Head of Business Technologies

About the Company

Shoprite is a leading retail company dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and high-quality products. Our mission is to enhance the shopping experience for our customers while maintaining a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability.

About the Role

As The Head of Business Technologies, you will lead the Business Technology efforts across the division. Your role will be pivotal in driving digital transformation initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and customer experience through the Shoprite IT landscape.

You will possess a deep understanding of People Solutions, Finance Solutions and Workforce Management Solutions, both in the context of retail and broader technology trends, and will be instrumental in defining the strategy, governance, and roadmap for our landscape.

This role will be responsible for leading and overseeing the strategic delivery and operational support of the Business Technology systems and solutions.

Your role will be to ensure that the business is empowered with robust, efficient, and scalable & evolving technologies that drive business value and improve process efficiencies. As The Head of Business Technologies, you will be leading a multidisciplinary team focused on both SAP and non-SAP technologies, delivering a seamless integration of technology solutions and skills to support the business objectives of Finance, People and Workforce Management functions within the organisation.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor and manage delivery managers responsible for the People Technologies, Finance Technologies and Workforce Management Technologies.
• Provide strategic direction for technology solutions across these business units, aligning technology roadmaps with the broader business strategy.
• Collaborate with senior business leaders to understand their evolving needs and ensure Technology solutions remain relevant, innovative, and value driven.
• Lead, manage, and develop a team of IT professionals specialising in SAP, non-SAP to support the Business technology areas.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team, promoting high performance and professional growth.
• Oversee the delivery of Technology projects for Finance, People and Workforce business units, ensuring they meet scope, timeline, and budget requirements.
• Ensure successful implementation of system enhancements, upgrades, and new solutions that improve operational efficiency and user experience.
• Work with instilled best practices and governance frameworks to ensure projects follow regulatory, compliance, and organisational standards.
• Ensure reliable and effective operational support for all Technology systems used by Finance, People and Workforce Management, minimising disruptions and optimising system performance.
• Lead efforts to resolve system issues promptly, leveraging cross-functional collaboration to drive effective solutions.
• Act as a key liaison between Technology, Finance, People and Workforce Management leadership teams, ensuring strong alignment between business needs and technology solutions.
• Communicate effectively with internal stakeholders and external vendors, ensuring transparency and mutual understanding of objectives.
• Oversee the financial management of Technology projects and resources, ensuring cost-effectiveness and adherence to budgetary constraints.
• Optimise the use of internal and external resources to maximise efficiency and project delivery.
• Manage relationships with third-party vendors and technology partners, ensuring optimal performance and alignment with contract terms.
• Negotiate contracts, evaluate service quality, and ensure vendors contribute effectively to the department’s objectives.
• Identify opportunities to leverage emerging technologies (e.g., AI, automation, analytics) to improve Finance, People and Workforce Management processes. Drive initiatives that focus on improving business operations.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with Technology systems in Finance, People and Workforce Management, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and internal policies.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of Technologies initiatives across the Business Technology domains.
• Provide regular reports to senior management on project status, operational performance, and future opportunities for technology enhancements.

Qualifications and Experience: Essential

• A BSc., Degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field
• +7 years' experience with SAP Finance, HR, SAP Success Factors as well as experience withing non-SAP Finance systems and technology
• +7 years related experience in Technology implementations and support; both SAP and non-SAP
• +5 years’ proven track record in a leadership role within the retail industry
• Proven track record of successfully delivering large-scale technology projects and initiatives
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall) and tools (JIRA, MS Project, etc.)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels

Preferred Skills

• Solid understanding of retail operations and customer experience dynamics
• Experience with budget management and resource allocation

We're looking for...

AN:

• Agile, innovative and forward-thinking individual who is able demonstrate thought leadership with the aptitude to think creatively and identify new ways to innovate.
• Sound judgment, intuition and decision-making ability to generate short- and long-term solutions.
• Strategic thinking & execution - strategy development and translation into long term investment roadmap and practical tactical execution integration with cross-functional teams.
• Strong Commercial and Financial Acumen - Entrepreneurial and enterprising
• Strong financial, pricing and commercialisation capability with a natural knack for harnessing insights, resources, budgets and networks to spot and take advantage of opportunities at the right time and in the right way.
• Strong project and change management skills, with a bias for action and operational efficiency
• Strong networking and relationship building skills. Able to inspire confidence and influence stakeholders in pursuit of an outcome. Works comfortably across functions, applying progressive learning in a constantly evolving cellular network.
• Analytical with strong problem-solving skills with an excellent understanding of end-to-end processes and spotting inefficiencies.
• A passion to gather data and deep dive to generate insights.