Chief Technology & Digital Information Officer at South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)

Job Advert Summary    

Purpose Statement

• The Chief Digital Technology and Information Officer (CTDIO) is a C-Suite executive accountable for defining and executing the SABS enterprise digital vision and enabling the organisation’s transition from a legacy, system-centric environment to a digitally mature, integrated, data-driven and customer-centric enterprise by 2028.
• The role leads organisation-wide digital transformation and technology-enabled change by embedding a business optimisation culture and driving the execution of strategic digital transformation initiatives.
• The CTDIO provides executive leadership and strategic oversight of digital, data, technology, and knowledge assets across the organisation, ensuring that ICT services, systems, and digital information are governed, secure, reliable, compliant, and leveraged as strategic enablers of value creation, service excellence, regulatory effectiveness, and long-term operational sustainability.

Minimum Requirements    

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Information Technology or Technology or Computer Science is essential.
• Master’s degree in Information Technology or Technology or Computer Science is essential.
• NQF Level 9

Experience

• 15 years of experience in leading digital transformation or technology-enabled change within complex organisations
• 10 years proven track record of delivering enterprise-level digital projects and managing multi-disciplinary teams
• 10 years experience in business optimisation culture & digital transformation projects
• 10 years’ senior management experience
• 10 years in a senior management or executive leadership role
• Experience in strategic planning and execution. Knowledge of business processes, budgeting, and business administration
• Strong change management skills to drive organisational culture shift toward digital-first mindset
• Proven track record in managing ICT operations at an executive level.
• Proven experience in:
• Enterprise ICT governance and compliance
• Oversight of complex ICT environments and systems
• Managing significant budgets and vendor portfolios
• Operating in a regulated, public sector, or SOE environment

Duties and Responsibilities    

Strategic Management

• Provide enterprise-wide leadership in digital transformation and technology-enabled change, positioning digital and ICT as strategic enablers of organisational performance and service delivery.
• Define and drive a business optimisation culture through the identification, prioritisation, and execution of digital transformation initiatives that deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for information technology, digital information, and knowledge management across the organisation.
• Develop, maintain, and govern a long-term (3–5 year) enterprise digital and ICT roadmap with clear milestones, success measures, and maturity targets aligned to the Corporate Plan and the 2028 digital maturity ambition.
• Act as the principal strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Committee on digital transformation, ICT strategy, digital information governance, and related risk and compliance matters.
• Ensure that digital, ICT, and information considerations are fully integrated into corporate strategy formulation, business planning, investment prioritisation, and executive decision-making processes.
• Define and enforce enterprise-wide digital, ICT, and information governance principles, standards, architectures, and priorities to guide investment, risk management, and decision-making.
• Ensure that ICT capabilities, platforms, and information assets are fit for purpose, future-ready, and aligned to support core regulatory, operational, analytical, and reporting requirements.

Risk and Compliance Management

• Establish and maintain enterprise ICT and digital information governance frameworks aligned with King V, PFMA, and public sector standards.
• Ensure effective segregation of duties, accountability, and decision-making across the ICT environment.
• Provide executive oversight of ICT risks, including cybersecurity, system resilience, data integrity, and third-party risk.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies, and standards, including POPIA and cybersecurity requirements.
• Provide assurance on ICT and information governance to the Audit & Risk Committee and Board.

Financial Management

• Develop and provide executive oversight of the ICT and digital information budget in accordance with PFMA requirements, National Treasury regulations, and public-sector financial controls.
• Govern the digital and ICT investment portfolio to ensure prioritisation, affordability, and alignment with organisational strategy and transformation objectives.
• Ensure value for money in all ICT and digital information investments, sourcing decisions, and procurement activities, including rigorous cost-benefit and benefits realisation considerations.
• Shift ICT expenditure from reactive operational spend toward strategic enablement, modernisation, and transformation initiatives.
• Approve major ICT and digital contracts, investments, and resource allocations within delegated authority, ensuring transparency, competitiveness, and compliance.
• Monitor financial performance of digital and ICT initiatives, ensuring expenditure control, early identification of financial risks, and corrective action where required.
• Ensure effective vendor and contract financial management to optimise commercial outcomes and manage long-term cost exposure

People Management

• Lead, develop, and inspire the ICT and digital information function to ensure sustainable capability, high performance, and continuity of critical skills.
• Establish and maintain an organisational structure that enables effective delivery, clear accountability, leadership depth, and succession planning across digital and ICT disciplines.
• Build and lead a high-performing digital and ICT leadership team, fostering collaboration, accountability, ethical conduct, and service excellence.
• Drive organisation-wide digital capability development, skills upliftment, and change adoption in support of a digital-first and business optimisation culture.
• Define, implement, and monitor enterprise-level digital, ICT, and information performance indicators aligned to organisational outcomes and strategic objectives.
• Provide high-level performance, risk, and compliance reporting on digital and ICT matters to the CEO, Executive Committee, and the Board.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary executive interface with the Board, Board Committees, regulators, auditors, shareholder representatives, and relevant government stakeholders on digital, data, and ICT matters.
• Provide clear, credible, and timely executive-level engagement and assurance on digital transformation progress, ICT performance, risks, and compliance.
• Engage the Executive Committee and senior management to align digital, ICT, and information priorities with organisational strategy, service delivery objectives, and business outcomes.
• Facilitate informed executive and Board decision-making through transparent reporting, insights, and recommendations on digital and ICT initiatives.