POS Development Team Lead

Project Management Connection; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 900 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading project management firm is seeking a Team Lead: POS Development to oversee the design and maintenance of payment applications across POS and mobile platforms. This hands-on leadership role requires strong technical expertise in Java, C, C++, and Kotlin, along with experience in POS and mobile development. The ideal candidate will drive a Scrum team, ensure high-quality delivery, and manage critical production incidents. A minimum of 5 years' software development experience and a relevant degree are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ hands-on software development experience.
• Strong Java development experience (Java 8 or higher).
• Proven experience in POS application development and payment system integrations.
• Experience leading or mentoring a development team in an Agile/Scrum environment.

Responsibilities

• Drive design and development of payment applications across POS and mobile platforms.
• Lead a Scrum team and contribute to code quality.
• Ensure compliance with EMV standards and payment security protocols.
• Oversee production stability and troubleshoot payments systems.

Skills

Java programming

C programming

C++ programming

Kotlin programming

Team leadership

Payment systems knowledge

Problem-solving

Agile methodologies

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field

Tools

Linux environments

Debugging tools

Version control systems

Job description

• Our client is seeking to hire a Team Lead: POS Development to drive the design, development, and maintenance of payment applications across POS and mobile platforms. The role requires strong technical expertise in Java, C, C++, and Kotlin, along with solid experience in backend, POS, and mobile development, and a strong understanding of EMV standards and payment integrations.
• This is a hands-on leadership role, responsible for guiding a Scrum team, contributing to code, and ensuring high-quality delivery across multiple technologies. The position also requires the ability to troubleshoot and support critical production incidents, including after- hours, in a fast-paced payments environment.

POS and Payment Solution Development

• Design, develop and maintain high- performance POS applications and related components.
• Build and enhance POS integrations, EMV transaction flows, card payment processing modules, and device-level functionality.
• Contribute to POS firmware, mobile, backend, and UI components to ensure seamless end-to-end system performance.
• Ensure compliance with EMV, card scheme rules, ISO standards, and payment security protocols.

Technical Leadership and Team Management

• Lead a Scrum team comprising developers and test resources.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and code reviews to ensure high-quality delivery.
• Drive Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, backlog grooming, and engineering best practices.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation.

System Integration and Architecture

• Work closely with cross-functional teams to design scalable, secure, and efficient POS solutions.
• Integrate POS and mobile applications with backend services, APIs, payment switches, and third-party systems.
• Read and interpret multi-language codebases, including C, C++, and Kotlin.
• Participate in architecture discussions and technical decision-making.

Production Support and Incident Management

• Oversee production stability for POS platforms and critical payment systems.
• Troubleshoot, analyse, and resolve device, transaction, or integration failures.
• Provide after-hours support for high-priority incidents, deployments, or system recovery efforts when required.
• Ensure timely root cause analysis and implementation of permanent fixes.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Strong leadership and team development skills.
• Ability to provide hands-on technical direction and uphold engineering standards.
• Excellent problem-solving, diagnostic, and analytical abilities.
• Deep understanding of payment systems, EMV standards, and POS transaction flows.
• High proficiency in Java and familiarity with multi-language codebases.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to operate under pressure in a high-availability, production-critical environment.
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency.
• Organised, detail-oriented, and committed to high-quality delivery.
• Resilient, adaptable, and effective in fast-paced environments.
• Customer-focused with a passion for innovation and improving merchant experience.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field (Postgraduate qualification advantageous).
• Minimum 5 years’ hands-on software development experience.
• Strong Java development experience (Java 8 or higher).
• Proven experience in POS application development, EMV card transactions, and payment system integrations.
• Experience working across multiple languages including Java, C, C++, and Kotlin.
• Demonstrated experience leading or mentoring a development team within an Agile/Scrum environment.
• Experience with backend, mobile, and UI development.
• Exposure to ISO 8583, Nexo standards, and device-to-host communication protocols. Experience in payments, fintech, embedded systems or related technology environments.
• Proficiency in Linux environments, debugging tools, and version control systems.