Head of Software Engineering

Head of Software Engineering

Johannesburg, South Africa | Posted on 06/16/2025

The Head of Software Engineering will lead all aspects of software engineering and quality assurance (QA). As infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data analytics shift into the Group, this role becomes the technical delivery owner for the company’s product platforms and internal systems. The successful candidate will drive modernization of legacy systems, support Agile practices, mentor cross‑functional development teams, and work closely with business and product stakeholders to align technology delivery with organisational goals.

• Lead, structure, and coach multi‑disciplinary development teams (Natural Adabas, C#, Java, Flutter, Delphi).
• Manage and grow the internal QA capability (manual and automated).
• Implement and enforce modern SDLC processes, including CI/CD, testing frameworks, and Dev Ops alignment.
• Own the modernization roadmap of legacy systems, including Natural/Adabas, Delphi, and Sybase.
• Drive the adoption of Postgre
  
  SQL, .NET Core, Flutter, and Azure‑native services.
• Oversee catch‑up modernization of People Ware to align desktop and web platforms.
• Partner with product managers, scrum masters, and BAs to ensure Agile delivery within sprint cycles.
• Plan and track delivery against resource plans, ensuring on‑time, high‑quality outcomes.
• Participate in architecture reviews, ensure proper documentation, and enforce version control standards.
• Work with the CIO on annual budgeting, capacity planning, and vendor assessments.
• Align development efforts to business strategies (e.g., People Ware turnaround, TRX platform upgrades).
• Align the technology platform with the strategic objectives.
• Report on team performance, risk, dependencies, and roadmap progression.
• Ensure secure coding practices and QA processes are aligned with audit findings and ISO goals.
• Collaborate with group security, infrastructure, and audit teams on issues like access management and patching.

• Hosting:
  On‑prem, Citrix Cloud, Azure, AWS (via Group IT).

• Tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.

• Certifications in Cloud Architecture (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect, AWS Architect).
• Architecture frameworks like TOGAF or certifications in secure SDLC.
• Prior experience in financial services, especially payments, collections, or onboarding systems.
• Knowledge of COBIT 2019, ISO 27001, or NIST frameworks.

• 6+ years in software development with experience leading teams or development streams.
• Demonstrated success in modernising legacy systems and improving platform stability.
• Experience delivering under Agile SCRUM, with Jira or Azure Boards.
• Strong QA integration background (manual and automation testing strategies).

The Head of Software Engineering will lead a blended team of approximately 35 staff and contractors, comprising developers across Natural/Adabas, C#/.NET, Delphi, Java, and Flutter, alongside a growing QA team responsible for both manual and automation testing. Scrum Masters and Product Managers support delivery, with the role reporting directly to the CIO.

• Development streams across platforms (Natural, .NET, Java, Flutter, Delphi).
• QA team (automation and manual).
• Reports to CIO and works alongside Scrum Masters, Product Managers, and Support leads.
• Accountable for the stability, scalability, and evolution of several mission critical platforms:
  Natural/Adabas Core Platform – legacy high‑volume EFT and Debi Check engine, integrated with RM payments and mandate orchestration;
  Alchemy (C#/.NET) – AVS and Debi Check mandate management platform with external bank integrations; OPS and APS (Delphi/Java) – client onboarding and transaction processing portals;
  People Ware – an internal HR, payroll, and compliance system under modernization, with active plans to align the legacy desktop platform to a web‑based architecture;
  File‑based integrations – including SFU, SFTP, and email‑driven workflows with limited validation layers, requiring…