Chief Product & Innovation Officer

Let's Write Africa's Story Together!

Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED FOR THE JOB)

• Masters degree in Business or Financial Management

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE (PREFERRED, NOT A REQUIREMENT)

• Experience in designing and building a next generation digital bank in SA. This includes experience in section, 12, 13 and 17 of the Banks Act specifically
• Min 10 years’ experience in Banking Product management
• Min 5 years in a banking leadership role
• Detailed experience in designing and implementing new products and payments methods in the last 5 years and preferably in a new digital bank. This should specifically include cards (debit and credit) and new digital operations thinking i.e. “no/low operations methodology”
• Specifically, payments expertise in integrating into the Payment Clearing Houses of the National Payments System and testing with banks on multilateral and bi-lateral contracts
• Product analytics and/or financial analytics experience
• In depth knowledge of regulatory frameworks around banking product and pricing
• Understanding of financial markets esp. regarding interest rate market
• Experience in product or financial performance management

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Collaboration
• Leading with Influence
• Creativity and vision
• Analysis and problem solving
• Motivated and energetic
• Solution orientated
• Able to focus attention on detail
• Strong written and verbal critical reasoning 

Leads the product development contribution to strategic discussions, the programming of research and development projects, the execution of research and development, and the delivery of new products/services

Responsibilities

Functional Strategy Formation

Lead the development and implementation of strategy for a business area or significant function, anticipating mega-trends and complex challenges and opportunities and ensuring integration with wider corporate strategy.

Strategy Formation and Implementation

Develop the strategy for a business area of significant function, anticipating megatrends and complex challenges and opportunities. Ensure the strategy is successfully implemented and meets long-term business needs.

Product and Solution Development

Take overall responsibility for designing, developing, and delivering the strategic plan for product development for a significant area of the business.

Business Planning

Lead the development of annual and longer-term business plans for a significant function or small local business, ensuring alignment with strategy; quantify business outcomes, i.e., revenues or other key performance indicators (KPIs) and resource budgets (financial and headcount); and ensure integration of key activities or projects across the organization.

Strategic Planning

Hold overall responsibility for designing, developing, and delivering the strategic planning approach, either for a significant part of the organization or for the organization as a whole.

Corporate Strategy Shaping

Participate in the development of corporate strategy for a local organization, applying functional expertise to test the viability of the strategy and contributing creative ideas and insights to support the strategy formation process.

Leadership and Direction

Set and communicate the strategy, along with the broad actions needed to implement it, for achieving the organization's mission, vision, and values within a function; inspire a large or diverse workforce to commit to these tenets and do extraordinary things to achieve the organization's business goals.

Budgeting

Take overall responsibility for setting and approving area budgets that achieve organizational strategy.

Stakeholder Engagement

Identify and manage stakeholders up to and including the C-suite, finding out their needs, issues, and concerns and reacting to them by leading and coordinating the development of stakeholder engagement plans to support the communication of business information and decisions.

Performance Management

Manage and report on business performance; hold direct reports accountable for achievement of business plans, and take corrective action where necessary to ensure the achievement of business objectives, balancing the need to deliver short-term business objectives with the longer-term delivery of stakeholder value.

Organizational Capability Building

Identify the capabilities needed to meet the current and emerging business needs of a significant function. Evaluate current capabilities, identify gaps, and prioritize development activities. Embed personal development and the fulfillment of personal potential in the culture of the organization. Build capabilities elsewhere in the organization through mentoring and other informal methods.

Information and Business Advice

Provide authoritative specialist advice to the leadership team of a medium-sized international organization to guide the implementation of policy and the design and implementation of projects and change initiatives.

Financial Products Development

Take overall responsibility for designing, developing, and delivering the organization's strategic plan for its financial product development program.

Skills

Action Planning, Adaptive Thinking, Business Case Development, Business Requirements Analysis, Commercial Acumen, Current State Assessment, Executing Plans, Financial Acumen, Oral Communications, Policy Development, Presenting Solutions, Strategic Planning, Strategic Prioritization

Competencies

Balances Stakeholders

Builds Effective Teams

Business Insight

Communicates Effectively

Drives Vision and Purpose

Financial Acumen

Optimizes Work Processes

Persuades

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Closing Date

30 November 2025 , 23:59

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

The Old Mutual Story!