Application Development Manager

My client based in Johannesburg is currently looking for an Application Development Manager to join their team on a permanent basis.

IT / FINANCE

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage cross-functional development squads and oversee delivery of software and digital initiatives.
• Conduct requirements-gathering workshops and translate business needs into technology solutions.
• Manage team performance, development plans, 1:1s, performance reviews and recruitment.
• Lead sprint and release planning, capacity planning, resource allocation and backlog prioritisation.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders and Product Owners to align priorities and delivery commitments.
• Remove delivery blockers, manage escalations and report on delivery metrics and quality.
• Manage third-party vendors and service delivery relationships.
• Act as the technical owner for a portfolio of applications.
• Establish and enforce technical standards, code review practices and Definition of Done.
• Govern Azure environments, including cost, security and compliance.
• Drive cloud migration towards Azure cloud-native architecture.
• Participate in architecture forums and approve technical and architectural decisions.
• Ensure CI/CD pipelines meet quality, security and release standards.
• Oversee manual and automated testing strategies.
• Manage audit, risk and compliance requirements, including POPIA and FAIS.
• Ensure security is embedded across technology solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement across development and operational practices.
• Support AI-assisted development initiatives, including GitHub Copilot and Azure AI services.
• Contribute to IT strategy and the organisation's digital transformation initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Com Informatics, B.Eng, B.Sc. Computer Science or equivalent qualification.
• Minimum 5+ years' software development experience.
• At least 2 years' experience in a technical leadership or management role.
• Overall career experience of approximately 7 years.
• Experience leading cross-functional technical teams, including Developers, Business Analysts, QA Engineers and Scrum Masters.
• Strong experience with Agile delivery methodologies and delivery tooling.
• Hands-on experience with source control, sprint tracking, CI/CD and automated build and release pipelines.
• Strong understanding of cloud-native architecture and modern software development practices.
• Working knowledge of C#/.NET, Azure Functions and Azure Service Bus.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure, including cloud governance, security, compliance and cost management.
• Experience with stakeholder management at both technical and executive/business levels.
• Financial services or other regulated-environment experience is advantageous.
• Experience with Azure DevOps Boards, Repositories and Pipelines is advantageous.

Competencies

• People Leadership & Team Management
• Technical Leadership
• Agile Delivery Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Stakeholder & Executive Communication
• Cloud & Azure Governance
• Software Development & Architecture
• CI/CD & DevOps
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Requirements Analysis
• Project & Resource Management
• Vendor & Relationship Management
• Risk, Audit & Compliance Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Change Management
• Business Acumen
• Innovation & AI Adoption
• Strong Analytical Skills
• Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills

If you are ready for the next exciting step in your career, and would like to apply, please send us your updated CV to review

Desired Skills

• Software Delivery Management
• VSTO
• Software Project
• Project Management Software Development