Principal Specialist: Technology Strategy

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Role Purpose/Business Unit:

• To develop, facilitate, and coordinate the long-term Technology Strategy for Vodacom Group and its African markets, ensuring alignment with business objectives, technology priorities, and growth ambitions.
• To provide Technology Strategy related support towards Vodafone, Vodacom Group CTO, Vodacom Senior Technology Leadership team and the Business as a whole, including Vodacom Group Strategy.
• To provide thought leadership to the Vodacom Group and Local Markets on technology research and relevant industry trend topics and provide technical insights and positioning that influences Vodacom’s technology priorities and long-term technology strategy.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Setting strategic technology direction in the Vodacom Group Technology environment through the localisation of the Technology Strategy across the technology domains within the local markets in alignment with the Vodafone Technology Strategy, Vodacom’s local market business strategies.
• To provide end-to-end thought leadership, strategic guidance and direction setting around critical technology long-term roadmaps and transformation programmes in the Vodacom Technology Group.
• Provide Vodacom Group CTO support with presentations (e.g. Annual Group Board Strategy Review presentation), reporting, and communications (internal and external stakeholders) as required by the Group CTO. Audience includes stakeholders such as Vodafone Group TLT and Vodacom Exco/ Board members, investors, business partners and the media.
• Research & analysis on new emerging technologies and industry standards as input to the Technology Strategy Vodafone’s and Vodacom’s positioning and adoption of new emerging technologies.
• Participate in the annual technology budget process in alignment with Commercial and Technology priorities.
• Identify key strategic initiatives that are at risk to achieve the Technology Strategy ambition.
• Responsible for monitoring the execution of the technology strategy across the markets, shared learnings and best practice sharing. Identify operational efficiencies through the strategy execution monitoring and participate in for example Technology Strategy Round table sessions held with the local markets.

• Execute and deliver on the Technology Strategy and Governance Reporting processes with extremely high-quality and to drive effective monitoring of the execution of the Technology Strategy across the local markets in the Africa region.
• Analysis and reporting of the information obtained e.g. statistics, from authenticated sources within Vodacom Group Technology (Group Networks, Group IT, Group Cyber Security and Group Shared Technology) as well as the local markets within the Africa region.
• Consolidating the information into standardised reporting frameworks / templates such as the annual Vodacom Group Board Report, Vodacom ARCC report for Group Technology.
• Ensure timely review, approval and submission of all reporting according to the reporting governance processes and the reporting calendar.
• To communicate effectively and maintain sound relationships at the relevant levels within the Company and all other Commercial teams within Vodacom and Local Market teams in accordance with agreed strategies with Line Management.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• M.Eng/M.Sc Eng. qualification is essential, higher qualifications will be advantageous.
• 8+ years of experience with technical depth in Network, IT and Cyber Security technologies.
• 4 years detailed presentation design and technical writing for CxO level.
• Demonstrated consulting experience with a leading global consulting firm.
• Strong research and analytical capabilities, thought leadership, attention to detail and commercial savvy.
• Excellent strategic thinking and knowledge of emerging technologies.
• Extremely strong communication & presentation design and technical writing skills.

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience:

In depth knowledge/experience of the Telecommunication Industry in the following domains:

• Mobile Telecommunications technologies, including Radio Access, Transmission and Core Network technologies knowledge.
• Fixed Telecommunications technologies, including Fixed Access (Fibre, Microwave, Fixed Wireless), Transmission and Core Network technologies.
• Enterprise technologies, including, SDN, Unified Communications, Internet of Things, Private Networks etc.
• Mobile bearer technologies as defined by 3GPP/IETF/GSMA.
• Telecommunications BSS knowledge including (but not limited to) CRM Systems, Charging and Billing Systems, BI Technologies and Integration Technologies.
• Digital Evolution technologies; 6G, 5G, Big Data, Cloud, Consumer & Enterprise, Platforms, AI (incl. AI Agents, Agentic AI etc.), Autonomous Networks, Satellite, Internet of Things, Fintech, Cyber Security, IT platforms etc.
• General knowledge of the Telecommunications industry environment / landscape (e.g. Regulatory, Government etc.) in order to provide thought leadership and scenario planning on strategic topics.
• Demonstrated consulting experience with a leading global consulting firm.
• Communications skills including interpersonal skills, excellent presentation skills, negotiation skills, relationship building ability, management reporting etcetera.
• Use of English language for professional technical writing to produce high quality presentations and documentation. papers that are of global industry standard.
• Presentation design skills to produce high quality, detailed presentations.
• Public speaking and thought-leadership communication.

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: 26 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.