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.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead, structure, and coach multi disciplinary development teams (NaturalAdabas, 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 DevOps alignment.
• Own the modernization roadmap of legacy systems, including Natural/Adabas, Delphi, and Sybase.
• Drive the adoption of PostgreSQL, .NET Core, Flutter, and Azure native services.
• Oversee catch up modernization of PeopleWare 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., PeopleWare 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.

Technology Environment

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

Qualifications and Requirements Qualifications

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

Bonus/Preferred

• 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.

Desired skills and experience

• 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).

Team Structure, Products, and Environment Overview

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.

This role manages

• 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 DebiCheck engine, integrated with RM payments and mandate orchestration; Alchemy (C#/.NET) - AVS and DebiCheck mandate management platform with external bank integrations; OPS and APS (Delphi/Java) - client onboarding and transaction processing portals; PeopleWare - 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 uplift and replacement with API based solutions.
• Collaborates closely with Product Management, QA, Business Analysts, and group aligned teams in Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, and Data & Reporting.

Key challenges and opportunities include

• Establishing consistent Agile delivery and QA practices.
• Closing material audit findings (ITGC, SDLC, access control).
• Leading modernization of Natural.
• Uplifting PeopleWare to support compliance and onboarding workflows across web and desktop layers.
• Introducing CI/CD, standardised release governance, and traceable deployment pipelines.
• Success in the first 6 months will involve stabilising delivery cadence, uplifting engineering discipline, closing priority audit items, and delivering MVPs for strategic initiatives. Tooling includes Azure DevOps, GitHub, SonarQube and Jira, with support from the enterprise infrastructure team and group technology leadership.
• This is a high impact leadership role requiring technical depth, architectural understanding, and the ability to lead through complexity while driving platform evolution and business alignment.

Additional Role Responsibilities

• Advanced reconciliation and analytical review of data.
• Complex problem solving and troubleshooting.
• Solution design and implementation monitoring.
• Releasing payments (Banking Platforms).
• Advanced financial calculations (Float management).
• System testing - thorough testing of all system functionality.
• Detailed management reports across all areas of the department.
• SLA management and oversight.
• System configuration (backend systems) for new take ons.
• Manage all banking take ons and documentation (including transactional limits - monitoring & reporting).
• Managing and updating knowledge base (internal).

Personality Attributes

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Sound communication skills.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Able to work independently and in a team.
• Able to cope under pressure to perform multiple tasks.
• Should exhibit excellent time management and organisational skills to complete the assigned work effectively.
• Should have good logical problem solving ability and should be able to comprehend the given information.
• Understands the Group's business ethics and values.

Requirements

Client provides transactional banking services to its customers - DebiCheck, payments etc.

The systems were mostly developed in ancient tech - Natural/Adabas and Delphi and Sybase SQL.

There are efforts to renew the tech landscape and new projects are being done in C#, REACT, PostgreSQL, MS SQL Server etc.

They are adopting cloud and are on both AWS and Azure.

They have immature SDLC and need to get more on board with agile, DevOps, CI/CD etc.

They have a testing / QA team.

They have a BI/Data team and that team is starting to adopt some pretty modern Microsoft data tech - Azure Fabric (SQL Server Synapse, PowerBI, AI/ML etc.).

The team has a relatively flat structure but there are leads that will be the direct reports to the new manager.

Total team size including perm, direct and indirect contractors +/- 30 people.

There is a lack of overall enterprise architecture, no such role exits, so the new mini CIO needs to have that capability.

There are strong personalities in the team and some are older, so a mature person, experienced in mid size team leadership is needed.