Head of Project Management Office

Communicate Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Communicate Recruitment in Cape Town seeks a senior leader to head the PMO and Risk function, driving delivery excellence, governance, and regulatory compliance in a fintech environment. You will develop frameworks (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), oversee enterprise risk, audits, third‑party controls, and lead a high‑performing PMO and risk team.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in risk/governance, 5+ years PMO leadership, fintech/financial services experience, and certifications such as

Qualifications

• 10+ years in risk, compliance, governance, or regulatory roles.
• 5+ years leading a PMO function.
• Experience in fintech, payments, or banking.
• Strong background in project management, capacity planning, and risk frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Head PMO and Risk to drive delivery excellence and governance.
• Oversee enterprise risk management, risk registers, and mitigation.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and successful audits.
• Lead programme delivery, dependencies, and budget control.
• Develop business continuity and disaster recovery strategies.
• Mentor a high-performing PMO and risk team.
• Monitor third-party risk and vendor controls.

Skills

PMO leadership

Risk management

Governance & compliance

Agile/Waterfall/Hybrid

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Education

PMP/Prince2/Agile certifications

Certified Risk Manager

Certified Compliance Professional

Job description

Cape Town, Century City - Full-time in office

We are seeking an experienced leader to head our Project Management Office and Risk function. This pivotal role will drive project delivery excellence while ensuring robust risk management, governance, and regulatory compliance in a dynamic fintech environment.

Key Responsibilities

• PMO strategy: Develop and implement frameworks, methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), and governance standards.
• Enterprise risk management: Maintain risk registers, oversee mitigation plans, and embed a culture of compliance.
• Governance & compliance: Support executive committees, ensure adherence to financial services regulations, and manage audits.
• Programme delivery: Oversee strategic initiatives, manage dependencies, and ensure projects meet scope, budget, and quality standards.
• Business continuity: Develop and test disaster recovery and continuity strategies.
• Leadership: Mentor and grow a high‑performing PMO and risk team, fostering accountability and innovation.
• Third‑party risk: Monitor vendor compliance and establish contractual risk controls.

Key Performance Indicators

• Regulatory compliance and audit readiness
• Effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies
• Timely and successful project delivery
• Strong governance and control environment
• Staff development and performance management

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years in risk, compliance, governance, or regulatory roles
• 5+ years leading a PMO function
• Experience in financial services, fintech, payments, or banking
• Strong background in project management, capacity planning, and risk frameworks
• Relevant certifications: PMP/Prince2/Agile, Certified Risk Manager, Certified Compliance Professional

This is a senior leadership opportunity for someone who thrives at the intersection of project management, risk governance, and regulatory compliance.