI reporting for budgeting cycles.
• Provide the Group Executive team with visibility on AI value delivery and risk mitigation.
• Represent Group AI interests in governance forums ensuring alignment with Group priorities.
• Build and mentor the AI Execution & Performance team across markets.

Skills

Analytics & ML

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Governance

Stakeholder mgmt

Education

Bachelor's in Information Systems/AI

MBA or postgrad advantage

Job description

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

A Group-level executive role responsible for orchestrating the end-to-end execution of Vodacom’s Group AI Strategy across 8 markets, and ensuring that AI investment translates into measurable, accountable, and commercially credible business performance. The Executive Head: AI Strategy Execution & Performance serves as the critical bridge between AI ambition, Vodafone Group, Vodacom Group alignment and in-market delivery — owning the Group AI Execution Framework, performance architecture, business case rigour, and governance alignment. This role ensures that AI initiatives are delivered with strategic coherence, financial discipline, and enterprise-grade governance across all Vodacom Group markets.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Define and enforce execution standards, delivery methodologies and performance operating rhythms to ensure consistency and accountability across the Group AI portfolio.
• Establish and own the Group AI Performance Management architecture, including AI-specific KPIs and value-realisation metrics that track impact at both Group and Market level.
• Drive a high-performance AI execution culture across all markets through structured operating cadences, including executive reporting, market performance dialogues and portfolio reviews.
• Establish and lead a Group AI delivery office to coordinate cross-market deliverables, manage dependencies, track milestones and risks, and ensure disciplined execution of strategic AI priorities across all markets.
• Establish a Group-wide framework for AI investment tracking, benefits realisation and return on AI spend, integrating AI value measurement into financial planning cycles and budget governance processes.
• Provide the Group Executive team with clear, forward-looking visibility on AI value delivery against committed business cases, surfacing risks and recommending corrective actions proactively.
• Represent Group AI execution interests in market-level strategic and operational governance forums, ensuring alignment between local delivery and Group AI priorities.
• Build and sustain trusted executive relationships with market leadership across all 8 markets, acting as a strategic partner and execution enabler rather than a central control function.
• Align AI execution practices with Vodafone Governance structures, embedding governance, risk and compliance considerations into delivery frameworks from the point of design.
• Lead, develop and mentor the AI Execution & Performance team, fostering a high-performance culture and building internal capability in AI programme delivery and performance management.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Bachelor Degree in Information Systems, Actuarial Science or Artificial Intelligence
• MBA or postgraduate business qualification is strongly advantageous.
• Minimum 12–15 years of progressive experience in strategy execution, enterprise transformation, Product Management, with at least 3 years in a senior or executive leadership capacity.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

• Strong analytics, data science and machine learning experience, with the ability to translate advanced methods into scalable business use cases, assess model performance, and ensure AI solutions are data-led, measurable and responsibly deployed.
• Deep expertise in enterprise strategy execution, operating model design, and performance management frameworks within complex, multi-market organisations.
• Strong understanding of AI programme delivery dynamics, including the interplay between technical build, business adoption, change management and value realisation.
• Financial acumen and proficiency in business case construction, Product investment governance, benefits tracking and ROI reporting at an enterprise level.
• Strong working knowledge of AI governance principles, responsible AI frameworks, and corporate governance structures in multinational environments.
• Ability to design and embed structured performance operating rhythms — including reporting, review and escalation mechanisms — across geographically distributed teams.
• Systems thinking and enterprise-level strategic planning capabilities, with the ability to manage interdependencies across markets, functions and governance structures.
• Decisive, outcome-focused leadership style with a proven ability to drive accountability and delivery at pace in ambiguous and high-complexity environments.
• Ability to lead, inspire and develop cross-functional, multi-disciplinary teams across diverse cultural, regulatory and organisational contexts.
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to translate complex AI, delivery and performance topics into clear priorities, decision points and trade-offs for senior stakeholders, enabling alignment across markets, functions and governance forums.

Closing date for Applications: 27 August 2026

The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus.

As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.

Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.