Summary Job Description

The Head: SLS Digital Client Engagement Channels will provide strategic business leadership across SLS's digital client channels and platforms, connecting client needs, servicing priorities, business strategy and technology enablement. The role will also collaborate with Sanlam business partners to enhance digital client experiences.

Job Purpose

To lead the strategy, business ownership, prioritization and value realization of SLS digital client engagement channels, ensuring they deliver simple, connected and compelling experiences for clients.  The role will provide an integrated business voice for digital channels and work across market segments to align Product Propositions (including CBR), Marketing, Distribution, Servicing, Customer Experience, Business Transformation, and Technology to accelerate digital adoption, improve client outcomes and unlock business value.

Role Requirements (Outputs and Core Tasks)

Strategy and Direction

1. Define and lead the SLS digital client engagement strategy and roadmap organized around client journeys rather than business lines, with the aim of driving frequent and meaningful engagement with clients over their lifecycle
2. Own CLM strategy and engagement journeys across digital channels, integrated seamlessly with other engagement channels such as the contact center strategic digital initiatives and represent the digital client channel agenda within relevant executive and governance forums.

Portfolio Prioritisation and Investment

• Establish an integrated view of business demand across digital client engagement channels.
• Run one digital priority process that produces a single ranked portfolio, agreed across businesses, including the API and data work each business is responsible for delivering to support prioritized client journeys
• Shape investment priorities and business cases for material digital initiatives, linking investment decisions to clearly defined client and business outcomes.

Channel and Platform Ownership

• Provide business ownership across SLS digital client channels and platforms, including the Sanlam App, Sanlam Online (our public web-site and secure services web channel), and Glue (our data integration layer connecting our engagement channels with our product platforms).
• Establish consistent client journey design and experience standards across digital channels, ensuring seamless transitions between digital, contact center and adviser touchpoints.

Client Outcomes and Performance

• Drive digital adoption, client engagement, servicing effectiveness and measurable business value.
• Use client, channel and commercial insights to continuously optimize digital performance.
• Define and track a digital channel performance framework covering client success and engagement measures (e.g. adoption, engagement, client satisfaction, conversion and cost-to-serve), and report on channel value realization to executive stakeholders.

• Digital shift of service. Share a target with contact center and other engagement channel leaders for moving routine service to digital.

Partnership and Collaboration

• Partner with CBR to identify and deliver opportunities arising from the Sanlam GoTyme Bank partnership, creating connected client experiences across the broader Sanlam ecosystem for those offerings.
• Collaborate closely with Brand & Marketing, Customer Servicing, Customer Experience and Business Transformation functions to translate client and business priorities into executable digital roadmaps.

• Act as the single point of engagement with our digital delivery partners (internal and external), with one engagement model and a regular joint review of scope, funding and delivery.
• Business ownership of delivery - set priorities and scope for digital delivery teams, while their product and engineering leadership owns how solutions are built.

Governance and People Leadership

• Ensure digital channels meet regulatory, market conduct, information security and data privacy requirements, working in partnership with SLS Legal, Risk, Compliance and Technology.
• Build, lead and develop a high-performing digital team, fostering a client-centric, data-driven and agile culture.

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience in digital channels, digital product/platform management, client experience or digital transformation.
• Proven experience shaping and delivering large-scale digital client propositions or ecosystems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead across complex, matrixed organisations and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial experience translating digital investment into measurable client and business outcomes.
• Financial services, banking or insurance experience will be advantageous

Qualifications

• Relevant Bachelor's degree in Business, Commerce, Technology, Digital, Information Systems or a related field.
• Relevant postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.

Competencies (Technical and Functional)

• Digital strategy and leadership
• Product and platform leadership
• Client-centricity and customer experience
• Strategic and commercial acumen
• Portfolio prioritisation and decision-making
• Data-led decision-making
• Cross-functional leadership and influence
• Transformation and change leadership

Knowledge and Skills

• Digital client engagement and omni-channel strategy
• Digital product and platform management
• Client journeys and experience design
• Digital servicing and adoption
• Business and technology integration
• Digital portfolio and investment management
• Data, analytics and performance measurement
• Financial services and emerging digital ecosystems
• Agile and product-based delivery models

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken tocomplete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.
Closing date 13 November 2026.