IT Service and Governance Manager: JG11

Who are we? Glacier by Sanlam brings together leading experts and respected financial services companies to meet clients’ investment needs. We deliver focused investment services through specialist teams, partner with acclaimed financial intermediaries and pride ourselves on our superior products and solutions and high quality service. We offer a comprehensive range of investment solutions, designed to assist in the creation and preservation of wealth. Our offering encompasses local investments, including fixed term investments and investments with guarantees, international investments, retirement saving solutions, and retirement income solutions. While each solution has its own distinct purpose, they all share the world-class quality and commitment that have come to distinguish Glacier. What will you do?

The role is responsible for embedding IT governance practices across all Glacier IT domains and ensuring consistent adoption of Group governance standards.

It leads key IT Service Management processes, including Incident, Problem, Change, and Release Management, and aligns them to enterprise standards through strong Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Service Level Management practices.

Operating within IT Service Management and governance frameworks aligned to Sanlam Group Technology standards, the role provides oversight, integration, and continuous improvement across service delivery, risk, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

The following outcomes will be expected to be achieved by the Service Manager:

Strategic IT Service Management Leadership

• Lead and govern IT Service Management practices across Glacier, ensuring effective integration, performance oversight, and continuous improvement of Incident, Problem, Change, and Release Management processes.
• Oversee and govern Change Advisory Board (CAB) processes to ensure controlled, risk-aligned delivery
• Drive problem management and root cause analysis to improve service stability
• Ensure effective service restoration aligned to SLA commitments and business expectations
• Establish and continuously improve Release Management practices across platform and operations teams

IT Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Drive adoption and alignment to Sanlam Group IT Governance frameworks (COBIT, ITIL)
• Lead governance maturity assessments, gap analysis, and implementation plans
• Coordinate and manage internal, external, and regulatory audits
• Ensure timely remediation of audit findings and effective risk mitigation
• Oversee governance reporting, including submissions to relevant governance and risk forums
• Embed and drive adoption of governance practices across IT, ensuring consistent application within operational workflows

Service Level and Relationship Management:

• Define and implement a comprehensive Service Level Management (SLM) framework across IT services
• Establish and govern SLAs, OLAs, and service review structures in collaboration with Service Owners
• Monitor service performance and drive accountability across internal teams, Service Owners, and vendors
• Drive the identification and execution of Service Improvement Plans (SIPs), working with Service Owners and vendors to ensure accountability for delivery against agreed actions and performance targets
• Lead structured service review forums with Service Owners, vendors, and stakeholders to drive performance, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Lead vendor performance management and ensure alignment to contractual obligations and agreed service expectations
• Develop KPI dashboards and reporting for service performance, governance, and risk metrics

Reporting and Continuous Improvement:

• Ensure the preparation and delivery of governance, audit, and risk reports for the Glacier Governance, Risk, Audit, and Security Committee and relevant Sanlam Group forums
• Provide input into and review the quarterly CIO report, offering governance insights, service performance trends, and risk perspectives
• Oversee the development and delivery of IT Service Review Reports for Glacier business units, in collaboration with Service Owners
• Proactively identify governance and service performance gaps, and define continuous improvement initiatives aligned to Sanlam Group standards
• Implement and maintain KPI reporting for governance, risk, and service performance metrics

What will you do - continued Stakeholder Collaboration

• Act as a strategic liaison across IT, vendors, and business leadership, ensuring effective communication, alignment, and governance adherence.
• Provide governance-related training and onboarding to IT team members to promote policy compliance.
• Support IT teams during audits, regulator engagements, and governance assessments, ensuring accurate and timely responses.
• Facilitate collaboration between Service Owners, vendors, and IT teams to ensure alignment between service delivery, governance requirements, and business expectations

Team Leadership:

• Manage, mentor, and provide oversight to the Governance Officer, ensuring effective execution of governance, reporting, audit tracking, and compliance activities
• Manage, mentor, and provide oversight to the ITSM Coordinator (Incident, Problem, and Change), ensuring effective coordination, tracking, and escalation of ITSM processes
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability within the service management and governance function
• Foster a culture of accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement across the team
• Ensure effective utilisation of team capacity to deliver against governance, service management, and reporting objectives What will make you successful in this role?

Qualifications and experience

Education

• Degree/Diploma in Information Technology, Business Management, or a related field.

Certifications

• ITIL Certification (V3 or higher) required.
• COBIT Foundation certification (completed or in progress)
• Audit Management Certifications (e.g., CISA, CRISC) advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in IT Service Management, with strong exposure to Incident, Problem, Change, and Release Management processes
• Proven experience in Service Level Management, including SLA definition and negotiation, performance monitoring, and structured service review practices
• Experience in governance, risk, and audit environments, including managing audit findings and remediation activities
• Exposure to vendor performance management and service delivery in a multi-supplier environment

Competencies

• Strong expertise in IT governance and service management frameworks (e.g., COBIT, ITIL)
• Proven capability in audit management, risk mitigation, and governance implementation within complex IT environments
• Ability to design and implement Service Level Management frameworks, including SLA definition, performance monitoring, and vendor performance metrics
• Demonstrated experience in embedding governance practices into operational workflows across IT domains, including DevSecOps, infrastructure, and IT operations
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence governance adoption and align IT to business objectives
• Proven ability to drive data-driven decision-making through KPI dashboards, governance reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives

Attributes

• Proactive and results-driven
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Ability to navigate complex governance environments
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Positive and professional approach
• Curious and enquiring mind
• Strong customer-centric mindset, with a focus on delivering value and improving service experience
• Strong process orientation, with the ability to design, embed, and continuously improve service management and governance processes
• Ability to adapt to evolving operating models, applying governanc