General Manager Information Technology

Job Description

• A commercial bank offering alternatives to conventional banking by operating on ethical investment principles, profit-loss sharing, and the strict prohibition of interest and financing for non-compliant industries, is seeking a General Manager Information who will lead and oversee the Bank's IT function, driving the execution of IT strategy, systems management, cybersecurity, risk governance, and operations to align with and support business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute IT strategies and roadmaps aligned with business goals, regulatory requirements, and emerging industry trends.
• Prioritize, resource, and oversee end-to-end delivery of Bank-approved IT projects, digital transformations, and technical initiatives.
• Establish and enforce IT governance frameworks, policies, and standards e.g., POPIA, FICA, PCI DSS, and SARB guidance notes.
• Proactively conduct risk assessments, vulnerability testing, and security audits; track and resolve all internal, external, and regulatory audit findings.
• Develop, maintain, and regularly test Business Continuity BCP and Disaster Recovery DR plans across all technical environments.
• Formulate and execute enterprise security strategies to safeguard sensitive banking data, systems, and networks.
• Oversee robust access controls, firewalls, encryption, SOC/SIEM vendor partnerships, and incident response mechanisms.
• Present cyber risk posture updates and recommendations to EXCO and Board committees.
• Ensure maximum uptime, reliability, performance, and scalability across data centers, cloud environments, networks, and core hardware.
• Direct day-to-day IT operations, service management ITSM, and end-user support to ensure optimal service delivery.
• Define and report on key operational metrics to continuously optimize departmental efficiency.
• Drive the implementation, integration, and continuous uptime of critical banking software Core Banking, Online/Mobile Banking, reporting tools.
• Partner with business units to optimize application workflows, enhancement backlogs, bug fixes, and user experience.
• Manage the IT operational and capital budgets, focusing on cost optimization and value delivery.
• Oversee IT procurement, asset tracking, software licensing compliance, and timely vendor payments.
• Manage key vendor relationships and contract SLAs to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Lead, coach, and develop the IT team, addressing skill gaps through targeted recruitment and continuous learning initiatives.
• Act as the primary IT partner to EXCO, Board Committees, and cross-functional business leaders.
• Perform additional strategic, regulatory, or operational duties as reasonably assigned by Executive Management.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Certifications: ITIL, PMP, CISSP, or CISM preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of overall IT experience, with at least 5 years in a senior IT leadership role.
• Financial services/banking industry experience is highly desirable.
• Proven track record of managing complex IT implementations and cloud environment experience.
• In-depth knowledge of core banking architectures, IT infrastructure, and cloud environments.
• Strong understanding of banking regulatory compliance, risk frameworks, and enterprise cybersecurity.