Executive Specialist: Digital and Innovation at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• To lead and drive the exploration, evaluation, and integration of emerging digital channels and technologies within the bank’s digital ecosystem.
• The role ensures alignment with core banking systems while defining and executing a forward-looking strategy for digital channels.
• The specialist will uphold the highest quality standards, foster innovation, and enforce robust governance frameworks across all digital touchpoints.

Job Description

KEY FOCUS AREAS

• Lead the channel strategy development and technical transformation roadmaps for emerging channels
• Explore the practical usage of emerging channels and create the foundational roadmap to operationalize
• Represent digital in the future fit technology and core banking transformation
• Develop and execute quality and channel governance standards
• Measured benefits through innovation
• Manage the risk governance and compliance standards of the channel
• Industry wide and internal stakeholder management

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategy Formulation and Execution

• Lead the formulation and execution of a forward-looking digital channel strategy aligned with business goals.
• Assess and recommend emerging channels (e.g., conversational banking, embedded finance, digital wallets, IoT banking interfaces).
• Identify opportunities to integrate new channels into the core banking platform..
• Translate long-term strategic objectives into aligned business plans, execution roadmaps and key milestone measurements for the business area.
• Cascade strategic goals and ensure alignment between business unit vision and functional implementation priorities, setting clear short, medium, and long-term milestones.
• Develop effective partnerships to enable business performance and contribute to sector- wide influence aligned with strategic initiatives.
• Respond to emerging policy and regulatory trends by adapting operational strategy and ensuring compliance alignment.
• Coordinate business enablement efforts for the Retail Bank, ensuring delivery capability across systems, processes, and teams.
• Track execution progress against key strategic initiatives and intervene to correct course where needed.
• Support transformation initiatives through structured programme delivery and change management practices.
• Provide expert advice and support in operating model, strategy and value chain formulation and delivery alignment.
• Identify practices and technologies that provide competitive advantage and enable knowledge sharing and integration of practice areas.
• Undertake analysis of management and specialist information and guide reporting tool implementation to improve decision-making quality.

Emerging channel innovation and customer

• Monitor fintech trends, market developments, and emerging tech (e.g., AI, Web3, AR/VR) relevant to customer interaction channels.
• Pilot and test new technologies or platforms in collaboration with internal innovation teams and external vendors.
• Evaluate the commercial, technical, and operational viability of emerging channels.
• Interpret market and customer insights to inform operational plans and prioritise capability investments.
• Utilise customer data to improve processes and propositions, ensuring measurable customer value delivery.
• Instil customer-centric decision-making in teams, balancing experience, and efficiency targets.
• Implement initiatives that improve customer engagement and retention through operational enhancements.
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives to deliver consistent customer journeys and service quality.
• Represent the voice of the customer within leadership forums to influence service delivery priorities.
• Plan and deliver services that create a culture which aims to exceed customer expectations in all aspects of the business.
• Provide expertise in designing integrated frameworks to embed service excellence.

Core Banking Integration

• Ensure digital channels are seamlessly integrated with the core banking infrastructure.
• Work closely with IT and architecture teams to ensure scalability, performance, and compliance in integration efforts.

Quality & Standards

• Define and enforce digital experience standards across all channels (UX, accessibility, speed, uptime, security).
• Ensure rigorous testing, monitoring, and performance management processes are in place.

Governance & Risk

• Establish and maintain governance frameworks for digital channels, ensuring alignment with regulatory, cybersecurity, and data privacy standards.
• Maintain documentation, KPIs, and audit trails for all digital initiatives.

Sustainable Growth

• Develop business area growth plans aligned to segment and enterprise priorities.
• Work with business partners to define and execute on growth strategies and operational initiatives.
• Mobilise functional teams to deliver growth targets and embed performance accountability.
• Monitor growth delivery, resolving barriers and reinforcing strategic objectives at operational levels.
• Evaluate financial and customer returns on initiatives to ensure alignment with business viability.
• Formulate and develop multi-function operating frameworks that contribute to sustainable growth.

Client-Driven Innovation and Change

• Drive enterprise-wide change management to promote digital culture and build digital capability.
• Monitor competitive landscape and identify opportunities to improve products, services, or operations.Drive continuous improvement and innovation within the team to enhance customer outcomes.
• Shape client experience initiatives through project ownership and delivery responsibility.
• Lead operational change, ensuring readiness, engagement, and measured impact across delivery teams.
• Influence and communicate across all levels of the business to minimise resistance to change and ensure onboarding of target audiences.
• Scan the external environment to investigate alternative delivery models and offer innovative advice for competitive advantage.
• Drive change management activities across a single value chain for optimal adoption of change.

Leading Talent

• Embed people processes and values into business routines, reinforcing a strong leadership culture.
• Develop workforce capabilities to meet business plan execution requirements and future readiness.
• Create inclusive team environments that support performance, wellbeing, and growth.
• Address escalated people issues and ensure application of performance and development processes.
• Develop future leaders through mentorship, stretch assignments, and tailored development experiences.
• Provide expertise and advice in the development and implementation of human capability and accountability frameworks across functions.
• Direct the development and implementation of human capability strategies to support people management priorities.

Operational Effectiveness

• Operationalise strategic goals into functional plans with clear deliverables, timelines, scorecards with team and individual KPIs to enable effective tracking of business and individual performance.
• Set appropriate financial and other resourcing plans to enable business performance, tracking against budgets and investments for both current and long-term strategic goals.
• Ensure integration across business units by resolving operational friction and dependencies.
• Represent the business area in operational forums and with delivery partners.
• Leverage data insights to improve operational effectiveness and customer outcomes.
• Continuously improve processes for agility, quality, and alignment with customer needs and digital tools.
• Identify problems and formulate alternate solutions to resolve value chain conflicts.
• Provide expert advice on operating model, strategy, value chain formulation, and business controls/governance frameworks.

Stakeholder Management

• Manage relationships with key stakeholders at industry and internally to support aligned delivery and issue resolution.
• Ensure stakeholder expectations are managed, and engagement is consistent with transformation priorities.

Key Competencies & Skills:

• Strong understanding of digital banking ecosystems, emerging technologies, and customer experience trends.
• Proven experience in core banking integration and omnichannel platforms.
• Familiarity with digital product lifecycle, agile delivery, and innovation frameworks.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience in regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, and data governance.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education/Qualification:

• Technical qualification certified coder, full stack or other digital discipline.
• A tertiary NQF8 Technical, Computer Science or Engineering would be an advantage but not essential

Work Experience:

• 12-15 years’ experience in a specific capability of importance to the bank, including a track record of 5 years in a people management position in a large enterprise.
• Proven record of taking a digital product to market
• Proven innovation track record. Must be able to demonstrate
• Strong digital technical excellence in any of the Digital disciplines, Material design, technical development (coding) or product management
• Experience must include developing integrated customer-centric product or service solutions or corporate practice development while working with and managing stakeholders across business and/or functional areas and budget management.
• Exposure to emerging digital channels, AI robotics, mobile first, Web3 etc
• Demonstrated success in design thinking, digital transformation, and innovation.

COMPETENCIES

• Leadership Competencies:
• Strategic technical thinking
• Technical acumen learning constant changing technical landscape
• Communication
• Influence
• Leadership
• Creativity and Innovation
• Delivering Results
• Adaptability
• Collaboration

Knowledge and Skills:

• Digital strategy and innovation management
• User Experience (UX) design and omnichannel thinking
• Emerging technology trends (AI, APIs, automation, mobile platforms)
• Commerce platform architecture and integration
• Agile and product development methodologies
• Change leadership and cultural transformation
• Data and analytics for digital performance

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences (Required)

End Date: July 30, 2025