Release Train Manager

Absa Group; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Absa Group seeks a Release Train Engineer to lead the integrated delivery system across multiple scrum teams within the Digital & AI portfolio. You will own alignment, planning, governance and transparent portfolio insight to enable predictable, value-driven delivery.

In this senior role, you will coach leaders in lean‑agile practices, manage dependencies and risks, and drive continuous improvement with executive reporting and governance. SAFe certification is mandatory.

Qualifications

• Senior multi-team delivery and portfolio-office experience.
• Strong scaled‑agile and lean portfolio skills.
• SAFe certification mandatory.
• Ability to align planning, governance and funding across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the integrated delivery system across multiple scrum teams and the internal technology portfolio office.
• Own alignment, flow, dependency management, planning, governance and transparent portfolio insight.
• Facilitate planning and execution across agile teams, platforms and enabling functions.
• Coach leaders in lean‑agile behaviours, flow, outcome orientation and escalation.
• Create team autonomy while maintaining alignment to enterprise commitments and controls.

Skills

Scaled agile

SAFe certification

Lean portfolio

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

National Certificate: Information Technology

Job description

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time. With over 100 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

The Release Train Engineer is a leadership role responsible for predictable, aligned delivery across digital technology teams. The role combines scaled-agile leadership with operation of the technology portfolio office.

• It manages integrated planning, dependencies, governance, risks, capacity, funding and executive portfolio insight.
• It promotes lean delivery through flow metrics, evidence-based forecasting, embedded assurance and resolution of systemic constraints.
• First-year priorities include establishing the mandate, publishing the operating model and roadmap, improving governance and delivering visible portfolio outcomes.

Job Description

VP leadership role reporting to the Chief Information Officer: Digital & AI. Leads the integrated delivery system across multiple scrum teams and operates the internal technology portfolio office. Owns alignment, flow, dependency management, planning, governance and transparent portfolio insight. Enables predictable strategic delivery without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy. Maintains a single prioritised view of outcomes, funding, capacity, dependencies, risks and decisions. Facilitates integrated planning and execution across agile teams, platforms and enabling functions. Runs cadences for planning, system reviews, dependency management, risk resolution and continuous improvement. Coaches leaders and teams in lean-agile behaviours, flow, outcome orientation and effective escalation. Creates team autonomy while maintaining alignment to enterprise commitments and controls. Operates the Digital Business Bank Technology portfolio office on behalf of the CIO. Maintains authoritative portfolio data covering scope, milestones, investment, capacity, dependencies, risks and decisions. Designs lean governance and decision-ready executive reporting that is consistent and traceable. Coordinates investment planning, portfolio prioritisation, demand shaping and change control with key leaders. Uses delivery data to identify bottlenecks, excessive WIP, ageing, capacity constraints and systemic risks. Drives resolution of cross-team dependencies and escalates constraints that teams cannot remove. Challenges unsupported status reporting and promotes evidence-based delivery confidence, forecasting and value realisation. Integrates QA, architecture, security and operational assurance into delivery rather than relying on late-stage gates. Measures success through predictability, portfolio alignment, flow metrics, dependency resolution, forecast accuracy, benefits and readiness. Requires senior multi-team delivery and portfolio-office experience, strong scaled-agile and lean portfolio skills, and mandatory SAFe certification. First-year priorities include establishing the mandate and baseline, publishing the operating model and roadmap, improving governance and delivering visible portfolio outcomes.

Education

National Certificate: Information Technology Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, 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 to the post as advertised At Absa, our story is not a single narrative.

About Absa

At Absa, our story is not a single narrative. It’s thousands of individual journeys unfolding across Africa and beyond. From colleagues serving customers in local communities to teams shaping financial solutions across borders, Absa is built on people who bring their lived experiences, ambitions and perspectives into the workplace every day. Whether you’re starting your career, a seasoned leader or somewhere in between, your contribution is seen, valued and connected to something bigger. Our presence across Africa – which spans personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management, and insurance – exists because of the people who show up in their roles with purpose. Across Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, our colleagues are shaping what Absa becomes in each market. Beyond the continent, teams in global offices and a technology hub support and extend the stories that prove that African talent can lead, influence and innovate on the global stage. At Absa, your story matters because progress is driven by human experience, not hierarchy. When people are enabled to bring their whole selves to work, they don’t just build careers. They help shape the future of Africa’s financial services landscape.