Head – Intelligent Engineering & AI Enablement

About the role

Absa Mauritius is seeking a senior technology leader to create and run an Intelligent Engineering & AI Enablement capability. The role will shape how the bank designs, builds, tests, deploys and continuously improves its digital solutions using AI‑driven engineering practices.

Key responsibilities

• Define and execute the Intelligent Engineering & AI Enablement strategy aligned with the bank’s digital transformation goals.
• Establish an AI‑native, product‑centric engineering operating model across the software development lifecycle.
• Transform supplier‑led delivery into a bank‑owned, AI‑augmented engineering model while maintaining strategic partnerships.
• Determine the optimal Build / Buy / Partner / Automate / AI approach for technology delivery.
• Drive measurable improvements in productivity, speed, quality, resilience and cost.
• Lead adoption of AI‑assisted coding assistants, agents and agentic engineering across development, testing, documentation and operations.
• Define reusable AI patterns, components and reference architectures using Absa Group assets such as AI Gateway, Databricks, Bedrock and Foundry.
• Set AI engineering standards, governance and responsible AI safeguards in collaboration with Architecture, Cyber, Risk and Group Technology.
• Build a high‑performing AI‑native product engineering team capable of rapid prototyping, cloud‑native micro‑services and API development.
• Establish modern engineering platforms, DevSecOps tooling and CI/CD pipelines, and promote SRE/AIOps practices.

Required profile

• Proven transformational technology leader with experience driving large‑scale engineering change.
• Deep understanding of AI‑enabled software engineering, product engineering and platform engineering.
• Track record of building high‑calibre engineering teams and delivering complex digital solutions in a regulated environment.
• Strong strategic vision combined with hands‑on expertise in modern cloud‑native practices.

Required skills

• AI engineering and agentic engineering
• Product engineering, platform engineering, quality engineering
• DevSecOps, CI/CD, SRE / AIOps
• Cloud‑native architecture, micro‑services, reusable APIs
• Databricks, Bedrock, Foundry, AI Gateway
• Coding assistants and coding agents

What we offer

• Opportunity to shape the future of technology within a leading African bank.
• Access to group‑wide AI platforms and resources.
• Leadership role with significant strategic impact.