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
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a senior executive responsible for overseeing the bank's information technology (IT) strategy, infrastructure, and operations. As technology evolves, the CIO plays a crucial role in ensuring the bank's technology systems are secure, efficient, and aligned with business goals. This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the financial services industry.
Job Description
Key Accountabilities:
Strategic
- Digital Transformation: Drive digital transformation initiatives to modernize banking processes and improve customer experiences. Within this context Develop the bank's/business units/functions overall technology roadmap aligned with its business goals. Collaborate with senior management on strategic planning to execute and deliver. Ensure that the architecture of the bank is fit for purpose, balancing cost, technical debt, and strategic enablement.
- Digital Adoption: Deliberately seek opportunities to digitise, automate and implement solutions for customer primacy, innovation, and operational effectiveness. Utilise resources and encourage the use of new technology (software products, apps, websites, etc.) to their fullest potential, and derive maximum value from a digital process or solution.
- Leadership and Talent Development: Lead and mentor a team of IT professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, achieving outperformance in outcomes and in Absas position as the home of top technology talent.
- Stakeholder Communication: Collaborate with other executives, board members, regulators, and external partners to communicate IT roadmap and progress.
- Value Management: Ensure that investments achieve the value commitment in terms of customer experience, cost efficiency and key financial metrics such as Run:Grow/Transform, Technology Intensity and Cost: Income Ratios
- Technology Innovation: Identify and leverage emerging technologies to enhance banking services and improve operational efficiency. Foster a culture of innovation and promoting a mindset of continuous improvement and agility.
- Data Value: Ensure that the bank has the processes of data governance, and controls for data privacy and is exploiting the value from the use of data.
- Security and Compliance: Ensure the bank's IT systems are secure, compliant with industry regulations, and protected against cyber threats. Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and data protection laws governing the banking sector.
- Infrastructure Management: Oversee the maintenance and modernization of the bank's IT infrastructure, including cloud/data centers, networks, and hardware. Manage and oversee all IT operations and systems, ensuring their efficiency, security, and reliability.
- Vendor Management: Manage relationships with technology vendors and third-party service providers and ensuring the bank has appropriate technological expertise and extract value from these relationships.
- Risk Management: Assess and mitigate technology-related risks that could impact the bank's/business lines/functions operations or reputation.
- Budget Management: Manage the IT budget effectively, allocating resources for maximum impact and efficiency.
- Business Continuity: Develop and maintain robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
- 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in IT leadership roles, with at least 5 years in a senior management position within the banking or financial services industry.
- Proven track record of successfully implementing IT strategies and projects in a banking context.
- Strong understanding of banking regulations, compliance, and security protocols.
- Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to lead a diverse team.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to align technology with business goals.
- Deep knowledge of IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
- Strong understanding of Agile frameworks, processes and standards to foster Agile mindset and practices.
- Strong financial acumen for budget management.
- Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Vendor management and negotiation skills.
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
