Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.
With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.
Job Summary
The Productivity and Efficiency Specialist plays a critical role in driving operational excellence across the bank by analysing processes and associated costs, streamlining workflows, improving resource utilization, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives. The role supports both customer facing and back office banking environments, ensuring processes are efficient, lean, scalable, and aligned to customer expectations.
This role acts as a strategic enabler for the bank’s productivity targets, turnaround-time improvements, digital channel adoption, and cost to-income optimization.
We are seeking a results-driven Lean Operations Specialist to lead continuous improvement initiatives across large-scale operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Lean methodologies and project management, with a proven ability to deliver measurable gains in productivity, efficiency and operational performance.
Job Description
1. Banking Process Analysis & Optimisation
- Lead and implement Lean and continuous improvement initiatives across operational functions
- Identify inefficiencies, process bottleneck and waste, and develop sustainable solutions
- Map and redesign workflows using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to enhance operational resilience and project delivery
- Collaborate with cross functional teams to stand up and deliver lean operations intelligent solutions programs
- Track, measure and report on key performance indicators and project outcomes
2. Productivity & Operational Performance
- Analyse operational productivity across business units, processes and value chains
- Lead cross-functional solutioning projects to deliver demonstrable performance improvement.
- Develop and monitor productivity KPIs, service levels, processing accuracy, and operational cost efficiencies.
- Recommend initiatives to improve cost‑to-income ratios.
4. Digital Enablement & Automation
- Identify opportunities for automation (RPA, workflow automation, straight‑through processing).
- Collaborate and coordinate with specialist teams to deliver optimisation programs.
5. Continuous Improvement Leadership
- Drive Lean culture adoption within banking operations.
- Influence business units to adopt best practices in process discipline and performance management.
6. Reporting & Insights
- Develop dashboards and analytics for productivity tracking using tools such as Power BI, operational MIS systems, workflow tools, and banking platforms.
- Produce Management Information and insights for executive consumption, highlighting trends, root causes, and recommended interventions.
- Build business cases for improvement initiatives, outlining cost savings, efficiency gains, and risk reduction impact.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Business Management, Operations, Finance, or related field.
- 3–7 years’ experience in banking.FMCG,Telcos,Fintech operations, process optimisation, operational excellence, or transformation roles.
- Experience working in regulated environments advantageous
- Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher) required.
- Experience with automation, digital banking tools, or workflow/systems optimisation advantageous.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong understanding of banking operations, regulatory requirements, and operational controls.
- Advanced analytical capabilities and problem‑solving skills.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen
- Proficiency with productivity tools (Excel, Power BI, workflow analytics).
- Excellent communication and stakeholder‑management skills across operations, risk, compliance, and IT.
- Strong documentation, process mapping, and change‑management abilities.
- Ability to influence, collaborate, and drive adoption of new processes or technologies.
Personal
1. Banking Process Analysis & Optimisation
- Lead and implement Lean and continuous improvement initiatives across operational functions
- Identify inefficiencies, process bottleneck and waste, and develop sustainable solutions
- Map and redesign workflows using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to enhance operational resilience and project delivery
- Collaborate with cross functional teams to stand up and deliver lean operations intelligent solutions programs
- Track, measure and report on key performance indicators and project outcomes
2. Productivity & Operational Performance
- Analyse operational productivity across business units, processes and value chains
- Lead cross-functional solutioning projects to deliver demonstrable performance improvement.
- Develop and monitor productivity KPIs, service levels, processing accuracy, and operational cost efficiencies.
- Recommend initiatives to improve cost‑to-income ratios.
4. Digital Enablement & Automation
- Identify opportunities for automation (RPA, workflow automation, straight‑through processing).
- Collaborate and coordinate with specialist teams to deliver optimisation programs.
5. Continuous Improvement Leadership
- Drive Lean culture adoption within banking operations.
- Influence business units to adopt best practices in process discipline and performance management.
6. Reporting & Insights
- Develop dashboards and analytics for productivity tracking using tools such as Power BI, operational MIS systems, workflow tools, and banking platforms.
- Produce Management Information and insights for executive consumption, highlighting trends, root causes, and recommended interventions.
- Build business cases for improvement initiatives, outlining cost savings, efficiency gains, and risk reduction impact.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Business Management, Operations, Finance, or related field.
- 3–7 years’ experience in banking.FMCG,Telcos,Fintech operations, process optimisation, operational excellence, or transformation roles.
- Experience working in regulated environments advantageous
- Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher) required.
- Experience with automation, digital banking tools, or workflow/systems optimisation advantageous.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong understanding of banking operations, regulatory requirements, and operational controls.
- Advanced analytical capabilities and problem‑solving skills.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen
- Proficiency with productivity tools (Excel, Power BI, workflow analytics).
- Excellent communication and stakeholder‑management skills across operations, risk, compliance, and IT.
- Strong documentation, process mapping, and change‑management abilities.
- Ability to influence, collaborate, and drive adoption of new processes or technologies.
Personal Attributes
- Curiosity paired with a disciplined, data‑driven mindset.
- Passionate about operational excellence and customer experience.
- Comfortable challenging the status quo constructively.
- Resilient, adaptable, and collaborative.
- High integrity and commitment to compliance and risk mitigation.
Attributes
- Curiosity paired with a disciplined, data‑driven mindset.
- Passionate about operational excellence and customer experience.
- Comfortable challenging the status quo constructively.
- Resilient, adaptable, and collaborative.
- High integrity and commitment to compliance and risk mitigation.
Education
Bachelor's Degree: Chemical Engineering, Bachelor's Degree: Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology
Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.
Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised