Group Executive Head: Data & AI Technology

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Role Purpose/Business Unit:

• To lead the Vodacom Group Data and AI technology delivery strategy, data product delivery, platform evolution, technical delivery and shared operations across Vodacom Group markets, including M-Pesa.
• Having established the Group Data and AI platform capabilities over the past three years, the role now leads the next phase of evolution: using AI, automation and modern data engineering practices to accelerate delivery, improve operational effectiveness and scale reusable capabilities across African markets.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership for Data and AI initiatives that create incremental value across markets, including AI-enabled delivery acceleration, intelligent operations, platform evolution and the support of market-specific technology strategies aligned to Vodacom Group priorities.

Your responsibilities will include:

Data & AI Delivery Strategy & Roadmap

• Define a 3-year technical strategy and roadmap to ensure alignment with key business outcomes. Ensure technical designs are tightly aligned with the broader Technology strategy and associated golden rules.

Technology Delivery Centres of Excellence

• Evolution of the Data & AI Technology Delivery Center of Excellence covering People, Process and Technology through leveraging and negotiating Group deals with Group SCM to drive competitive pricing and cost structure with centralised COE delivery units to ensure faster time to market, reusability, and standardisation.

Data & AI engineering

• Own the prioritisation, delivery and lifecycle management of Data and AI use-cases and products through optimised delivery squads working in accordance with DevSecOps best practices. Ensure delivery decisions are aligned to Group priorities, market needs and measurable business value.
• Provide decision ownership for Data and AI product delivery choices, balancing strategic alignment, delivery feasibility, reusability, operational readiness and market value.
• Provide strategy support to markets across different deployment contexts, with execution support where appropriate, while ensuring consistent alignment to Group Data and AI principles and priorities.

Data & AI technology strategy

• Lead and shape the Data and AI technology strategy across functional domains including Commercial, Network, Cybersecurity, Energy Management, CVM and Loyalty, ensuring these domains consume reusable data, AI and intelligence capabilities rather than defining the role’s primary delivery focus.

Effective Shared Operations

• Steer the evolution of DataOps, SecOps, FinOps and AIOps practices to improve operational efficiency, resilience, platform security and cost transparency across shared Data and AI services.

Data Governance Technical Leadership

• Technical leadership in respect of the Vodafone Corporate Data Governance policy across all markets. Steer and guide data governance, data quality and related technology practices across market Data and AI environments

Strategic Data & Intelligence Evaluations

• Provide strategic steer, guidance and leadership on Data and AI technology choices, operating models and delivery approaches across Vodacom Group markets, with the level of support tailored to each market’s technology context and maturity.

CVM & Loyalty enablement

• Enable CVM and Loyalty business outcomes through shared Data and AI platforms, reusable intelligence capabilities and standardised technology patterns, while maintaining Data and AI as the core delivery mandate.

Efficient & Effective Financial management

• Group Data and AI budget planning, rollout execution, supplier management, contract compilation and monitoring. Define, implement and execute cost-efficiency programmes to ensure efficient and lean operation of the Data and AI technology delivery and operations capabilities.

Effective Leadership & HR management

• Build engaged, purpose-driven, motivated and high-performing Group Data and AI delivery and operations teams to evolve established capabilities, accelerate delivery through AI and automation, and support digital transformation across markets.
  Build effective and constructive relationships with key business stakeholders and markets leaders.

Governance, Compliance & Reporting

• Assure Data and AI technical solutions in adherence to Vodacom policies and frameworks, including cybersecurity, data privacy, regulatory, business continuity and enterprise risk management requirements.
• Executive status & progress reporting on Strategic Programmes tracked and monitored at Vodacom Group Steering Committees, Vodacom Product Boards, Group CIO Exco, Group CTO Technology Exco, etc.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Degree in Information Systems, BSc Computer Sciences, BSc Electrical Engineering (or similar tertiary qualification)
• 8 – 10 years management experience in a large-scale software technical delivery domain, preferably in the Data, AI and Business Intelligence domain.
• Solid understanding of cyber security, internal audit controls, practices and processes to ensure maximum quality and reduction of operational and business risks
• Experience in Data, AI, Business Intelligence and enabling CVM technical architecture, operation and delivery.
• Detailed knowledge of Data, AI, Business Intelligence and enabling CVM and Loyalty products and design methodologies.
• Detailed knowledge of Data, AI and Business Intelligence architectures, platforms and operating practices.
• Proven record of leading large scale software development factory teams.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

• People leadership and management of large teams, working in accordance with DevSecOps practices, aligned with Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®) methodologies.
• Management of large-scale complex technology evolution initiatives, specifically across Data, AI and Business Intelligence environments.
• Knowledge and proven implementation of SAFe® software development delivery practices.
• Data, AI and Business Intelligence ecosystem, tooling and product design, implementation and operational experience across varied enterprise technology environments.
• Management of technical operations in large-scale data and analytics environments, including alignment of operations to DevSecOps practices and principles.

Closing date for Applications: 12 August 2026

The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus.

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.
Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.