Production Support Lead

Ninety One; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 90 000 - 110 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading investment management firm in South Africa is seeking a Lead of Production Support to ensure the security and stability of their Investment Platform. This pivotal role focuses on AI-driven innovations and mentorship of a dedicated team. Candidates should have over 10 years in IT operations and a strong background in ITIL standards. A competitive compensation package and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology await the right leader.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in IT operations or production support.
• At least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience with AI/ML tools for incident management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of Production Support Analysts.
• Ensure platform meets high availability SLAs.
• Transform incident management using AI and automation.

Skills

AI & Automation

ITIL Frameworks

Leadership Skills

Advanced analytical skills

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

ServiceNow

Microsoft Azure DevOps

MS SQL

Power BI

Job description

About Ninety One:

Ninety One is South Africa’s largest investment manager and the only one with a global presence. The firm has 22 offices across 15 countries on five continents and manages R3.4 trillion of assets on behalf of clients (as at 30 June 2025).

Established in Cape Town in 1991 as part of the Investec Group, Ninety One demerged and rebranded in 2020, becoming an independent firm dual-listed in London and Johannesburg. Always an active manager, Ninety One today offers strategies across equities, fixed income, multi-asset and private markets to institutions, advisors and individual investors around the world.

About the team:

Ninety One’s Digital Technology team are currently recruiting for a Lead of Production Support who will be responsible for ensuring the security, stability, and availability of Ninety One’s Investment Platform. This role requires a strong emphasis on AI-driven process innovation, operational excellence, and empathetic leadership. The successful candidate needs to be a visionary and disciplined leader who continuously seeks to reinvent support operations using AI, while aligning with ITIL standards and business goals.

In this role you will:

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor a team of Production Support Analysts.
• Foster a culture of discipline, empathy, and continuous improvement.
• Build team capabilities in AI, automation, and modern support practices.
• Promote collaboration across Product stakeholders.

Platform Stability, Availability & Security

• Ensure the platform meets high availability SLAs and uptime targets.
• Own and evolve incident, problem, and change management processes.
• Drive root cause analysis and post-incident reviews.
• Monitor and proactively address risks to platform performance, availability, and data integrity.

AI-Driven Incident Management

• Lead the transformation of incident management using AI and automation.
• Implement AI tools for real-time anomaly detection and predictive failure analysis.
• Use machine learning to classify and prioritize incidents based on severity and impact.
• Deploy AI-powered root cause analysis and resolution recommendation engines.
• Integrate conversational AI agents to assist support teams with diagnostics and resolution.
• Establish feedback loops to continuously improve AI accuracy and reduce false positives.
• Align AI capabilities with ITIL processes to enhance service delivery and operational maturity.

Operational Excellence & ITIL Practices

• Implement and refine ITIL-aligned practices (Incident, Problem, Change, Release, Configuration).
• Ensure consistent use of ServiceNow and Azure DevOps.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation, runbooks, and knowledge bases.
• Monitor and report on support KPIs, SLAs, and improvement metrics.
• Drive automation and self-service initiatives to reduce manual support overhead.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Champion a “Zero-Touch” support vision where AI handles routine incidents autonomously.
• Drive shift-left strategies by enabling self-service and automation at the earliest stages.
• Stay abreast of emerging AI trends and proactively apply them to support operations.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Act as the escalation point for critical production issues.
• Communicate clearly and confidently with business stakeholders and technology teams.
• Provide regular updates on platform health, incident trends, and innovation initiatives.
• Ensure user expectations are effectively managed, and support experiences are positive.

You should consider applying if you have:

Technical Experience/skills:

• Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 10+ years in IT operations or production support, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• AI & Automation: Proven experience implementing AI/ML tools for incident management, anomaly detection, and support automation.
• ITIL Frameworks: Strong background in ITIL-aligned practices (Incident, Problem, Change, Release, Configuration).
• Investment Platform Knowledge: Familiarity with investment management processes, instruments, and regulatory requirements.
• Security & Compliance: Experience in managing secure environments, data protection, and compliance in financial services.
• Support Strategy: Demonstrated ability to design and evolve support models, including shift-left and zero-touch strategies.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills are needed to diagnose and resolve complex issues.

Business System Skills:

• ServiceNow (incident, change, and problem management).
• Microsoft Azure DevOps (CI/CD pipelines, release coordination).
• Database & Reporting: MS SQL, reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, SSRS).
• Office Suite, SQL Server, and integration with enterprise systems.
• Auth0 (identity management), DocuSign (digital signatures), Salesforce (CRM), InsideData.
• Familiarity with modern observability stacks (e.g. Azure Application Insights).

Some of the attributes we look for in a person:

• Driven by results
• Ability to recognise and embrace change
• A client focused and collaborative approachAbility to analyse, interpret and assimilate information