Head: AI, Data and Software Engineering

Job Advert Summary

Purpose of the Role: 

The Head: Enterprise Solutions and Data acts as the head of engineering/development and provides strategic, technical, and operational leadership for the organisation’s enterprise applications, custom software/application, and data capabilities. This role is accountable for contributing to and executing the strategy and delivery of enterprise solutions and data platforms that support the organisation’s long term objectives. 

Responsible for the engineering, delivery, and continuous optimisation of enterprise applications, integrations, and data, analytics, and business intelligence platforms. The role sets engineering direction across application development and data domains, ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, resilient, and aligned with best practice standards. the role drives the adoption of modern engineering practices, including AGILE, DevOps, and cloud native principles, and establishes governance, standards, and delivery models that enable high quality, predictable outcomes. 

Acting as a strategic partner to executive leadership and business stakeholders, the role ensures enterprise systems and data products enable efficient operations, digital transformation, and data driven decision making. This role also builds and leads a high performing national capability, overseeing senior leaders and managers, and is accountable for workforce planning, vendor management, risk and quality assurance, and sustainable support models. 

Duties and Responsibilities:  

Technical & Strategic Leadership 

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for enterprise applications, custom software, and data capabilities. 
• Partner with business and executive stakeholders to shape demand and ensure solutions align with organisational strategy and value. 
• Own system performance, operational stability, resilience, and delivery of meaningful business outcomes. 

System Support, Reliability & Operational Readiness 

• Manage and oversee application and platform support and maintenance to ensure availability and performance. 
• Define and implement support strategies, standards, and operating models, including incident and problem management. 
• Establish accountability for RTO/RPO, major incident outcomes, and readiness for critical events. 

Portfolio, Project & PMO Governance 

• Own and govern a multi-project portfolio in partnership with the PMO, ensuring delivery on time, within scope and budget. 
• Lead portfolio planning, prioritisation, resourcing, and investment decisions aligned to governance standards. 
• Provide consolidated portfolio visibility, risk oversight, and escalation to protect delivery outcomes and benefits realisation. 

Strategy Execution, Planning & Performance Control 

• Translate enterprise strategy into executable plans, schedules, and delivery commitments. 
• Monitor performance against strategic objectives, re-baseline plans as required, and drive corrective action. 
• Set performance targets, governance measures, and ensure accountability for results. 

Financial, Commercial & Vendor Management 

• Manage financial planning, forecasting, budgets, and expenditure with accountability for outcomes. 
• Govern contracts, SLAs, vendors, renewals, and commercial arrangements to optimise value and manage risk. 
• Drive cost efficiency, optimisation, and sustainable investment across platforms and services. 

Operational Excellence, Agile, DevOps & AI Enablement 

• Define and lead Agile and product delivery strategy, engineering standards, and operating models. 
• Lead the adoption of DevOps platforms, automation, AI, and emerging technologies to deliver defined capabilities and business outcomes. 
• Drive continuous improvement through optimisation, automation, engineering metrics, and quality practices. 

Compliance, Security, Risk & Change Management 

• Define security strategy and risk appetite; ensure compliance with regulatory, security, and organisational standards. 
• Implement controls, audits, remediation actions, and privileged access reviews. 
• Sponsor and govern major change initiatives, sequencing delivery to manage risk, capacity, and change fatigue. 

People, Capability, Structure & Culture 

• Define functions structure, role architecture, capacity and sourcing models aligned to strategy. 
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, succession, performance management, remuneration governance, and capability development. 
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, continuous improvement, and ethical leadership. 

Minimum Requirements for the job: 

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent NQF-7 qualification (Advanced Diploma or Bachelor of Technology) in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field. 
• A Master's degree is preferred. 

Experience: 

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in full stack enterprise application development and support including front-end, back-end, integration, database management, APIs and security.  
• At least 5 years’ experience in an enterprise application systems development leadership / management role.  
• Experience in enterprise application systems design and architecture.  
• Experience in leading multiple Systems Development / enhancement Projects simultaneously.  
• A strong track record of leading AGILE Systems Development and DevOps practices.  
• Experience in Moodle application development and support would be advantageous.  
• Experience in the Higher Education sector would be advantageous. 

Technical / Functional Competencies: 

• Proven experience leading the full software development lifecycle, including design, build, testing, and delivery of high-quality solutions. 
• Strong technical proficiency in Microsoft Dynamics365, Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS cloud platforms.  
• Proficiency in programming languages / technologies such as C#, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, jQuery, SQL, PHP, HTML, CSS, Angular, Terraform, Docker, Redis, MS SQL.  
• Understanding of Algorithms and Data structures and experience with version control systems (e.g. GIT).  
• Understanding of enterprise applications such as ERP, CRM, and HRM systems.   
• Leadership of AGILE and DevOps adoption at scale across multiple teams and portfolios 
• Strategic planning, roadmap ownership, and execution governance 
• Project management and AGILE methodologies  
• DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines  
• Vendor negotiation and management  
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder influence 
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management  
• Accountability for enterprise-wide SDLC, quality, resilience, and operational performance 
• Technical proficiency in the Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC) including debugging and testing methods.   
• Oversight of large delivery portfolios, risk management, and benefits realisation 

Behavioural Competencies 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and interact effectively with diverse stakeholders. 
• Action orientation   
• Strong leadership and team management skills   
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.  
• Collaborative relations and teamwork  
• Networking and Influencing   
• Analysing and problem solving   
• Innovation, adaptability and change   
• Planning and organising  
• Resilience and coping with pressure and setbacks  
• Commercial and entrepreneurial approach