IT Director – Technology, Data & Digital Platforms Cape Town, Western Cape – Hybrid

IT Director – Technology, Data & Digital Platforms

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape – Hybrid
Office Requirement: Minimum 2 days per week in the Cape Town office
Salary: R1.5 Million+ per annum
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

About the Employer
The employer is a global alliance representing more than 800 communications service providers, technology vendors, hyperscalers, consultancies and systems integrators, including some of the world's leading telecommunications and technology organisations.
The organisation's mission is to help the telecommunications industry achieve sustainable growth through AI-enabled agility, innovation and operational efficiency.
Its strategic focus areas include:

• Composable IT & Ecosystems
• Autonomous Networks
• AI & Data

These initiatives are supported through a global ecosystem of industry insight, innovation, collaboration, education and a year-round programme of international digital and in-person events.The Opportunity

The employer is seeking an accomplished and forward-thinking IT Director – Technology, Data & Digital Platforms to take ownership of the organisation's technology strategy, digital platforms, data capabilities and IT operations.
The successful candidate must be Cape Town based and available to work from the Cape Town office at least two days per week.
This is a highly visible senior leadership position combining strategic technology leadership with hands-on operational oversight. The successful candidate must be comfortable moving between executive-level strategy, technology investment decisions, team leadership, platform transformation and detailed operational delivery.
Importantly, this is not a role that requires experience managing very large corporate IT departments. Candidates from small to medium-sized organisations are encouraged to apply, particularly those who have operated in lean technology environments where they have personally remained close to delivery, decision-making and implementation.
The successful candidate will ensure that technology, data and digital platforms enable exceptional member experiences, support organisational growth and provide a secure, scalable foundation for future innovation.

Key Responsibilities
Technology Strategy & Architecture

• Develop and execute a unified technology, data and digital platform strategy aligned with organisational objectives.
• Translate business requirements into practical and commercially viable technology solutions.
• Lead technology investment decisions to maximise organisational and member value.
• Balance immediate business requirements with long-term scalability, security and sustainability.
• Champion architectural excellence while simplifying the existing technology landscape.
• Ensure technology capabilities support the organisation's strategic growth objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through technology, automation and modernisation.

Digital Platforms & Member Experience

• Own the roadmap, delivery, performance and continued development of the organisation's digital platforms and web ecosystem.
• Work closely with Marketing, executive leadership and business stakeholders to deliver high-quality digital experiences.
• Establish clear platform priorities, delivery objectives, performance measures and KPIs.
• Ensure digital products and platforms remain secure, reliable, scalable, user-friendly and cost-effective.
• Provide leadership and oversight on major platform and technology decisions.
• Drive continuous improvement of the organisation's digital member experience.

Technology Operations & Service Delivery

• Lead engineering, DevOps, infrastructure and IT operations.
• Ensure the availability, performance, security and resilience of business-critical systems.
• Drive automation, modern operating practices and continuous improvement.
• Simplify and rationalise existing systems to create a cohesive and maintainable technology environment.
• Manage third-party technology partners and vendors.
• Ensure vendors deliver measurable value and appropriate service levels.
• Maintain practical oversight of day-to-day technology operations.

Data, Analytics & Business Insights

• Establish trusted, accessible and practical data capabilities across the organisation.
• Develop appropriate data governance, ownership and quality standards.
• Enable self-service analytics and reporting for business teams.
• Improve the accessibility and reliability of organisational data.
• Drive adoption of data platforms and ensure they deliver measurable business value.
• Establish a strong data foundation for advanced analytics and AI initiatives.
• Support executive and operational decision-making through accurate and meaningful data.

AI Enablement & Innovation

• Develop and maintain AI-ready platforms, infrastructure and governance frameworks.
• Translate AI strategy into practical business capabilities.
• Identify opportunities where AI can improve productivity, efficiency, decision-making and member value.
• Support implementation of AI-enabled workflows, intelligent automation and AI agents.
• Ensure AI solutions are introduced responsibly, securely and at appropriate scale.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and determine where they can provide genuine organisational value.

Governance, Risk & Prioritisation

• Lead prioritisation across technology, digital and data portfolios.
• Establish transparent and practical technology governance processes.
• Manage technology, cybersecurity, operational and delivery risks.
• Provide executive leadership with clear visibility of technology priorities, dependencies, resources and trade-offs.
• Ensure compliance with applicable security, data privacy and governance requirements.
• Balance cost, speed, quality, risk and long-term organisational value when making decisions.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing technology team.
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation and delivery excellence.
• Maintain a lean and effective technology operating model.
• Remain visible and actively involved in delivery rather than operating solely at strategic level.
• Coach and empower team members while maintaining accountability for results.
• Manage technology budgets, resources and vendor relationships.
• Build internal technology capability where appropriate while making effective use of external partners.

Candidate Requirements
Essential Experience
The successful candidate should have:

• Proven experience in a senior technology leadership role, such as IT Director, Head of Technology, Head of IT, Technology Director, CTO or similar.
• Strong experience combining technology strategy with hands-on execution and operational delivery.
• Experience translating business objectives into practical technology solutions.
• Strong exposure to cloud platforms, SaaS ecosystems, systems integrations, web technologies and digital products.
• Demonstrated success delivering technology, platform or digital transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of modern engineering, DevOps and technology operating models.
• Experience developing or implementing data, analytics and AI capabilities.
• Experience managing technology vendors, partners, budgets and resources.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity, technology risk, data privacy and governance.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to influence senior executives and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to make sound technology investment decisions.

Preferred Organisational Background
Candidates do not need to come from large multinational or enterprise IT environments.
Strong consideration