Principal Specialist: Software Engineer

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 role carries responsibility for defining, governing, and continuously improving software engineering processes, technologies, and standards across the broader delivery organisation. It provides expert leadership in software development practices, frameworks, and emerging industry trends, translating these into long term strategies and transformation roadmaps. The role defines the engineering blueprint and drives consolidation and standardisation to improve efficiency and reduce engineering costs, working closely with domain leads, solution architects, and software architects. There is strong collaboration with Enterprise Architecture and other engineering leaders is required to uplift overall engineering maturity. A key focus is ensuring the scalability and future readiness of Vodacom’s digital platforms across mobile and web technologies. The role also ensures adherence to agreed architectures, strategies, and frameworks, while overseeing the delivery of stable, high performing applications using agile and DevSecOps methodologies.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the Software Engineering practices and defining the standards and guardrails for software Engineering across the delivery organisation.
• Organising interactions between different software factories in Vodacom-SA to nurture best practice and encourage knowledge- & tool-sharing.
• Act as supporting leader, aiming at maturing the organisation readiness, vs. controlling the work
• Driving consolidation and harmonization of best-practices on DevSecOps and
• Quality Assurance methodologies and practices to ensure standardisation across all delivery factories
• Implementing standardised, shared and locally managed CI/CD, platform automation (IaaC) capabilities to drive speed of delivery across software factories.
• Acts as a mentor for all senior software engineers and software architects, helping them grow in expertise and experience in application technologies to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to execute in delivery squads across any domain.
• Actively promote the internal opensource model.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Matric is essential
• 3 Years Degree/Diploma in Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field is essential
• At least 8+ years relevant experience of which a minimum of three years is in programming and/or systems engineering in large, complex organisations.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

• Experience working with agile methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, XP, LSD, and FDD
• Experience working with multiple programming and markup languages, such as Python, PHP, JavaScript, Java, SQL, XML, JSON, YAML and paradigms such as object-oriented-, event-driven-, procedural-, functional-, and declarative programming.
• Experience with implementing technologies and managing teams who deliver Infrastructure as Code (IaaC) capabilities, such as Terraform, Bash, Ansible, Puppet
• Experience with implementing technologies and managing teams who build and maintain QA automation frameworks for Mobile and Web application and microservices deployments
• Experience working in large, complex organisations with multiple delivery teams with multiple server, software, and hardware platforms and cloud-native environments
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles
• Professional experience and knowledge of the Telecommunications industry preferred
• Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) preferred
• Competency in UX principles and practices preferred

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: 23 March 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.