Principal Lead : Data Product
Woolworths Financial Services
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Job summary
Woolworths Financial Services is looking for a Principal Lead: Data Product in Cape Town. You will lead enterprise data initiatives, focusing on analytics delivery and decision management across the organization.
The ideal candidate has a bachelor's degree and at least 8 years of experience in data or analytics within financial services. You’ll manage a team, drive scalability and quality while enhancing stakeholder relationships.
Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience in data, analytics, technology, or enterprise delivery.
- Relevant Certifications in Agile, Business Analysis, or Delivery Management are advantageous.
- Strong experience in Credit Decisioning, Credit Risk, or Financial Services.
Responsibilities
- Lead delivery of enterprise data products and analytics solutions.
- Manage team of Business Analysts and Testers.
- Ensure delivery alignment across teams.
- Support capability uplift across delivery management.
Skills
Education
Job description
Woolworths Financial Services | Full time
Cape Town, South Africa | Posted on 06/01/2026
WoolworthsFinancial Services, or WFS as it is better known, is a JointVenture with Absa Bank, that supports the Woolworths retailbusiness by providing in-storecredit inthe formof the Woolworths StoreCard andoffering value-addedservices including credit cards, personal loans and short-terminsurance as well as life insurance linked to otherproducts.
PrincipalLead: Data Product to lead the delivery and continuous improvement ofenterprise data products, analytics capabilities and decisioning solutionsacross the Enterprise. This role is responsible for managing the execution oftactical, operational and strategic initiatives that enable "Data as aProduct" and "Analytics as a Service" capabilities. Will workclosely with business and technical stakeholders to deliver scalable,high-quality data and analytics solutions that improve decision-making,operational efficiency, customer outcomes, and risk management. A strongdelivery-focused leader with experience in credit decisioning environments,enterprise data initiatives, and cross-functional team leadership. Theindividual will manage a team of Business Analysts and Testers while drivingexecution across complex delivery streams.
- Lead the delivery of enterprise dataproducts, reporting solutions, analytics capabilities and decisioninginitiatives across multiple business domains.
- Translate business requirements andstrategic priorities into structured delivery plans and executable outcomes.
- Support the implementation andcontinuous improvement of Data-as-a-Product and Analytics-as-a-Servicecapabilities across the enterprise.
- Drive the delivery of scalable,reusable, and trusted analytics solutions that improve business performance andoperational effectiveness.
- Ensure delivery alignment acrossbusiness, data, analytics, engineering and operational teams.
- Lead and support the delivery of creditdecisioning, risk analytics and data-driven decision management initiatives.
- Work closely with Credit Risk andOperations stakeholders to improve decisioning processes, automation andanalytical capabilities.
- Support the implementation andenhancement of decision engines, rules management, scorecards, workflowoptimization and analytical reporting capabilities.
- Ensure data quality, traceability,governance and operational readiness within credit and decisioning deliveryinitiatives.
- Translate Enterprise strategy intoexecutable initiatives and measurable delivery outcomes. Manage end-to-enddelivery across tactical enhancements, operational improvements, and strategicprogrammes.
- Coordinate delivery activities acrossBusiness Analysts, Testers, Tech Teams, vendors and Business Stakeholders.
- Drive delivery governance includingplanning, prioritization, dependency management, issue resolution and progressreporting.
- Ensure initiatives are delivered withinagreed timelines, quality standards, and business expectations.
- Support the evolution of enterpriseoperating models, process modernization, and intelligent automationinitiatives.
- Identify delivery risks, processinefficiencies, operational bottlenecks and proactively implement mitigationactions.
- Lead and develop a team of BusinessAnalysts and Testers responsible for requirements management, process analysis,testing and delivery support.
- Build strong analysis and qualityassurance practices that improve delivery quality and stakeholder alignment.
- Provide coaching, mentorship andperformance management support to team members. Foster a collaborative,accountable, and delivery-focused team culture.
- Support capability uplift acrossdelivery management, business analysis, testing practices and stakeholderengagement.
- Build strong working relationshipsacross Business, Credit Risk, Operations, Data and Technology teams.
- Facilitate steering committees,delivery forums, prioritization discussions, requirements workshops, Executivereporting engagements and operational planning sessions.
- Communicate delivery progress, risks,dependencies and impacts clearly to stakeholders at multiple levels. Ensurealignment between business expectations, delivery scope and operationalreadiness.
- Contribute to the ongoing improvementof delivery frameworks, governance standards, and operational processes.Champion Agile, hybrid delivery and modern execution practices whereappropriate.
- Contribute to the long-term scalabilityand sustainability of the enterprise delivery capability by promotingconsistency, standardization and reusable delivery practices acrossinitiatives.
- Support agile and hybrid deliverymethodologies where appropriate.
- Improve delivery maturity and driveefficiencies through improved delivery coordination, reporting, automation andprocess optimization.
- Strong leadership presence with theability to influence across all organizational levels
- Lead through ambiguity and complexity
- Strong coaching and people developmentcapability.
- Highly organized with strongoperational discipline
- Exceptional planning, prioritization,and delivery coordination skills
- Strong focus on execution quality andmeasurable outcomes.
- Excellent communication andfacilitation skills
- Ability to engage both technical andnon-technical stakeholders effectively
- Strong executive reporting andpresentation capability.
- Structured thinker with stronganalytical capability
- Ability to proactively identify risksand solve complex delivery challenges
- Comfortable operating in evolving anddynamic environments.
- Minimum: A bachelor's degree in Information Systems,Computer Science, Business, Engineering, Data Analytics, or related field.
- Relevant Certifications in Agile, Business Analysis, Testing, DeliveryManagement, or Product Delivery are advantageous.
- Minimum: A minimum of 8 years' experience in data, analytics, technology or enterprise delivery environments.
- Strong experience within CreditDecisioning, Credit Risk or Financial Services environments.
- Experience working with decisionengines, credit workflows, scorecards, rules management or risk analyticssolutions.
- Demonstrated experience managing orleading Business Analysts and Testing teams.
- Experience operating within fast-paced,high-demand delivery environments.
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