Group Chief Information Officer - Fintech
On-siteCenturion, Gauteng, South Africa
Job Summary
Define and execute the company's technology vision to enable secure, scalable, and compliant payment services within the South African fintech ecosystem. Architect scalable payment platforms supporting real-time payments, digital wallets, embedded finance, and open banking APIs while leading adoption of cloud-native infrastructure and artificial intelligence. Own the design and delivery of payment capabilities across multiple rails including instant payments, card processing, EFT, and QR, ensuring integration with the National Payment System and wider financial networks. Lead high-performing engineering teams responsible for payment processing, customer APIs, mobile applications, and DevOps, ensuring 24/7 system availability and robust disaster recovery capabilities. Drive enterprise cybersecurity frameworks, risk management strategies, and regulatory compliance with the SARB and POPIA. Oversee data strategy, fraud detection, and AI governance to support real-time analytics and credit scoring. Represent the company in industry forums to shape fintech policy and collaborate with regulators on innovation environments.
Required Qualifications
- Matric / Grade 12
- Executive-level education (MBA / MSc / equivalent experience)
- 15+ years' experience in a senior information technology position with at least 5 years at executive or enterprise scale
- 15+ years technology leadership experience
- 5+ years in fintech, banking, or payments
- Experience building large-scale transaction platforms
- Experience integrating with payment rails or financial networks
- Strong regulatory and risk awareness
- Microsoft Office Suite: To effectively utilise knowledge of the various MS Office product ranges (MS Outlook, MS Excel and MS Word)
- A valid driver's license
- Knowledge and understanding of ICT infrastructure management including disaster recovery planning
- payments architecture
- real-time processing
- distributed systems
- cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- APIs and microservices
- identity and authentication systems
- financial messaging standards
- national payment systems
- clearing and settlement processes
- real-time payment infrastructure
- payment scheme rules
- fintech regulatory landscape
- Strategic technology leadership
- Strong execution capability
- Industry ecosystem engagement
- Risk and compliance mindset
- Innovation leadership
- Talent development and engineering culture
Desired Qualifications
- Executive-level education (MBA / MSc / equivalent experience) will be an advantage
- Professional certifications (desirable, not mandatory): Cloud (AWS/Azure)
- Professional certifications (desirable, not mandatory): Security (CISSP)
- Professional certifications (desirable, not mandatory): Payments or risk-related credentials
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