Software Development Team Lead : Middleware & Amp; Account Systems (Sandton) at Sun International

Job Purpose

• The Software Development Team Lead for Middleware & Account Systems leads a team responsible for building and maintaining the core backend services that power the iGaming platform.
• This includes player account management, wallet services, game content integration, and regulatory compliance systems. This role demands deep expertise in service-oriented architecture, databases, and secure, scalable system design, working closely with third-party suppliers, internal product teams, and compliance stakeholders to ensure robust and compliant platform operations.

Job Scope & Responsibilities

• Design and maintain scalable microservices for player accounts, wallets, session management, and game content integration.
• Ensure high availability and fault tolerance across services.
• Implement secure APIs and service contracts for internal and external consumers.
• Lead a team of backend engineers (typically 5–8), providing mentorship and technical direction.
• Conduct code reviews, architecture discussions, and promote engineering best practices.
• Support career development through regular feedback and goal setting.
• Manage integrations with game providers, payment gateways, KYC/AML services, and regulatory platforms.
• Ensure data consistency, error handling, and SLA adherence across external interfaces.
• Collaborate with vendor teams to troubleshoot and optimize integrations.
• Oversee database design, performance tuning, and data integrity for account-related systems.
• Ensure systems comply with regional regulations (e.g., GDPR, responsible gaming, anti-fraud).
• Work with compliance and legal teams to implement audit trails and reporting mechanisms.
• Own the delivery of backend features and platform enhancements.
• Drive sprint planning, backlog grooming, and release coordination
• Monitor system health, logs, and metrics to proactively address issues

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s in Computer science, Software Engineering, or related field required
• Master’s in Computer science, Software Engineering, or related field advantageous

Experience

• 8 years’ experience in frontend/mobile development, inclusive of 1–2 years in a leadership role
• Experience in iGaming, fintech, or other regulated industries
• Strong proficiency in languages like Java, C#, or Node.js, and frameworks like Spring Boot or .NET Core.
• Deep understanding of relational and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB).
• Experience with RESTful APIs, message queues (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ), and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)

Behavioural Competencies

• Problem-solving & Decision Making
• Managing Customer & Stakeholder relationships
• Applying expertise and technology
• Collaboration & Communication
• Agile & Adaptable
• Customer-centric Orientation
• Execution & Delivery Focus
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• People Management

Technical Competencies

• Knowledge & Application: Backend Languages & Frameworks
• Knowledge & Application: Microservices & Distributed Systems
• Knowledge & Application: API Design & Integration
• Knowledge & Application: Database & Storage
• Knowledge & Application: Cloud & Infrastructure
• Knowledge & Application: iGaming- Specific Integrations
• Familiarity with ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, or similar compliance frameworks
• Knowledge of event-driven architecture and distributed systems
• Exposure to observability tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack)