Senior Director of IT – Strategy, Transformation & Data Protection

About the role

We are looking for a senior‑level IT leader to steer the technology function of a fast‑growing organisation in Johannesburg. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Senior Director of IT will shape strategy, drive transformation and act as the Data Protection Officer, ensuring compliance with POPIA, GDPR and other regulations.

Key responsibilities

• Define and execute a forward‑looking IT strategy aligned with business objectives and drive adoption of emerging technologies.
• Oversee IT governance, risk, performance management and ensure delivery of reliable, secure, high‑performing services.
• Manage the full IT portfolio – infrastructure, applications, service delivery and enterprise‑wide projects – on time, within budget and with measurable ROI.
• Own the IT budget, resource allocation and vendor relationships, driving cost optimisation and value realisation.
• Serve as Data Protection Officer: implement privacy‑by‑design, lead data governance, breach response and maintain compliance with POPIA, GDPR and related standards.
• Develop and lead a high‑performing IT leadership team, build succession pipelines and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Required profile

• Relevant university degree; postgraduate qualification such as an MBA is advantageous.
• Minimum 15 years of IT experience with at least 8 years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven track record of leading an IT function, large technology portfolio or major transformation programmes.
• Formal training in data protection and privacy law (POPIA, GDPR) and experience acting as a DPO.

Required skills

• ITIL, COBIT, TOGAF frameworks.
• Cloud and cybersecurity expertise.
• Data protection certifications (CIPP/E, ISO 27001) and knowledge of POPIA and GDPR.
• Experience with privacy‑by‑design, data governance and breach response.