Principal Specialist: Continuous Improve

Job Description

When it comes to putting people first, we're number 1.

The number 1 Top Employer in South Africa.
Certified by the Top Employer Institute 2026.

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

The Principal Specialist: Continuous Improvement is accountable for leading and managing a team of CI Specialists to deliver measurable business benefits through optimised customer journeys, business processes, and service performance. This role ensures structured demand intake, prioritisation, and the disciplined delivery of improvement initiatives using CI frameworks and service design thinking. The Principal Specialist drives people performance, capability development, and resource planning, while ensuring that all CI activity aligns with business needs and strategic priorities. By partnering with cross-functional teams, including product, operations, and technology, the role shapes and enhances end-to-end business processes and user experiences, with a focus on value, feasibility, and sustainable impact.

Your responsibilities will include:

People Management and Capability Building

• Set clear goals linked to CI KPIs and hold team members accountable through regular 1:1s and delivery reviews.
• Assign work based on team skills and capacity to ensure quality and reliable delivery.
• Coach CI Specialists in CI methodologies and best practice ways of working through feedback, mentoring, and peer reviews to strengthen delivery and influence.
• Review key deliverables at each stage and step in early to address risks or underperformance.
• Build and track a CI capability path and invest in training that leads to real results.
• Lead by example, setting high standards and building trust through professional, consistent delivery.

Continuous Improvement (CI)

• Facilitate CI workshops
• Provides expertise and coaching in CI framework, tools and methodologies to ensure the correct and efficient application of CI methodologies and tools
• Develops and delivers training across the business
• Provides CI training to relevant leadership and business resources
• Actively researches new methodologies and builds onto the CI office methodology repository
• Supports the development and ongoing relevance of Vodacom South Africa’s CI framework

Programme Management

• Programme manages CI office initiatives, ensuring that initiative leads are standardized in their approach
• Works with other Vodacom departments to ensure that the CI office is using standardized Vodacom best practices
• Manages strategic prioritisation of initiative pipeline
• Ensures efficient end-to-end implementations of approved initiatives aligned to the CI office mandate
• Collaborates with all relevant internal and external parties to develop and implement solutions
• Keeps all stakeholders updated by conducting progress meetings (performance against KPIs) and reporting

• Ensures sound inter-group relationships by ensuring timeous response to requests, information and requirements
• First line of conflict resolution outside of individual initiatives

Leadership

• Responsible for the delivery of the Continuous Improvement office KPIs
• Builds effective professional relationships (both for him/herself and the team) and establishes the team’s credibility with business partners
• Engages with EXCO and MEs to obtain commitment and buy-in to the strategically important improvement initiatives and to second the required business resources to the project
• Manages expectations (of team and stakeholder/customers alike) and keeps commitments or promises
• Proactively supports stakeholders, and the Executive in identifying and prioritizing improvement opportunities
• Identifies relevant training requirements for Continuous Improvement Office resources and the wider Vodacom South Africa business resources
• Responsible for identifying growth opportunities within the CI team and obtaining budget approval
• Responsible for working with the leadership to develop/amend CI office KPIs and mandate
• Manages effective knowledge management within the CI office

Change Management

• Drives the shift in culture within Vodacom South Africa to embed CI as a way of working
• Supports the Initiative Leads in managing the interface between initiative stakeholders and business areas to secure the delivery of initiative outcomes and the realisation of benefits whilst maintaining BAU
• Supports the Initiative Leads in the transition to new processes/technology with the operational teams
• Supports individual initiative communication plans
• Explores different communications mediums to maintain stakeholder interest and buy-in
• Assess the skill level of the participants prior to scheduling workshops
• Ensures change interventions are aligned to BU requirements and prepares the BU for the change
• Ensures support functions are on board and aware of any initiatives

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Matric - essential
• Bachelors degree - essential (preferred in Engineering)
• Post graduate qualification in related field (Preferred)
• Continuous Improvement related qualification - essential (Preferrably in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt/ Black Belt)

One of the following:

• eTOM certified (Desirable)
• Change Management or related Human Behaviour Qualification (Desirable)
• Certificate in Project Management (Desirable)

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience:

• Strong analytical, research and forecasting skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally in order to achieve desired results
• Strong presentation skills
• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Customer focus with regards to understanding the service being delivered
• 8 -10 years’ working experience in:
  • Change management
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Problem solving
  • Stakeholder management
  • Proven business analysis skills
  • Leading and supervisory skills
  • Persuading and influencing
  • Planning and organising
  • Presenting and communicating information
  • Relating and networking
  • Writing and reporting
  • Formulating strategies and concepts
  • 5 year Leadership/ Managerial experience – given leadership skills required

We make an impact by offering:

• Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
• Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
• Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

Closing date for Applications: 18 February 2026

The base location for this role is Midrand and Cape Town

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.