Senior Manager: Advanced Services Project Management

Context

Fintech is entering a new phase where operational and commercial excellence has become critical for success. We at MTN believe this is a game changer in terms of our business strategy. We are looking at an incumbent to join us as we build a successful business together.

As part of your portfolio as
Senior Manager: Advanced Services Project Management,
you will be:

• The
  Senior Manager: Advanced Services Project Management
  leads the
  planning, execution, and value realization
  of complex, multi-country, cross-functional initiatives that enable MTN Group Fintech's advanced services. Using
  recognized and relevant project/program management methodologies
  , this role orchestrates
  internal squads and external partners
  to deliver on scope, time, budget, risk, and quality—while
  maturing delivery practices
  across the footprint.
• The role also
  champions best-practice adoption
  (Agile/SAFe, product-centric delivery, value-stream governance, DevSecOps, FinOps, and data-driven decisioning) to sustainably scale execution.

Strategy Development & Implementation

• Demonstrate
  strategic and business awareness
  with
  systems thinking
  to co-design delivery frameworks with business leaders and translate strategy into
  time-bound, value-tracked
  tactical plans.
• Lead large, complex, multinational projects/programs
  , coordinating MTN Fintech resources and external vendor/partner capacity; apply
  professional standards and hybrid delivery
  (Agile/Iterative + Predictive where needed) to achieve targets.
• Implement functionalities across Fintech OpCos
  to continuously enhance the bouquet of services—now guided by
  market playbooks, OKRs, and reusable rollout kits
  for efficiency.
• Lead new advanced services roll-outs
  , layering onto platform services to expand the Fintech offering, using
  product launch readiness checklists
  (risk, security, scalability, support, DR).
• Perform
  proactive risk assessment and contingency planning
  using
  quantified risk matrices
  and
  early-warning indicators
  embedded in dashboards.
• Decompose programs into iterative, manageable increments
  , track progress via
  roadmaps and burn-up/burn-down
  , and ensure
  on-time, on-budget
  outcomes.
• Manage
  inter-dependencies
  across workstreams, projects, and business units to reduce delivery risk and optimize
  critical-path
  and
  value-stream flow
  .
• Monitor financial performance vs.
  budget and forecast
  , applying
  FinOps
  (unit economics, cloud spend visibility, benefit tracking) to maximize value for money.
• Translate strategic goals into
  program roadmaps
  with milestones, benefits, and
  success metrics (OKRs/KPIs)
  .
• Establish and chair
  program governance
  (steerco, RAID, change control), aligned to organizational standards and
  Group reporting protocols
  .

Operational Delivery

• Review proposals/plans to determine time frames, constraints, delivery approach, staffing, and resource allocations across phases; ensure
  capacity planning
  aligns to throughput goals.
• Define team workplans; assign duties, responsibilities, and
  clear decision rights
  ; ensure scope authority is understood.
• Review status reports;
  re-baseline plans
  when required with
  evidence-based forecasting
  (Monte Carlo/throughput trend).
• Prepare weekly/monthly status reports; publish
  single-source-of-truth dashboards
  (Power BI/Jira/Smartsheet).
• Provide technical delivery advice; remove blockers; drive
  cross-team swarming
  to resolve issues.
• Analyze and optimize work processes with Group Fintech PMO/OpCo sponsors; recommend
  Lean improvements
  and
  automation
  (e.g., CI/CD gates, test automation metrics).
• Keep OpCo Fintech heads and Group management informed; identify conflicts early using
  leading indicators
  (risk burndown, decision aging).
• Plan/coordinate activities; address scope or budget issues; ensure
  right-sized resourcing
  for success.
• Coordinate
  end-to-end onboarding of third-party vendors
  (due diligence, security, data privacy, performance SLAs, exit criteria).
• Document
  best practices and lessons learned
  ; maintain
  playbooks and checklists
  for reuse across markets.
• Identify realistic project risks; analyze probability/impact; maintain
  live RAID
  and
  contingency triggers
  .
• Assist with
  URS/BRD/Backlog
  preparation for OpCo dissemination; ensure
  traceability
  from requirements to test to release.
• Support
  project closures
  and
  post-implementation reviews
  ; ensure
  benefits tracking
  and
  operational handover
  (runbooks, DR, support SLAs).

Governance

Strategic Meetings

• Set up/participate in planned and ad-hoc project forums; provide inputs in strategic meetings; baseline key constraints (scope/time/cost/quality/resource/benefits).
• Represent MTN Fintech at
  industry events shaping fintech evolution
  ; capture insights for backlog prioritization.
• Request and defend program budgets backed by
  business cases and benefits maps
  .

Escalations

• Own and resolve escalations impacting
  critical path
  and service delivery; escalate severe risks/issues (time, scope, productivity, cost, resource, reputation) with
  mitigation options and decision data
  .
• Coordinate resolution across multiple functions, leveraging
  clear RACI
  and
  run-books
  for accelerated decisioning.

Function Tactical

• Review all initiatives (internal/global) for
  strategic alignment
  and
  delivery readiness
  .
• Co-define objectives, targets, and budgets for the sub-function; drive
  risk, issue, and dependency
  actions to closure.
• Facilitate sign-offs for tactical changes via
  controlled change processes
  and
  impact assessments
  .
• Ensure
  portfolio alignment
  between strategy and execution to achieve Group Fintech business outcomes.
• Act as
  liaison
  among consultants/vendors/users to resolve conflicts, interpret processes, and
  negotiate resolutions
  in ambiguous contexts.

Performance Management

• Continuously review implementation performance versus
  business objectives
  , recognizing execution constraints and recalibrating plans through
  inspect-and-adapt
  cycles.
• Maintain strong relationships with
  project sponsors, product managers, and OpCo PMs
  to secure sustained buy-in.
• Institutionalize
  delivery health metrics
  (on-time %, scope stability, cost variance, velocity, flow efficiency, escaped defects, CSAT/NPS).

Reporting and Budgets

• Provide
  standardized program reporting
  to Group Fintech PMO: schedule, budget, risk, dependencies, benefits, and
  OKR progress
  .
• Deliver
  ad-hoc executive packs
  with concise narratives, visuals (Gantt, burn-up, heat maps), and decisions required.
• Manage initiative budgets in line with business objectives; apply
  stage-gate funding
  ,
  benefits realization plans
  , and
  cloud cost governance (FinOps)
  .

The "Must-haves" we look for in an incumbent

Education

• Minimum of 4 year tertiary degree
• PMP Certification required
• MBA or a master's in project management an advantage

Experience

• 8-10 years - software development field, with management experience in large, complex IT implementations or integration projects.
• 4-6 years program/project management experience
• 2-3 years' experience in a Fintech program/project office

What will give an edge to your application

Functional Knowledge:

• Hybrid Delivery Mastery:
  deep practice in both
  Agile/SAFe
  and
  Predictive
  models; end-to-end SDLC leadership.
• Fintech Domain Execution:
  experience in digital banking, payments, and third-party payment services.
• Value-Stream & Portfolio Governance:
  OKRs, benefits tracking, lean portfolio management, stage-gate funding.
• Risk, Security & Compliance:
  privacy-by-design,
  DevSecOps
  , DR/BCP, regulatory readiness (AML/KYC where relevant).
• Vendor & Partner Management:
  SOWs, SLAs/OLAs, performance frameworks, exit/transition management.
• Data-Driven PM:
  dashboarding, delivery analytics,
  forecasting and scenario planning
  .
• AI-Assisted PM & Automation (Future-Fit):
  apply AI tools for schedule risk analysis, meeting/action summarization, status generation; promote
  test automation
  and CI/CD quality gates.
• FinOps Literacy:
  cloud cost visibility, unit economics, value realization.

Closing date: 16 October 2025. Late applications will not be accepted.

Should you not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, consider your application unsuccessful.

Ready to make and drive the change with us. Apply now