Full Stack Software Development Manager

iKhokha is a place where chance takers become change makers.
At iKhokha, we’re made to make it. As you'd expect, our pace is fast-moving and ever-changing. We like it that way.  As one of the fastest growing Fintech's in Africa we've built a team of global change-makers who want to make an impact. If you believe that you are made to make it, be a chance-taker and help us empower small businesses in South Africa. 

Lead boldly, inspire greatness and build what’s next. Join iKhokha as a Full Stack Software Development Manager and shape the future of technology by driving innovation, technical excellence and high impact delivery.

If you’re ready to empower exceptional engineers, solve big challenges and make a real impact, we want you on our team!

So, what will you do? 

• You will be responsible for day-to-day management as well as optimizing delivery throughput of the Software Engineering team.
• You will also be working closely with Product Managers and Technical Architects to drive efficiencies and enable technical delivery in line with strategic objectives.
• You will play a key mentoring role and assess skills requirements and gaps. This includes performance management, developing roadmaps for career growth and outlining courses and material for training.
• You will also play an active role in assessing technical feasibility of solutions where needed.

In addition to the above, you will: 

• Creating guidance and alignment on development standards and best practices, documentation and process across all teams.
• Driving continuous improvement across the engineering space, including ways we can improve productivity, streamlining workflows and optimizing towards frequent and faster deployments.
• Identifying, managing and mitigating risks associated with delivery (key-man dependency, quality, timing etc).
• Live the engineering culture we want to create - foster communication, collaboration, documentation, knowledge sharing etc.
• Stay up to date with emerging technologies and industry trends.
• Ensure the technical feasibility of projects and their alignment with the company’s goals.
• Manage day-to-day activities of software development team.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Develop and implement personal development plans for team members.
• Assist in the recruitment process to attract top engineering talent.
• Develop and implement effective onboarding programs for new hires.
• Mentor new team members to ensure a smooth transition into the team.
• Role and job description reviews and updates.
• Skills gap assessment.
• Identify and review courses and learning material.
• Build and review processes for upskilling.
• Assess and review learning journeys for engineers.
• Track and advise on career progression and readiness.
• Provide guidance and feedback on career tracking.
• Coaching and Mentoring.
• Provide mentorship and career development advice to engineering team members.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with engineers to offer feedback and support.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
• Team alignment, ensuring that all development team members are aligned with iKhokha’s vision and goals.

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

Deal Breakers: 

10+ years’ experience with the following:

• At least 7 years of Software Engineering experience.
• Strong proficiency in software design and development, utilizing one or more high level language such as Java, C#, Python etc.
• Proven experience in a leadership or managerial role within a software development team for at least 1-3 years.
• Demonstrated experience in interviewing, mentoring and developing engineering talent.
• Experience with agile development methodologies and project management tools.
• Deep understanding of software development life cycle (SDLC) and best practices.

In addition to the above, the experience in the following technologies, domains and best practices will make you a frontrunner for the role:

• People management skills, building cohesive, high delivery teams.
• Impact and influence to help drive outcomes according to business objectives.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts to different audiences with varying degrees of technical ability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) would be advantageous.
• A high level of software development knowledge. Have an understanding of complexities and high-level requirements.
• Ability to inspire and motivate a team.

Perks of joining the Tribe? 

• Work in a high-growth company with tangible results you're accountable for.
• Enjoy hybrid, remote, and in-office work models.
• Competitive remuneration and benefits, including reduced Gap cover rates. Medical Aid and Group Risk scheme contributions.
• Visionary leadership.
• Seize the opportunity for study leave.  
• Access to on-demand learning at your fingertips.
• Experience a friendly, collaborative culture with a team of all-round-lekker humans (it’s true, we surveyed our Employees and they told us so).
• If you find yourself at HQ, coffee on tap and a selection of hot beverages provided by our very own onsite Barista. 

Stay Sharp!
Job scams are out there, but we’ve got your back. Here’s how to keep it real when applying:

Apply the iK way:
Go via our Careers page or verified platforms (Smart Recruiters).
We’ll never ask for payment, personal financial details, or anything unusual during the hiring process. If someone does, it’s a scam, report it.
If something feels off, pause and confirm the role on our site before responding.

Your journey to join the iKTribe starts with trust and we’re here to keep it simple and secure.