Senior Manager: Delivery Lead
Absa Group
Available Locations:
Johannesburg, Gauteng
Job Description
Job Summary
Absa Group is looking for a Senior Manager: Delivery Lead to own end‑to‑end delivery of complex, multi-team technology and business change initiatives. You will orchestrate cross-functional squads, mature our Agile-at-scale practices, remove organisational impediments, and ensure that value is delivered predictably, safely, and in alignment with strategic outcomes, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. This role blends programme leadership, people enablement, and delivery governance.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the delivery roadmap for a portfolio of initiatives; define and track OKRs, value measures, scope, milestones, critical paths, and dependencies.
- Lead, coach, and enable cross-functional teams (engineering, product, design, data, risk, operations) to deliver iteratively using Agile/Lean practices (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe).
- Establish and run governance (steerco forums, risk/issue logs, RAID, change control) with transparent, data-driven reporting to executives and stakeholders.
- Manage delivery risk & compliance across technology, information security, data privacy, and regulatory domains; ensure timely remediation of issues and audit findings.
- Optimise flow and predictability through capacity planning, throughput/cycle-time analysis, and continuous improvement of delivery processes and tooling.
- Budget & vendor management: Own financials, forecasts, commercial negotiations, and performance of third parties and strategic partners.
- Stakeholder management & communication: Align business owners, product managers, architecture, cybersecurity, and operations around clear priorities and release plans.
- People leadership: Mentor Delivery Leads/Scrum Masters/Project Managers; build a high-performing, psychologically safe culture focused on outcomes.
- Drive automation & DevOps ways of working (CI/CD, trunk-based development, automated testing, observability) to improve quality and time-to-market.
- Benefits realisation: Ensure post-implementation reviews quantify value delivered and embed change into BAU operations.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or equivalent experience (Master’s/MBA advantageous).
- 10+ years in technology/change delivery with 5+ years leading large programmes or portfolios in complex, regulated environments (financial services preferred).
- Proven expertise in Agile-at-scale (SAFe, LeSS) and traditional programme management; certifications such as SAFe SPC, PMP, PRINCE2, AgilePM, PSM II/III are advantageous.
- Demonstrated experience with DevOps, CI/CD, Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP), microservices, data & analytics delivery contexts.
- Strong command of financial management (business cases, CapEx/OpEx, forecasting) and vendor/contract management.
- Advanced proficiency with Jira/Confluence, Azure DevOps, or similar delivery tooling and with BI/visualisation tools for reporting (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
Experience
- Led multiple concurrent programmes with budgets > USD/ZAR multimillion and teams across geographies/time zones.
- Delivered within strict regulatory frameworks (e.g., banking regulations, POPIA/GDPR, PCI DSS, SOX).
- Implemented scaled Agile operating models, including PI Planning, quarterly roadmapping, and value stream alignment.
- Track record of turning around distressed programmes and instituting robust delivery controls.
- Experience partnering with senior executives and influencing at ExCo/Board sub-committee levels.
Working Hours
- Standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility to engage across global time zones where required.
- Hybrid working model with periodic on-site presence for planning, stakeholder engagement, and key delivery events (PI Planning, retrospectives, workshops).
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strategic delivery leadership: Ability to translate strategy into executable delivery roadmaps and measurable outcomes.
- Systems thinking & dependency management across platforms, data, security, and operations.
- Exceptional communication & storytelling: Able to simplify complexity and influence diverse stakeholders.
- Data-informed decision making: Uses flow metrics, forecasting models, Monte Carlo simulations, and value tracking to guide delivery.
- Change leadership: Skilled at organisational change management, adoption strategies, and embedding new ways of working.
- Resilience & adaptability: Thrives in ambiguity, manages pressure, and models a continuous improvement mindset.
Benefits
- Competitive total compensation with performance-linked incentives.
- Retirement / pension and comprehensive medical insurance.
- Professional development budget, certifications, and leadership programmes.
- Flexible / hybrid work arrangements and generous paid time off.
- Access to well-being programmes, employee assistance, and volunteering leave.
- Opportunity to lead high-impact, enterprise-wide initiatives in a leading African financial services group.
Why Join Absa Group
- Scale & impact: Shape the digital and operational backbone of a major banking group serving millions of customers.
- Modern delivery culture: Help mature Agile-at-scale, DevOps, and product-centric operating models.
- Inclusive, purpose-led organisation: Be part of a values-driven culture focused on growth, innovation, and societal impact.
- Career acceleration: Exposure to senior leadership, complex transformation, and cutting-edge technology stacks.
How to Apply
- Submit your CV/Resume highlighting complex programme deliveries, budgets, teams led, and quantifiable outcomes.
- Include a cover letter explaining how you have driven predictability, value delivery, and Agile maturity at scale.
- Provide links to delivery dashboards, case studies, or artefacts (where permissible) that evidence your delivery leadership.
- Apply via Absa Group’s careers portal or email your application to the designated talent acquisition contact (if provided).
- Shortlisted candidates will go through competency-based interviews, delivery case studies, and leadership assessments.