Lead Engineer: Business AI and Data Engineering

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together one story at a time. With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group. Job Summary A senior hands on engineering leader responsible for enabling and accelerating AI and data engineering delivery within PPB Technology by turning business AI intent into buildable requirements, extending from Group AI architecture where needed, and delivering shared engineering foundations and select AI for data engineering capabilities where PPB is accountable. Job Description Purpose To enable PPB Technology teams to design, build, and operate scalable, trusted data and AI solutions by: Translating business AI needs into engineering ready requirements Operationalising Group AI Architecture in a pragmatic, PPB specific way Building reusable data and AI engineering rails, standards, and reference implementations Directly delivering AI capabilities for data engineering where PPB Technology owns or is accountable for implementationThis role ensures PPB can move fast with AI and data without compromising reliability, governance, or operational integrity. Key Responsibilities Shape PPB business AI needs into engineering ready requirements that can be implemented across PPB Technology clusters. Extend, adapt, or replace Group AI architecture patterns where PPB specific nuances require it, while maintaining architectural intent, transparency, and appropriate controls. Design and build shared AI and data engineering solutions and reusable rails for PPB Technology clusters, reducing duplication and accelerating safe delivery. Directly deliver AI for Data Engineering capabilities where PPB Technology is responsible or accountable, transitioning outputs into shared platforms or services. Establish common data and AI engineering standards, quality gates, and reference implementations adopted by PPB clusters. Enable production grade AI through standardised patterns for model deployment, monitoring, lifecycle management, and operability. Ensure AI and data engineering solutions are secure, scalable, resilient, performant, and cost aware by design, aligned to platform, security, CI/CD, and cloud standards. Work hands on with PPB Technology clusters to embed solutions, uplift engineering capability, and ensure sustainable adoption, without creating long term dependency. 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 At Absa, our story is not a single narrative. It's thousands of individual journeys unfolding across Africa and beyond.From colleagues serving customers in local communities to teams shaping financial solutions across borders, Absa is built on people who bring their lived experiences, ambitions and perspectives into the workplace every day. Whether you're starting your career, a seasoned leader or somewhere in between, your contribution is seen, valued and connected to something bigger.Our presence across Africa - which spans personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management, and insurance - exists because of the people who show up in their roles with purpose. Across Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, our colleagues are shaping what Absa becomes in each market.Beyond the continent, teams in global offices and a technology hub support and extend the stories that prove that African talent can lead, influence and innovate on the global stage.At Absa, your story matters because progress is driven by human experience, not hierarchy. When people are enabled to bring their whole selves to work, they don't just build careers. They help shape the future of Africa's financial services landscape.