Lead Technology Data And Platform

Absa Bank; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading South African bank is seeking a technology leader to drive agile solution design, deployment, and optimization of technology products. The ideal candidate will have experience in full stack engineering and strong collaboration skills with stakeholders to ensure successful product delivery. The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and knowledge in cloud technologies and DevOps practices.

Qualifications

• Experience in full stack engineering and ownership/control in low-complexity environments.
• Strong knowledge in DevOps practices and automation strategies.
• Expertise in cloud technologies and virtualization.

Responsibilities

• Lead agile solution design, deployment, and optimization of technology products.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to define product and technical strategy.
• Manage the delivery of products and solutions across multiple stakeholder groups.

Skills

Experience in supporting Quantitative Risk Management

Experience in supporting cloud-hosted solutions – AWS

Experience and working knowledge in Pan-African regions

Working knowledge of Treasury data and system operations

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology

Job description

Overview

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

With over 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

Lead the agile solution design, deployment & ongoing optimization & evolution of enterprise‑wide technology products and services (full stack engineering & ownership/control) in low‑complexity environments.

Responsibilities

• Product & Service Direction Setting, Solution Design & Performance Management
• Work with the CIO & business product owners to define the product & technical strategy (Full Stack – End to End)
• Act as the single point of partnership & assume responsibility for managing the senior business interface (product owner) relationship
• Assume one‑stop‑shop accountability for the delivery of the product & solutions (risk cannot be outsourced to vendors)
• Apply design‑thinking practices to deliver architecturally sound technical product & service solutions (and explain / guide / coach others on this architecture holistically and technically)
• Lead & facilitate the design of the product & or service solution blueprints aligned to the organization strategy (Short, Medium & Long Term)
• Collaborate across the tech value chain (CSO, CTO, etc.) to guide the business on the appropriate technical solution (cost to value) & the range of strategic technical choices to be made
• Lead the detailed scoping, prioritisation & integration planning for the design & deployment of products & services with & across multiple stakeholder groups (Front End, Back End & Integration) – (aligned to solution blueprints)
• Meaningfully contribute & ensure solutions align to the design & direction of the Group Architecture standards, principles, preferences & practices.
• Meaningfully contribute & ensure solutions align to the design and direction of the Group Infrastructure standards and practices (e.g. OLA's, IAAS, PAAS, SAAS, Containerisation, etc.)
• Strategically & operationally monitor the performance of products and services (all applications) – ensuring ongoing optimisation & cost to value for our businesses (think bank wide) DevOps (with deep knowledge & understanding of context within which we develop architecturally & infrastructurally)
• Leverage the required expert level (own) skill & knowledge in architecture & infrastructure, design and manage all development practices & outputs across squads (apply knowledge on virtualization, containerisation, automation, storage & serverless technologies (e.g. AWS, Azure, Google, & on‑prem‑Cloud, etc.)
• Ensure the most optimal design & deployment of technical products and services in the organization (via pipeline – not manually)
• Design & Implement Automation Testing, Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery Strategies & frameworks across squads for effective solution development & deployment (understand and apply expert knowledge in e.g. Kubernetes, Jenkins, TeamCity, Artifactory, MS PowerShell, Collaborative Lifecycle Management (CLM) Tools, APM Tools (e.g. NewRelic & Splunk) etc.)
• Ensure solution designs deliver on the key technical principles of: self‑service, repeatability, testability, scalability & resilience
• Guide code development practices and processes through an understanding of complex concepts and developmental practices such as threading, parallel processing, asynchronous programming, domain‑driven design, lambdas, etc.
• Guide & ensure the delivery of quality development (code) based on own experience in developing across a range of applications including but not limited to: server side, client side, web (SOAP, REST, JSON), socket‑based programming, batch & real‑time, building architectural patterns, security / security domains
• Effectively manage the DevOps pipeline & associated releases for maximum customer impact & minimum business risk
• Manage the maintenance & optimisation of applications, products & services as a 'way of doing things / culture' within the development teams.
• You are fully accountable for the longevity of applications aligned to Group Architectural practices.
• Coach & mentor senior developers across squads on the technical competencies to effectively deliver on DevOps solutions (see Dev competency model in skills & competencies section).
• Delivery Management (where there is a specific product / service you manage)
• With fluency in the deployment of agile methodologies, resource & manage the appropriate number and nature (skill & capability) of squad‑based teams to execute on both Run & Change elements of delivery
• Work in collaboration with transformation & change teams for effective resourcing and delivery management of various programmes at all levels (SI, BU etc.)
• Ensure agile practices are implemented and sustained for effective delivery to business (e.g. RETRO's etc.)
• Positively & proactively manage product owner relationships including building product owner technical capability to enable balanced & best‑fit decision making
• Proactively engage with & partner CTO, CSO, SE, Risk and broader enablement functions to drive alignment & leading practice in technology design & deployment People
• Set & cascade Product & Service direction across squads
• Proactively attract, recruit, develop, retain, reward & deploy a diverse resource base aligned to an ever‑evolving tech environment (ahead of demand)
• Build a high‑performance team environment through self‑directed teams by driving performance management & measurement that is aligned with agile working practices (including daily, weekly, etc. sprint routines, regular & honest feedback etc.)
• Accountable for the right people in the right teams to deliver on our tech strategy (always!)
• Leverage coaching techniques in all squad‑related activity to drive a higher quality design and deployment of technical products and services
• Financial & Vendor Management, Risk & Governance
• Carry the 'one‑stop‑shop' accountability for all risk associated with technical decision making (from ideation to deployment)
• Manage & apply the organization risk & governance frameworks
• Ensure decisions on infrastructure & product design are aligned to chapter & guild guidelines & are sustainable for the enterprise
• Proactively involve / engage chapter & guild leads in product design & infrastructure decision making, applying an enterprise‑wide lens to product & service development
• Manage all vendor selection processes & take full accountability for all related commercial impact
• Negotiate best‑fit contracts for the organization at an enterprise level and align decision making to our key business principles of scalability, resilience, captivity etc.
• Deliver on time & on budget (always)

Technical Skills & Experience

• Experience in supporting Quantitative Risk Management (QRM)
• Experience in supporting cloud‑hosted solutions – AWS advantageous
• Experience and working knowledge in Pan‑African regions
• Working knowledge of Treasury data and system operations

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology

EEO Statement

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.

In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of ... 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.