Head of IT: Sunbet (Sandton) at Sun International

Description

• The Head of IT is responsible for the leadership and delivery of SunBet's software strategy and the management of IT, software engineering and development team and functions. This role will drive the support, development, maintenance, and evolution of SunBet's gaming, betting, and customer engagement platforms and ecosystem (from wallets to databases), ensuring high-performance, scalable, and secure systems that meet both business and regulatory requirements.
• As a key technical leader, this role is accountable for software architecture, system integration, infrastructure design, and engineering execution. The Head of IT will work cross-functionally across teams, ensuring alignment between business objectives and technology execution, while leading a team of skilled engineers and developers.

Requirements

Qualifications

• BSc / BEng / BTech in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.

Experience

• 15-18 years experience in system development and management including at least 5 years experience in online gaming (or like high transaction industry)
• Sound knowledge and understanding of gaming or high volume transactional systems, business operations and processes 
• Experience in managing professional teams.

Skills & Knowledge

• Analytical Thinking & Problem-Solving
• Strategic thinking & conceptualisation
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• Resilience & Crisis Management
• Collaboration & Cross-Team Communication
• Integration (Connecting, Consulting, Managing Conflict)
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Influencing
• Peopleleadership
• Expert level software engineering and development in:
• Java
• C#
• Phython
• Node.js
• SQL / Posgress / SQL Server
• Technical writing
• Software design and architecture
• Proficiency with infrastructure architecture and design
• Familiarity with Web, Mobile and App technologies
• Familiarity with UX/UI
• Agile project management skills
• Understanding of large volume real time environments and IT requirements
• Proficiency with Database design and big data
• Strong understanding of data governance, privacy and system security

Key Performance Areas

Software Engineering & Development Leadership

• Oversee end-to-end software development processes and roadmap, ensuring high-quality, maintainable, and scalable software solutions.
• Define software development best practices, coding standards, and engineering methodologies, ensuring adherence to industry standards.
• Drive architectural decisions that optimise performance, availability, and security of SunBet’s platforms.
• Ensure real-time, high-volume transactional platforms operate at peak efficiency, with minimal latency and downtime.
• Lead the adoption of microservices, containerisation, and cloud-based architectures.
• Guide and enforce clean coding principles, effective version control, and CI/CD pipelines.

Infrastructure & System Architecture

• Oversee software and infrastructure architecture, ensuring resilient, redundant, and scalable technical environments.
• Drive cloud architecture strategy, with a focus on AWS/Azure/GCP for optimal performance and security.
• Ensure high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) strategies are in place for all critical systems.
• Implement observability and monitoring solutions (APM, logging, alerting) to proactively identify and mitigate risks.

Database & Big Data Management

• Oversee database design and administration across SQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
• Implement data architecture strategies that support real-time analytics and reporting.
• Ensure data integrity, performance tuning, and query optimisation for high-volume systems.
• Lead initiatives in collaboration with Analytics teams on big data solutions, data lakes, and warehouse strategies for enhanced business intelligence.

Cybersecurity & Data Governance

• Ensure platform security, encryption, and compliance with POPIA,
• Implement best practices in identity and access management (IAM), role-based access control (RBAC), and threat monitoring.
• Ensure Security and Compliance to mitigate cyber risks, penetration testing, and vulnerability management and collaborate with group stake holders
• Maintain regulatory audit compliance with provincial Gaming Boards.

Agile & DevOps Implementation

• Champion Agile, Scrum, and DevOps practices, ensuring rapid software delivery and continuous integration.
• Lead CI/CD pipeline development, with automated testing and release strategies.
• Ensure DevSecOps principles are integrated across the development lifecycle.
• Oversee cloud infrastructure automation using Terraform, Kubernetes, and Docker.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration & Business Integration

• Align software development initiatives with business strategy, ensuring technology drives business objectives.
• Partner with Product, UX/UI, and Marketing teams to enhance customer experience and improve platform engagement.
• Work closely with operations teams to optimise backend performance, uptime, and reliability.
• Collaborate with external vendors and third-party integrations, ensuring seamless API connectivity and service performance.

People & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing IT team, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
• Drive talent development, training, and upskilling in modern software engineering methodologies.
• Establish and review clear KPIs, performance metrics, and team goals.
• Ensure team alignment with business objectives, fostering a collaborative working environment.