Head: Business Enablement - Technology

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Job Summary

The Head: Business Enablement is a senior leadership position responsible for driving the operational coherence and strategic execution effectiveness of the AFS Technology function. This role serves as the connective tissue between technology strategy, financial stewardship, workforce capability, supplier relationships, and governance — ensuring that technology investments are purposeful, well-governed, and deliver measurable business value.
• Lead, mentor, and develop their team members in their function
• Build strong partnerships with the CIOs, infrastructure teams, CSO, product executives, and Absa Group technology leadership, company secretary.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to connect operational detail to organisational direction.
• Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills — able to engage effectively from team level to Board.
• Commercially astute with a rigorous approach to financial accountability.
• High levels of organisational discipline, attention to detail, and follow-through.
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style with a genuine commitment to building team capability.
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a complex, matrixed organisation.
• Commitment to Absa's values: Bring Possibility, Be Africans, Backboned and Courageous.
The incumbent will work in close partnership with the AFS CIO and senior technology leaders to translate strategic intent into actionable plans, maintain rigorous cost discipline, orchestrate governance and reporting obligations, and build a high-performing, future-fit technology workforce.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field (NQF Level 7 minimum).
• A postgraduate qualification (MBA, MBL, or relevant Master's degree) will be advantageous.

Job Description

1.  Technology Strategy Formulation, Execution & Tracking

• Lead and facilitate the annual AFS technology strategy development cycle, engaging senior stakeholders across business and technology.
• Translate the technology strategy into structured execution plans, including defined OKRs, KPIs, and initiative-level delivery roadmaps.
• Maintain a consolidated technology strategy scorecard and provide regular progress reporting to the CIO and relevant governance forums.
• Identify risks and dependencies threatening strategic execution and facilitate resolution or escalation as appropriate.
• Support business case development for strategic technology investments, ensuring alignment to AFS and Absa Group priorities.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, and competitor activity to inform strategy refinement.
• Primary responsibility for all reporting responsibilities including the various board forums in AFS. This is a critical requirement and needs to be appropriate for board level engagement.

2.  Financial Management & Cost Optimisation

• Own the full technology budget lifecycle — from planning and submission through to monthly tracking, variance analysis, and reforecasting.
• Partner with Finance to ensure accurate accruals, capitalisation of applicable spend, and alignment to accounting standards.
• Drive proactive cost optimisation programmes, including vendor rationalisation, licence right-sizing, and demand management.
• Provide the AFS CIO with timely financial MI and actionable insights to inform resourcing and investment decisions.
• Ensure compliance with Absa Group financial governance policies and delegation of authority frameworks.
• Oversee technology procurement processes in collaboration with Group Procurement, ensuring value for money and policy adherence.

3.  Workforce Planning & Organisational Effectiveness

• Design and maintain a multi-year technology workforce plan that anticipates skills demands, attrition risks, and capability gaps.
• Partner with HR Business Partners to execute talent acquisition, development, and retention strategies for critical technology roles.
• Drive initiatives to embed agile ways of working, high-performance culture, and continuous learning across the technology function in collaboration with the technology leadership and Head: Delivery Management.
• Lead organisational design reviews and change management initiatives as the technology operating model evolves.
• Oversee the onboarding experience for technology staff and ensure induction programmes reflect AFS's values and strategic priorities.
• Track and report on people metrics including headcount, vacancy rates, regrettable attrition, and skills pipeline health.

4.  Contract & Supplier Management

• Maintain a complete and current register of all technology contracts, including terms, renewal dates, SLAs, and escalation provisions.
• Lead supplier performance reviews, ensuring accountability for delivery commitments and service quality.
• Drive contract renegotiations and renewals to extract maximum value and mitigate commercial risk.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Group Procurement to ensure contracts are appropriately risk-managed and POPIA-compliant.
• Manage supplier relationships strategically, including the identification and onboarding of new vendors aligned to technology strategy.
• Maintain awareness of Absa Group-level preferred supplier agreements and leverage Absa Group buying power where applicable.

5.  Governance, Risk, Audit & Reporting Coordination

• Serve as the primary coordination point for all technology governance obligations across AFS, including Board, AFS Exco, PPB Technology, and various Risk Committees reporting.
• Maintain the technology risk register, coordinate risk treatment plans, and provide regular updates to relevant governance forums. Collaborating with the multiple risk teams line of defence.
• Manage internal and external audit engagements — coordinating evidence provision, tracking findings, and driving closure of actions within agreed timelines. This is a collaborative effort with 1st line risk and technology leadership.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory frameworks requirements, and Absa Group technology policies.
• Coordinate input to Absa Group-level reporting obligations and ensure AFS's technology posture is accurately represented at all forums.

Education

Bachelor's Degree: 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