HOD: IT Strategy, Architecture & Innovation

Join Us

At Vodafone, we’re not just shaping the future of connectivity for our customers – we’re shaping the future for everyone who joins our team. When you work with us, you’re part of a global mission to connect people, solve complex challenges, and create a sustainable and more inclusive world. If you want to grow your career whilst finding the perfect balance between work and life, Vodafone offers the opportunities to help you belong and make a real impact.

What you’ll do

Role purpose:
This position is responsible for the formation and execution of the technology strategy including budget planning & management and championing digital transformation initiatives in line with the overall strategy of the organization.

Key accountabilities and decision ownership
Technology Strategy and Innovation
•Define and evolve the enterprise technology strategy, ensuring strong alignment to business objectives, digital transformation goals, and long‑range planning.
•Translate technology innovation into clear business outcomes, including efficiency gains, revenue opportunities, resilience, and customer experience improvement.
•Ensure innovation initiatives align with enterprise architecture, security, regulatory, and ethical standards, embedding “secure and ethics by design” principles.
•Own the innovation and technology strategy roadmap, prioritising initiatives, managing investment trade offs, and reducing duplication across the technology landscape.

AI Strategy and Delivery
•Define and execute the enterprise AI strategy and roadmap, prioritizing high-value use cases that align with business objectives, customer experience, digital transformation, and approved investment plans.
•Establish robust AI governance, ensuring all AI solutions comply with enterprise architecture, data privacy, cybersecurity, regulatory, ethical, and responsible-AI requirements.
•Lead end-to-end AI delivery and value realization, overseeing pilots through to scaled deployment, tracking benefits such as efficiency, revenue, customer experience, and risk reduction, and continuously optimizing the portfolio.

Planning
•Responsible for Long Range Planning; tracking budget and signature programs to be adopted. This should be in-line with the organization’s short- and long-term strategy.
•Responsible for effective CAPEX and OPEX spend within the IT and Billing portfolio.
•Customer and Stakeholder management

People Management
•Develop internal innovation capabilities, skills, tools, and ways of working that foster a culture of experimentation, learning, and continuous improvement.
•Encourage and nurture people growth through upskilling and reskilling opportunities
•Performance Management

Who you are

Must have technical/professional qualifications:
•Bachelor’s degree Accounting or Engineering degree or with relevant background.
•Minimum of 3 years’ experience in similar environment
•Experience specific to GSM & Mobile Money products and services, how they are implemented and how they affect other network elements.
•Strong analytical skills and business acumen.
•Build and maintain relationship with key stakeholders in the value chain.
•Telecommunications experience would be advantageous.
•Project knowledge and experience would be advantageous.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience Knowledge
•Strategy formulation and execution
•Agile ways of working
•People Management
•Digital Transformation
•Change Management
•Stakeholder Management
•Enterprise Architecture
•Artificial Intelligence

Skills
•Strong leadership
•Good communication
•Excellent interpersonal
•High level negotiation
•Managerial and budgeting skills
•Strong analytical skills
•Excellent planning and organizing skills.
•Business acumen
•Conflict resolution skills

Not a perfect fit?

Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about empowering people and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to still apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another opportunity.

What's in it for you

Who we are

We are a leading international Telco, serving millions of customers. At Vodafone, we believe that connectivity is a force for good. If we use it for the things that really matter, it can improve people's lives and the world around us. Through our technology we empower people, connecting everyone regardless of who they are or where they live and we protect the planet, whilst helping our customers do the same.

Belonging at Vodafone isn't a concept; it's lived, breathed, and cultivated through everything we do. You'll be part of a global and diverse community, with many different minds, abilities, backgrounds and cultures. ;We're committed to increase diversity, ensure equal representation, and make Vodafone a place everyone feels safe, valued and included.

If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks in between online assessments, please refer to https://careers.vodafone.com/application-adjustments/ for guidance.

Together we can.