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Job Title: Principal Specialist: Technology Governance
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Duration: 12 Months
Role Purpose:
The Principal Specialist: Technology Governance play a crucial role in ensuring that technology operations, processes, and controls are reliable, compliant, and aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives. This role acts as a bridge between technology, audit, risk, and compliance teams — driving framework adoption, providing independent assurance that technology services are well-governed, risks are managed proactively, and value is delivered consistently to the business. In addition, the Principal Specialist will play a pivotal role in aligning technology investments, vendor relationships, and portfolio performance with strategic objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
Governance & Risk Oversight
Lead reviews on critical technology services, programs, and vendors.
Track technology related performance and put in place measures to correct problem areas
Evaluate adherence to IT governance frameworks (e.g., COBIT, ISO 27001, ITIL).
Identify key technology risks, control gaps, and operational vulnerabilities.
Partner with Risk and Compliance teams to define mitigation and remediation plans.
Work closely with technology leaders, risk owners, and external auditors to align on control effectiveness and audit readiness.
Promote awareness of governance, risk, and compliance principles across the organisation.
Continuously review governance frameworks and propose improvements for efficiency and transparency.
Work closely with the Cyber Security and Legal teams to ensure data protection, contract security, and policy compliance.
Lead technology resilience programmes
Policy & Control Management
Ensure the establishment and maintenance of an effective Technology Controls Environment
Support the implementation and continuous improvement of IT policies and control frameworks.
Ensure all technology domains (infrastructure, applications, data, cybersecurity, and vendor management) have effective control coverage.
Track and report control performance metrics and compliance scores.
Governance Reporting & Insights
Prepare governance dashboards for executive and board-level review.
Translate complex assurance findings into clear, actionable insights for leadership teams.
Maintain a transparent pipeline of open audit, risk, and assurance items.
Portfolio Governance, Financial and Vendor Management
Lead and track the delivery of key governance programmes and iniatives
Partner with Finance to maintain a transparent view of OPEX and CAPEX utilisation, ensuring spending aligns with business value and technology strategy.
Implement portfolio dashboards for visibility across demand, spend, risk, and performance metrics.
Maintain technology vendor dashboard, and ensure service reviews, tracking KPIs and performance, in place for key technology vendors.
Identify and mitigate financial and operational risks arising from vendor dependencies or governance gaps.
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, or related field.
9+ years’ experience in technology governance, assurance, delivery, vendor management, or portfolio management, preferably in financial services or telecoms.
Proven experience managing large multi-vendor ecosystems and technology transformation portfolios.
Deep experience in Technology Governance, either from an assurance perspective or from a delivery perspective
Experience in setting up and maintaining an effective Technology Control Environment
Deep understanding of OPEX/CAPEX management, contract governance, and vendor performance frameworks.
Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
Familiarity with ITIL, COBIT, ISO 27001, and financial governance standards.
Key Competencies:
Analytical & Critical Thinking:
Ability to dissect complex issues and identify root causes with clarity.
Strong Governance Acumen: Deep knowledge of technology control frameworks, risk management, and compliance standards.
Communication & Influence:
Skilled in engaging senior stakeholders and translating technical assurance concepts into business value.
Integrity & Independence: Able to deliver objective assurance while maintaining collaborative relationships.
Continuous Improvement Mindset:
Passion for using governance as a tool for driving operational excellence and innovation.
Stakeholder Leadership: Influential communicator with a partnership mindset, capable of navigating complex ecosystems.