Technology Lead

Fin; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A fintech company in South Africa is seeking a Technology Lead (Full Stack Developer) to enhance their technology systems. The ideal candidate will have experience in building and maintaining applications for financial services, with a focus on performance and security. Candidates should have a solid background in Python, Java, or Kotlin, and experience collaborating with diverse teams. Join them in making finance more accessible through technology.

Benefits

High autonomy and responsibility

Impact-driven work environment

Cross-border collaboration with an experienced team

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of experience in full stack or backend-focused development.
• Strong academic record in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or similar.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Kotlin is essential.
• Familiarity with cloud services (preferably AWS) and containerisation tools (Docker).
• Proven ability to collaborate with remote/cross-country teams.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain full-stack applications for lending operations.
• Ensure performance, reliability, and security across local infrastructure.
• Collaborate with South African business team and Group tech team.

Skills

Proficiency in Python

Proficiency in Java

Proficiency in Kotlin

Experience with relational databases

Experience with cloud services (AWS)

Experience with containerization tools (Docker)

Education

Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or similar

Tools

Java (Fineract)

Kotlin (Quarkus)

Python (Django)

Docker

GitHub Actions

AWS

Job description

Technology Lead (Full Stack Developer) – Fin South Africa (Cape Town or Pretoria, South Africa)

Build the backbone of a high‑impact fintech company. Fin, formerly known as Finclusion, delivers smarter finance solutions for everyone by providing credit, savings, insurance, and more in a fast, convenient, and reliable manner.

Fin operates through its subsidiaries in key markets, including Fin Kenya, Fin Tanzania, and Fin South Africa. Each regional entity offers uniquely branded financial products tailored to local needs. Fin is dedicated to enhancing financial inclusion and continuously develops its services to better serve its customers.

The Role

We're looking for a technically excellent and ambitious full stack developer to take ownership of Fin South Africa's technology systems. This is a hands‑on role for a builder – someone who thrives on solving complex problems, writing clean code, and designing systems that scale. You'll be our key developer on the ground, with real autonomy and responsibility.

Your work will power everything from credit decisions to compliance reporting and internal tools – while ensuring our systems stay reliable, efficient, and secure. You'll collaborate closely with the South African business team and our Nairobi‑based Group engineering team, leveraging shared services while aligning delivery with our in‑country priorities. If you're excited about working at the intersection of fintech, infrastructure, and impact – this role offers a unique opportunity to grow your skills while contributing to financial inclusion across South Africa.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Development – Build and maintain full‑stack applications that support lending operations, client services, and internal tools. Extend and integrate with our loan management system, middleware APIs, and data dashboards. Write clean, testable code and conduct reviews where relevant.
• System Ownership – Ensure performance, reliability, and security across local infrastructure components. Implement and maintain system enhancements and data flows for reporting, compliance, and credit decisioning. Manage deployments, configuration, and version control for country‑specific modules.
• Collaboration – Act as the bridge between our South African business team and Group tech team. Work closely with credit and operations to scope new features or improve existing processes. Help shape the local tech roadmap in collaboration with cross‑functional stakeholders. Translate local requirements into clear specs / tickets and align scope / timelines with Group sprints. Own the integration backlog with Group services (LMS, APIs, data lake) and track to closure. Coordinate releases and handovers with Group; test, sign off, and escal\… (continues)

Our Stack

• Backend: Java (Fineract), Kotlin (Quarkus), Python (Django)
• Frontend: Internal UIs and dashboards via Superset
• Data & Storage: Supabase (Postgres), AWS (Parquet Data Lake)
• DevOps: Docker, GitHub Actions, AWS

What We're Looking For

Minimum Requirements

• 2–3 years of experience in full stack or backend‑focused development
• Strong academic record in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or similar (top university preferred)
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Kotlin is essential, with working knowledge of relational databases and modern web frameworks
• Familiarity with cloud services (preferably AWS) and containerisation tools (e.g., Docker)
• Proven ability to collaborate with remote / cross‑country teams; strong written asyncronous communication

Nice‑to‑Haves

• Experience in fintech, lending, or working with data‑heavy systems
• Exposure to system architecture, microservices, and API design
• Familiarity with financial integrations (e.g., credit bureaus, ID verification, payments)
• Experience managing partner / vendor deliverables or contributing to a shared platform team

Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical thinker with high attention to detail
• Independent and self‑motivated – able to manage your own workload and timelines
• Pragmatic problem‑solver who enjoys full ownership
• Clear communicator, able to bridge technical and business contexts
• Curious, adaptable, and committed to building for impact

Why Join Us?

• Build for real‑world impact: Help make housing finance more accessible through better technology.
• Own your work: This is a high‑autonomy, high‑responsibility role with tangible results.
• Work with purpose: Join a mission‑driven fintech with clear social value.
• Collaborate across disciplines: Gain exposure to credit, data, compliance, and strategic decision‑making.
• Scale with us: Be part of a business that blends startup pace with operational discipline.
• Cross‑border collaboration: Work with an experienced Group engineering team in Kenya while owning a Fin SA–first delivery slate.