Regional Portfolio Manager

Belay Talent Solutions; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading service integration company in Cape Town seeks a Regional Portfolio Manager to oversee client portfolios and ensure effective service delivery. The successful candidate will have a proven track record in client management and project oversight, alongside exceptional communication skills. This hybrid role involves collaborating across teams and ensuring compliance with organizational standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years experience in a leadership role overseeing client portfolios.
• Ability to adapt to complex situations and maintain composure.

Responsibilities

• Lead client service integration and facilitate stakeholder relationships.
• Manage project activities, ensuring compliance with standards.

Skills

Exceptional communication skills

Client liaison experience

Project management skills

Problem-solving abilities

Interpersonal skills

Education

Matric certificate

National diploma or bachelor's degree in relevant discipline

Job description

Overview

Regional Portfolio Manager
Cape Town, Western Cape (Hybrid role)

What we are looking for in a candidate

Role Overview

The Regional Portfolio Manager is entrusted with leading the planning, coordination, execution, and continuous development of client service integration for Direct Transact. This role supports both project-based and operational initiatives across multiple client portfolios, ensuring service delivery meets the strategic objectives of the client as well as Direct Transact’s business goals.

Central to this responsibility is the ability to establish governance frameworks that enable efficient delivery within complex, multi-system environments, aligned to contractual expectations and agreed service levels.

Acting as the primary client liaison, the Regional Portfolio Manager cultivates long-term stakeholder relationships and provides consistent leadership in translating client expectations into actionable project plans. The role requires meticulous management of service outcomes, documentation, and communication processes, while ensuring compliance with internal policy, established standards, and the Direct Transact Code of Conduct.

Collaboration across internal departments is key, with the Regional Portfolio Manager facilitating seamless coordination and oversight of service structures tailored to client requirements. This includes managing all phases of client engagement from scoping and delivery to maintenance while continuously seeking opportunities for service enhancement and client satisfaction. The position demands strategic foresight, operational diligence, and interpersonal acumen to ensure portfolio success, retention, and growth.

Special Requirements

• The role may occasionally require extended working hours beyond the standard schedule, in exceptional cases and in response to operational demands. Flexibility to commit to overtime is essential to support project delivery timelines and client needs.
• Candidates must be willing and able to undertake short-term travel, both domestically and internationally, as needed for client meetings, project deployment, or cross-functional collaboration.
• Reliable personal transportation is required to ensure timely attendance at meetings, site visits, and other work-related engagements that may occur off-site or outside of regular commuting routes.

Personal Attributes

• Demonstrated ability to enforce consistent participation in established processes during all internal and external engagements, ensuring accountability and compliance with organizational standards.
• Proven resilience in navigating complex or challenging situations by adapting mentally, emotionally, and behaviorally to internal and external demands with composure and flexibility.
• Strong business communication skills across verbal, written, and formal documentation platforms ensuring clarity, professionalism, and consistency in all interactions.
• Capacity to maintain a high level of customer-centric focus while applying firm, assertive engagement strategies to uphold service integrity and performance expectations.
• Deadline-driven mindset with the ability to manage multiple priorities, collaborate across stakeholder groups, and maintain a focused approach toward delivery outcomes.
• Proactive problem-solving abilities paired with a self-starting attitude; demonstrates strong ownership and accountability in resolving issues and delivering results.
• Consistent capability to listen actively, comprehend complex information, and accurately interpret and respond to client inquiries and concerns in both internal and external forums.
• Skilled in assessing and adapting communication and engagement strategies to accommodate diverse personality types, while remaining aligned with company policies and procedural frameworks.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to energize and foster inclusive participation across departments, enhancing collective productivity and morale.
• Exceptional conflict resolution skills applied across all stakeholder engagements, maintaining a professional, diplomatic approach to difficult conversations or disputes.
• Excellent time management and self-management practices, demonstrated through consistent prioritization, planning, and task execution with minimal supervision.

Knowledge & Skills

• Exceptional proficiency in both written and verbal communication, vital for clear stakeholder engagement, formal documentation, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Extensive experience in client liaison and service delivery management, with a track record of navigating complex client relationships and ensuring the consistent delivery of business outcomes.
• Demonstrated success in managing multiple client portfolios simultaneously, balancing competing priorities, and delivering tailored services across diverse engagements.
• Solid understanding of project management methodologies and tools, including planning, tracking, reporting, and risk mitigation practices that support efficient project execution.
• Proven capability to operate within multi-client, multi-system environments, effectively adapting to dynamic business landscapes while maintaining high service standards.
• Skilled in preparing and managing project proposals and client documentation, ensuring alignment with organizational protocols, compliance standards, and operational objectives.
• Familiarity with banking operations and industry protocols at a functional level, offering valuable insight and contextual understanding to financial service delivery.
• Recognized subject matter expertise in client service delivery, providing strategic leadership, guidance, and operational oversight across client engagements.
• Strong ability to develop and sustain long-term client portfolio relationships, while successfully executing business analysis, project management, and service delivery tasks aligned to performance goals.
• Experience :

• Minimum of 3 years proven experience in a Regional Portfolio Manager or comparable leadership role, overseeing complex client portfolios and service integration.
• Skilled in developing comprehensive business cases that include detailed cost-benefit analyses, technical documentation, process mapping, and flow diagrams, with a strong grasp of system engineering principles.
• Extensive background in client engagement and service delivery, with the ability to maintain high levels of client satisfaction and long-term relationship management.
• Hands-on experience applying project management frameworks, including Agile and SCRUM methodologies, to drive efficient and adaptive delivery outcomes.
• Proven track record in motivating, managing, and leading cross-functional teams across delivery and support functions, fostering collaborative performance cultures.
• Experienced in handling confidential or sensitive business information within security-conscious environments, adhering to strict data governance protocols.
• Strong capabilities in governing service and project delivery processes, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and industry best practices.
• Demonstrated expertise in program, portfolio, and project management, from strategic planning through to execution and post-implementation review.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and collaborate across teams and stakeholder groups.
• Solid understanding of financial and banking industry dynamics, enabling informed decision-making and alignment with business drivers.
• Advanced conflict resolution and dispute management skills, applied with professionalism and tact in high-pressure or sensitive situations.
• Well-developed knowledge of risk management principles and practices, with experience in identifying, mitigating, and monitoring operational and project-related risks.
• Familiarity with service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs), including reporting and performance measurement across client contracts.
• Track record of implementing ongoing project delivery and service improvement strategies in partnership with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Ability to build and maintain trusted relationships across multiple client portfolios while actively managing service delivery and business engagement.
• Recognized subject matter expert in service management, providing strategic guidance and operational leadership.
• Capable of interpreting complex technical and operational concepts and translating them into clear, actionable information for diverse audiences.
• Comfortable working under pressure and managing multiple responsibilities within a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years proven experience in a Regional Portfolio Manager or comparable leadership role, overseeing complex client portfolios and service integration.

Qualifications

• Possession of a Matric certificate or an equivalent qualification formally recognised by the Department of Higher Education and Training is essential.
• A completed national diploma or bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline will be considered advantageous and may strengthen the candidate’s application.

What the job will entail day to day

Business Analysis

• Requirements Analysis & Solution Design
• Gather, evaluate, and refine business requirements. Identify gaps between requirements and existing systems and recommend viable solutions and workarounds that meet client and Direct Transact standards.
• Documentation & Communication
• Document business requirements, functional specifications, and technical details for development and quality assurance teams. Ensure clear communication of solutions across internal and external stakeholders.
• Business Case Development & RFP Participation
• Preparation of business cases and assist with RFP documentation as needed to support strategic initiatives and sales efforts.
• Requirements Management
• Elicit, analyze, simplify, and organize requirements into structured documentation. Ensure traceability and closure of scope as projects progress.
• Workshop Facilitation
• Lead and participate in project kick-off and scoping workshops with stakeholders to define goals, expectations, and solution paths.
• Knowledge Sharing
• Develop high-level training materials (Knowledge Builder documentation) to aid customer understanding of released functionality.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Presentations
• Interact regularly with clients and internal teams to ensure accurate understanding and implementation of requirements. Support pre-sales demos and client presentations when required.

Project Management

• Project Coordination & Stakeholder Management
• Effectively coordinate all components of client delivery, ensuring smooth collaboration across internal teams involved in the project or initiative.
• Project Leadership & Oversight
• Take full ownership of managing, monitoring, and controlling project activities to ensure timely and successful delivery meeting scope, budget, quality, and schedule expectations.
• Risk & Dependency Management
• Proactively identify, assess, and communicate project risks, issues, and dependencies. Develop and implement mitigation and contingency plans to reduce potential negative impacts.
• Status Reporting & Governance
• Maintain clear and consistent communication of project progress to management and stakeholders. Apply project controls such as regular meetings, reporting structures, documentation standards, change management processes, and formal signoffs.
• Query Resolution & Monitoring
• Track and respond to internal and external queries, ensuring efficient communication and resolution throughout all phases of projects delivery.
• Billing Accuracy & Financial Alignment
• Ensure project-related billing is accurate and timely. Collaborate with the finance department to ensure requirements for monthly service invoicing

Service Delivery Management

• Contract Fulfilment Oversight
• Take full ownership of client service delivery throughout the lifecycle, ensuring contractual commitments are met.
• Client Satisfaction & Relationship Building
• Proactively monitor service delivery quality and foster strong, strategic client relationships that support growth opportunities.
• Risk & Service Improvement Management
• Identify and address service, operational, and system deficiencies. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to boost client experience and service reliability.
• Opportunity Development
• Identify and pursue new opportunities within existing client portfolios to expand Direct Transact’s product and service offering adoption.
• Documentation & Quality Compliance
• Manage client documentation as defined by service delivery scope, company standards, and quality measures.
• System Task & Enhancement Management
• Monitor and maintain client tasks and change request initiatives to support client service and solution enhancements.
• Client Enablement on Internal Systems
• Support and coach clients in effectively utilizing Direct Transact systems to maximize functionality and service value.
• Client Meeting Management
• Plan and facilitate regular client meetings as prescribed. Ensure minutes are recorded and distributed in a timely fashion.
• Reporting & SLA Governance
• Lead recurring performance reporting aligned with client SLAs and internal management requirements.
• Revenue Protection & Billing Compliance
• Prevent revenue leakage by managing change requirement and ad hoc time and material billing.
• Incident & Query Response Management
• Ensure timely resolution of client support requests and incidents within agreed SLA timeframes. Maintain clear and continuous communication throughout.
• Change Lifecycle Management
• Coordinate and manage service or enhancement changes to meet client expectations and regulatory deadlines.
• Conflict Resolution
• Handle internal and external stakeholder conflicts with professionalism and a solutions-focused mindset.
• Team Leadership & Motivation
• Lead and inspire cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional service and support to clients.

Interpersonal Relationships / Stakeholders

• Chief Client Delivery Officer
• Head : Service Management
• Head : Client Solution Delivery
• Head : Core Banking Support Servicing
• Head : Software Delivery
• Service Integrations Manager Team
• Production Support Team
• Operators Team
• Financial Administration and Back Office Support
• Database Administrators
• Payment Hub Team
• Postilion Team
• Chanel Team
• System Analysts
• Development Team
• Quality Assurance Team
• Internal Stakeholders
• External Stakeholders