Our client, one of Africa’s leading digital payments and commerce company’s, are looking for a Regional Head of Technology & Operations To drive the East Africa’s alignment of technology and operational functions to deliver seamless and innovative solutions, overseeing the development, implementation, and management of technology initiatives and operational processes that optimise efficiency, support business growth, and enhance customer experience in the competitive Fintech landscape.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute an Operations & Technology strategy and tactical technology plans for East Africa, which drives technological innovation and supports the expansion of Fintech offerings in East Africa.
• Ensure that the holistic strategy encompasses Engineering (Application development and Switch), Infrastructure, and Production support to offer cohesive Fintech solutions for East Africa.
• Align the Operations and Technology strategy with both the overall regional strategy and the Group’s global vision and goals, ensuring that local nuances are effectively addressed while maintaining overarching consistency.
• Monitor operational metrics, analyse data, and implement strategies to enhance operational performance, quality, and scalability.
• Establish a responsive and proactive production support mechanism that addresses both product operations and customer configuration needs effectively.
• Ensure that the technology infrastructure is robust, scalable, and secure, aligning with the Region’s growth plans and product offerings and regulatory requirements
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify technology opportunities and advancements that can enhance operational processes and customer value.
• Ensure that the technology infrastructure and operational processes are scalable to support the rapid growth of Fintech services, while also driving cost efficiencies.
• Implement agile frameworks and methodologies in project management and engineering to ensure timely delivery and adaptability to changing market dynamics.
• Consider the environmental and socio-economic impact of technological deployments and operations, aiming for sustainable and responsible growth in the region.
• Prioritise initiatives that enhance the user experience, ensuring that technology and operational changes lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Proactively support the data maturity improvements across all East African functions – support the business and functional heads to make timely data- driven decisions for effective development and implementation of the approved strategy.
• Ensure alignment within the team around the company’s broader goals through regular alignment sessions and strategic discussions, encompassing both product enhancements and new product developments.
• Create a collaborative and motivating work environment that encourages innovation and professional development.
• To collaborate effectively with various departments, in country and regionally, to ensure seamless coordination and alignment of efforts towards achieving growth objectives in the Region.
• To lead organizational change initiatives, driving a culture of adaptability and agility.
• Effectively communicate strategic shifts, manage any resistance, and ensure that the entire team is aligned with the company’s vision and objectives.
• To provide strong leadership and direction to the IT Engineering, Infrastructure and Production support teams, fostering a high-performance culture, setting clear objectives, and empowering team members to excel in their roles.
• Oversee the engineering teams to implement and maintain business systems, ensure quality development, and manage the switch systems efficiently. Driving the engineering teams to align with the technology progress at the Group office.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of robust technology infrastructure, ensuring reliability, security, and scalability of systems and platforms.
• Prioritise the continuous learning and upskilling of engineering and infrastructure teams, ensuring they maintain alignment with the Group technical innovations.
• Drive the training of production support teams to ensure they can handle product operations and customer configurations efficiently and to troubleshoot issues effectively.
• Create a collaborative and motivating work environment that encourages innovation and professional development.
• To collaborate effectively with various departments, in country and regionally, to ensure seamless coordination and alignment of efforts towards achieving the groups growth objectives in the Region.
• Engage and collaborate with internal (Region and Group) and external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, technology vendors, and partners, to understand their requirements, challenges, and feedback to shape the Operations & Technology strategy and ensure exceptional customer satisfaction by delivering tailored Fintech solutions that address regional market demands.
• Manage relationships with infrastructure providers and ensure that services are aligned with the company’s technological needs and compliance standards.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors, assess new technologies, and make recommendations for technology investments that align with business objectives.
• Engage with third-party development and switch engineering firms, if necessary, to augment capabilities or to introduce niche technological innovations.
• Identify and evaluate potential operational and technological risks, creating mitigation strategies to ensure uninterrupted service delivery and business continuity.
• In collaboration with Risk Management and Compliance develop and implement Risk Management strategies related to technology and operational functions, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and cybersecurity standards.
• Ensure that the region’s infrastructure meets regulatory and security standards pertinent to Fintech in East Africa.
• Ensure engineering practices comply with regional and global standards, focusing on data security, transactional integrity, and system reliability.
• Oversee the planning, execution, and monitoring of technology and operational projects, ensuring they are delivered within scope, budget, and timeline.
• Ensure that project initiatives align with and advance the overall Operations and Technology strategy.

Behavioural Competencies

• Formulates a clear Operations & Technology strategy for the EA Region and maps the aggressive steps that will clearly accelerate the Region toward its strategic goals.
• Is the first to spot possible future Operations & Technology policies, practices, and trends in the Region, with the competition, and in the marketplace. Applies knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the Region’s goals. For example, ensures that the team understands and discusses relevant industry changes. Gives strong messages about how people’s efforts make a difference to the broader East Africa Region.
• Steers the Region toward Operational & Technological innovation, ensuring it stays at the forefront of Fintech developments. Tries multiple, varied approaches to innovative ideas and ensures the company’s product suite aligns with market needs and technological advancements.
• Sets stretch goals and objectives, pushing individuals or teams to perform at higher levels, by using a collaborative and inclusive leadership style that fosters teamwork, motivates employees, encourages cross-functional collaboration and values, encourages, and supports differences, leading to a high-performing and cohesive Regional Operations & Technology team.
• Ensures that technology strategies, infrastructure investments, and talent development initiatives are closely coordinated and harmonized with the headquarters in Nigeria. It involves adeptly bridging geographical and operational gaps, fostering seamless collaboration between teams across regions, and consistently aligning East Africa’s technological advancements with the overarching goals and standards set by the HQ.

Requirements:

Qualification and Skill

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Computer Science or related field from an accredited University.
• Masters in Finance/Operations/Technology or related fields or MBA would be preferred for higher level of understanding in business, operations/financial and technological aspects of the industry.
• At least 6 years’ experience in a C-suite or Senior Management role, preferably in a reputable Financial Institution or Fintech company, covering the aspects listed below:
• A solid understanding of the Fintech ecosystem, this can include experience in mobile banking, digital payments, blockchain, or any other Fintech innovation prevalent in East Africa.
• Demonstrated experience in software development, preferably within the Fintech sector
• Demonstrated experience in managing or overseeing switch technologies, especially in the payment or banking sector.
• Demonstrated experience in the East African financial market, understanding its unique challenges, opportunities, regulatory environment, customer

Managerial Experience

• Demonstrated experience of crafting and executing technology and operations strategies
• Demonstrated experience of managing vendor relationships, especially those relevant to the financial services industry.
• Demonstrated experience of overseeing budgets, ensuring cost-efficiency while not compromising on quality or innovation.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging with senior stakeholders, understanding business needs, and translating them into technological solutions.
• Strategic decision-making experience is critical for formulating strategies – Demonstrated experience of strategic decisions that have led to growth, innovation, and market expansion.