Executive Head: CVM and Artificial Intelligence Enablement

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Role purpose:

To deliver on the company strategic roadmap and technical capabilities in the CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI technical domain and lead the systems eco-system evolution, aligning with the Vodacom SA strategy. A key deliverable in setting the generative AI practice to unlock new efficiencies and capabilities including the establishment of the center of excellence that define and drives the strategy on best practices and standards for generative AI development and operations within the Vodacom South Africa.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Financial management – budget planning, budget rollout execution, supplier management, contract compilation & monitoring. Definition and implementation of ongoing cost efficiency programs, to ensure that the overall run costs in the environment reduce year on year. 

• Leadership & HR management – Define strategy-aligned goals, lead the digital evolution within the division, and the adoption of DevSecOps delivery practises, ensuring an engaged, purpose driven, and motivated team. Ensure optimised “software development” factory delivery squads, working in accordance with DevSecOps best practices. Ensure that there is a detailed upskilling and training plan, to ensure that all team members have the skills to perform their roles optimally. Build effective and constructive relationships with all of the key business stakeholders and leaders. 

• Application software delivery, rollout & operations – Ensure delivery of all defined business outcomes, uncompromised delivery on all deliverables agreed in the Product Increment (PI), delivery of robust and performant technical solutions. Ensuring robust technical operation of all implemented solutions and systems (on-premises and cloud). Lead the CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI eco-system evolution whether its on-premises or cloud-based or cloud-native solutions. Ensure alignment with the Vodacom and Vodafone Group Data and Intelligence strategy. Accelerate the generative AI use cases productionising. 

• Strategy formulation – Define a documented 3-year technical strategy for CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI systems environment, ensure alignment with key business outcomes, ensure all technical designs are tightly aligned with the Vodacom SA strategy and defined golden rules. Further to the technical strategy, a clear strategy around people and governance processes to be defined to ensure alignment with Vodacom SA Strategy and build a fit for the future organisation. 

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• Generative AI Practice:  Establish and setup the Generative AI/AI CoE for Vodacom South Africa then identify Generative AI/AI use cases aligned to business and product strategy, aligning with Vodacom SA and Group and recognizing common reusable patterns from different business units (BUs) and defining executing  the target architecture that will implementing a company-wide Generative AI/AI vision,  which includes platforms and workloads on the most appropriate combination of computing hardware and software. Enable the development and implementation of interoperable, scalable solutions throughout the organization. Establish and enforce best practices encompassing design, development, processes, and governance operations, thereby mitigating risks and making sure robust business, technical, and governance frameworks are consistently upheld. Provide guidance such as published guidance, best practices, lessons learned, and tutorials, and capabilities such as people skills, tools, technical solutions, and reusable templates. 

• Governance & compliance – Ensure that technical solutions are compliant to all documented Vodacom policies, with specific focus on Cyber Security and business continuity, on a day-to-day basis. Establish governance that enables Vodacom SA to scale value delivery from CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI initiatives while managing risk, compliance, and security. Ensure that the Division operates in accordance with the adopted Vodacom standards (e.g., AGILE, ISO).

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

Must have technical/professional qualifications: 

• Degree in Information Systems, BSc Computer Sciences, BSc Electrical Engineering (or related tertiary qualification)
• 10 -12 years of management experience, in a large-scale technical delivery domain, preferably in the CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI domain.
• Experience in CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI technical architecture, operation and delivery. 
• Detailed knowledge of CVM, Loyalty, Machine Learning, AI and Generative AI products and design methodologies. 
• Detailed knowledge of cloud-based/Cloud native and on premise environments and toolsets. 
• Proven record of leading large-scale software development factory teams.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

• People leadership and management of large teams, working in accordance with DevSecOps practices, aligned with SAFE methodologies.
• Management of large scale complex technical implementation, CVM, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Generative ai , Loyalty and Analytics environments, to public cloud-based technologies.
• Knowledge and proven implementation of SAFE software development delivery practises.
• CVM, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Generative ai , Loyalty and Analytics eco-system, tooling & products design and implementation, both on-premises, in cloud or cloud native
• Management of technical operations, in a large-scale on-premises and cloud-based CVM and analytics technical environment. This includes alignment of operations to DevSecOps principles and AI Driven operations.  

Closing date for Applications: 11 July 2024. 

The base location for this role is, Vodacom Midrand Campus.

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.
Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates and values diversity & inclusion.