Job Description

Who are we?
Sanlam Life and Savings (SLS) is focused on serving our retail and corporate clients in South Africa and further developing our strategic advantages in the South African market. Sanlam Life and Savings consists of the following business units Retail Mass, Corporate, Risk and Savings, Glacier and various business enabling functions. The Sanlam Life and Savings Office provides strategic direction, coordination and support to the four clusters, as well as performing governance oversight that includes assurance provided by second line of defense functions in SLS, to enable us to meet our business objectives.
What will you do?
Job Purpose:
The Chief Information Officer (BTSS), will be responsible for the effective delivery of the IT strategy, for the multiple businesses in the office of CTOO; these includes the SLS Medical Division, SLS: Reinsurance, SLS: Communication & The Design Hub, and Business Shared Services.
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) will lead the strategic modernization and transformation of technology across the Business Transformation and Shared Services centre, which supports customer service across multiple channels.
This role is pivotal in driving operational excellence, customer experience innovation, and digital transformation.
The CIO will report directly to the Chief Technology Officer of SLS, with a dotted line to the SLS Chief Operations Officer.
What will make you successful in this role?
Role Requirements:
Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field (Master's Degree preferred).
• Relevant certifications in IT Governance, Enterprise Architecture, or Digital Transformation (e.g., TOGAF, ITIL, Agile).

Experience:

• 10+ years in senior IT leadership roles, preferably in customer service or shared services environments.
• Proven track record in leading large-scale technology transformation initiatives.
• Experience in a federated environment working with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder environments and cross-functional teams.
• Strong understanding of CRM, telephony, and customer experience technologies.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics and the implementation thereof.
• Extensive experience working in an AGILE environment.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of Financial Services Industry
• Knowledge of Product Management and Product Ownership
• Business Management Principles
• Client Experience Management
• Data Analytics
• Technology for Outsourcing Business Model

Competencies:

• Strategic thinking and enterprise-wide perspective
• Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills
• Deep understanding of customer-centric service models
• Change management and transformation delivery
• Data-driven decision-making and analytical acumen
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities

Additional Information:

• Appointments will be made based on the company's transformation strategy.

Output/Core Tasks:
Run - Operational Excellence

• Ensure stability, performance, and security of BTSS and the Central Client Service Centre technology platforms.
• Manage and optimize legacy systems while preparing for modernization.
• Oversee IT service delivery across all customer engagement channels, including call centres, mail centres, walk-in centres, and digital channels.
• Lead and manage Agile Release Trains comprising cross-functional squads to ensure timely, high-quality delivery of technology solutions supporting customer service operations.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement ,agile excellence across squads, ensuring alignment with business priorities and service delivery goals.
• Drive cost efficiency and service reliability across all customer support and servicing functions.
• Business Continuity Planning and Management: Develop and maintain robust business continuity and disaster recovery plans to ensure uninterrupted service delivery across all BTSS operations.
• Governance and Risk Management: Establish and enforce IT governance frameworks, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, internal controls, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Data Quality Management: Implement data governance practices to ensure the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of customer and operational data across all BTSS systems.

Transform - Technology Modernization

• Lead the implementation and modernization of new platforms (e.g.: Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Telephony replacement, Artificial Intelligence, etc.) in line with the Service Model strategy.
• Modernize the service model to be customer experience-led, ensuring consistent, seamless engagement across all channels.
• Align BTSS and the Central Client Service Centre technology architecture with SLS and Group Technology strategies.

Grow - Strategic Enablement

• Enable data-driven insights to improve customer satisfaction, retention, and cross-sell opportunities.
• Foster innovation in customer engagement through AI, automation, and omnichannel capabilities.
• Build scalable platforms to support future growth and evolving service demands.
• Collaborate with business leaders to align technology with strategic business outcomes.

Knowledge and Skills
Strategic operations planning and implementation
Attraction of new and retention of current business
Stakeholder management
Competitor analysis of technologies and operational processes
Risk analysis and budget management
Build a successful career with us
We're all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future - your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters - Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office - the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.
Turnaround time
Closing Date: 9 October 2025
The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.
Our commitment to transformation
The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.

Skills Required