Job Description

Job Category: Product Development
:
Powering the world's payments ecosystem
ACI powers the payments ecosystem - globally, and you power ACI. You'll innovate, collaborate, and grow - in an energetic technology culture with decades of proven success. ACIers - in all roles and levels - are truly your colleagues and many are your friends. Our size and reach allow you to see the global impact of your work. You are visible, your talents are valued, and you are empowered to shape the future of payments.
As a Senior Manager, Software Engineering in Cape Town, South Africa you will join a diverse, passionate team, dedicated to powering the world's payments ecosystem!
The purpose of the Senior Manager, Software Engineering is:
Leading multiple cross-functional teams comprising software engineers, quality engineers, and/or DevOps engineers. This role is responsible for delivering high-quality, resilient, and customer-centric solutions aligned with business goals. The Senior Manager provides strategic direction, fosters a culture of innovation and accountability, and ensures alignment with organizational priorities including efficiency, customer engagement, and talent retention.
A typical day at ACI for a Senior Manager, Software Engineering is:
Leadership & Strategy

• Lead 2-3 engineering teams across software development, quality assurance, and DevOps functions.
• Set technical direction in collaboration with Product Management and Architecture.
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices including Shift Left, AI-first development, and Infrastructure as Code.
• Ensure alignment with corporate goals and contribute to strategic planning and budgeting.

Delivery & Execution

• Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of end-to-end solutions that meet customer needs.
• Drive accountability and predictability in project execution, mandate completion, and vulnerability remediation.
• Champion resilience and robustness to reduce customer-impacting incidents and improve uptime.

Customer Focus

• Foster direct engagement with internal and external customers to understand business requirements and improve solution relevance.
• Promote a culture of customer-centric development and testing in representative environments.

Talent Management

• Identify and grow top performers through career development, mentoring, and recognition.
• Actively manage underperformance and support team engagement to reduce attrition.
• Facilitate cross-team mentoring and collaboration.

Quality & Efficiency

• Promote early testing, automation, and test-driven development to reduce defect leakage.
• Ensure comprehensive end-to-end testing across product components and solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement in code quality, test coverage, and operational efficiency.

Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborate effectively across engineering, product management, other partner organizations, and vendors.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing, brown bag sessions, and cross-functional alignment.
• Communicate proactively and effectively with stakeholders to manage expectations and avoid surprises.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience needed to succeed in this role:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field or equivalent practical experience in software engineering or related disciplines.
• 8-10 years of experience in software development leadership, project management, or product management.
• Proven leadership experience managing multiple teams or functions.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Experience needed for this role:

• Experience in managing cross-functional teams including Engineering, DevOps and QA.
• Familiarity with modern development practices (CI/CD, TDD, IaC, AI tools).
• Demonstrated success in delivering complex solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Core Capabilities:
We seek colleagues who embody our core capabilities - these shape our culture and enable us to make a meaningful impact together:

• Ensure Accountability: holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Drives Results: consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Customer Focus: building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Cultivate Innovation: creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Collaborates: building partnerships and working collaboratively with others.
• Courage: stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in South Africa on a full-time basis. This position does not offer sponsorship for employment visa status or work permit now or in the future.
In return for your expertise, we offer opportunities for growth, career development, and a competitive compensation and benefits package-all within an innovative and collaborative work environment.
Are you ready to help us transform the payments ecosystem? To learn more about ACI Worldwide, visit our web site at
ACI Worldwide is an AA/EEO employer in the United States, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, and an EEO employer globally.
Important Notice About Recruitment Scams
Job seekers should be aware of ongoing recruitment scams where individuals or organizations impersonate legitimate companies to offer fake job opportunities. These scams often involve requests for personal information, payments, or interviews through unofficial channels. Please be cautious and verify any communications claiming to be from our company ( / @aciworldwide.com). The ACI Worldwide recruitment team will always follow official channels and will never request payment.
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