Product Owner: Servicing

Who are we? Sanlam Life and Savings (SLS) is focused on serving our retail and corporate clients in South Africa and further developing our strategic advantages in the South African market. Sanlam Life and Savings consists of the following business units Retail Mass, Corporate, Risk and Savings, Glacier and various business enabling functions. The Sanlam Life and Savings Office provides strategic direction, coordination and support to the four clusters, as well as performing governance oversight that includes assurance provided by second line of defense functions in SLS, to enable us to meet our business objectives. What will you do? Sanlam Life and Savings (SLS) offers retail and corporate life insurance and investment products in South Africa. This cluster provides clients across different market segments (entry‑level, middle‑income, affluent, professional market, business owners and corporates) with a comprehensive range of appropriate and competitive financial solutions. These include traditional life insurance risk and savings products, investment, retirement, health, and fiduciary services. Designed to facilitate long‑term wealth creation, protection and niche financing, these solutions are engineered around client needs. As we Live in Confidence™ we believe in creating and cultivating a positive, energised working environment that gives you every opportunity to achieve success. Sanlam is committed to transformation and embracing diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse workplace with employment equity as a key goal to create an inclusive workforce, representative of the demographics of our society as well as people with disabilities. What will make you successful in this role? Job Purpose: The Product Owner‑Servicing role will play a pivotal role in defining the product vision, strategy, and roadmap for all things Customer Service. You'll work closely with cross‑functional teams to ensure the timely delivery of high‑quality products that meet market needs and enhance user satisfaction. Role Requirements Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field. Relevant certifications (e.g. SAFe Product Owner; Product Manager (POPM); ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP)). Experience: Proven experience as a Product Owner or similar role in Product Management. Strong understanding of Agile methodologies such as Kanban, Scrum and SAFe. Excellent communication, presentation and leadership skills so that the team is comfortable taking direction from you and stakeholders enjoy collaborating with you. Ability to work effectively with cross‑functional teams in a hybrid manner. Excellent prioritisation skills based on value. Creative problem‑solving skills and willingness to think outside the box. Experience with product lifecycle management and software development tools such as Jira, Miro etc. Knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365 would be a bonus to leverage standard Dynamics 365 modules in optimising and building business processes to enhance customer experience. Knowledge: Knowledge of financial services industry. Knowledge of Product Management and Product Ownership. Business management principles. Knowledge of Agile and Scrum. Client Experience Management. Data Analytics. Additional Information: Appointments will be made based on the company’s transformation strategy. Competencies Strategic thinking and enterprise‑wide perspective. Excellent communication and collaboration. Understanding of customer‑centric service models. Change management and transformation delivery. Data‑driven decision‑making and analytical acumen. Backlog management. Customer‑centric. Output / Core Tasks Define and Communicate Product Vision & Strategy: Ensure the product vision and strategy align with company goals and clearly communicate them to stakeholders and teams. Translate Company Goals into a Prioritised Roadmap: Convert strategic objectives into actionable features and maintain a product roadmap that reflects priorities. Collaborate with Stakeholders: Engage with customers, leadership, and engineering teams to gather requirements, validate needs, and manage expectations. Manage and Prioritise the Product Backlog: Create, refine, and maintain a detailed backlog that aligns with the product vision and delivers maximum value. Lead Agile Practices: Actively participate in Scrum ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Stand‑ups, Reviews, Retrospectives) to guide development and ensure progress. Write User Stories and Acceptance Criteria: Develop clear, actionable user stories with acceptance criteria to ensure development meets expectations and delivers value. Oversee Product Lifecycle Management: Manage the product from conception through launch and continuous improvement to maintain market relevance. Conduct Market Research and Analysis: Perform competitor analysis, market research, and customer engagement to inform product decisions and innovation. Track Performance and Outcomes: Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success and identify areas for improvement. Validate Decisions Through Research: Use data and research to support hypotheses and ensure customer‑centricity in all product decisions. Turnaround time Closing Date: 1 December 2025 The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. Our commitment to transformation The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group’s Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process. #J-18808-Ljbffr