What will you do?

Job Purpose: 

• The Head of Product Practice is responsible for establishing and maturing Product Management and Product Ownership as a strategic capability across Sanlam Life and Savings (SLS).
• The role will lead the existing Business Analysis capability while creating a Product Practice Centre of Excellence that defines standards, governance, career pathways, and capability development for Product Managers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, and business stakeholders.
• The role will partner with Business, Technology, Operations, and Transformation leaders to embed product-led ways of working that improve prioritisation, customer outcomes, investment decisions, and delivery effectiveness across SLS. 

Role Requirements: 

Transform | Output/ Core Tasks: 

Product Practice Leadership 

• Define and implement the SLS Product Management and Product Ownership strategy.
• Establish and lead the SLS Product Practice Centre of Excellence.
• Develop product frameworks, standards, governance, and operating models.
• Build consistency of product practices across business units and functions.

Capability Building 

• Develop Product Management and Product Ownership competency frameworks.
• Create career pathways, learning journeys, and capability development plans.
• Support the evolution of Business Analysts into future Product roles where appropriate.
• Build communities of practice across SLS. 

Product Maturity 

• Drive adoption of modern product management practices and disciplines.
• Establish product maturity assessments and improvement roadmaps.
• Promote customer-centric, outcome-focused, and data-informed decision making.
• Benchmark and continuously improve product capability across SLS. 

Strategic Enablement 

• Partner with executives and senior leaders to embed product-led thinking.
• Support future operating model design and delivery transformation initiatives.
• Enable stronger prioritisation, accountability, and value realisation across strategic initiatives. 

Run | Role Requirements & Core Outputs:  

Business Analysis Leadership 

• Lead and manage the Business Analysis capability across SLS.
• Provide direction, coaching, performance management, and workforce planning.
• Ensure effective allocation of Business Analysts across priority initiatives. 

Delivery Support 

• Ensure high-quality analysis and requirements practices across programmes and projects.
• Support delivery teams with product, customer journey, and business process expertise.
• Identify capability gaps and improvement opportunities. 

Governance & Reporting 

• Maintain standards, methodologies, templates, and quality controls.
• Monitor capability maturity, utilisation, and delivery effectiveness.
• Provide reporting and insights to business and transformation leadership. 

Stakeholder Management 

• Act as a trusted advisor on Product Management, Product Ownership, and Business Analysis. 
• Bulid String relationships across business, Technology, Operations and Transformation funcions

What will make you successful in this role?

Experience 

• 10–15 years' experience in Product Management, Product Ownership, Business Analysis, Digital Delivery, Transformation, or related disciplines.
• Experience establishing or maturing Product Management and Product Ownership capabilities.
• Experience leading specialist teams and organisational capability development initiatives.
• Proven success driving transformation, operating model change, and delivery improvement.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and executives.
• Financial services, insurance, banking, or fintech experience advantageous. 

Qualifications 

• Relevant Bachelor's Degree in Business, Commerce, Engineering, Information Systems, Technology, or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification advantageous (MBA or Master's degree preferred).
• Product Management, Agile, Scrum, SAFe, Lean, or Change Management certifications advantageous. 

Knowledge and Skills 

• Product Management and Product Ownership
• Business Analysis disciplines
• Agile and Lean delivery methodologies
• Organisational capability development
• Financial services and digital transformation
• Stakeholder management and influencing
• Facilitation and coaching
• Problem solving and decision making
• Change leadership
• Executive communication

Competencies 

Technical Competencies 

• Product Management and Product Ownership
• Business Analysis and Requirements Management
• Agile, Lean and Product Delivery Methodologies
• Product Operating Model Design
• Product Governance and Lifecycle Management
• Customer Journey and Service Design
• Capability Development and Maturity Assessment
• Digital Transformation and Operating Model Modernisation 

Functional Competencies 

• Strategic Planning and Execution
• Stakeholder Management and Executive Influence
• Capability Building and Talent Development
• Change Leadership and Organisational Transformation
• Facilitation, Coaching and Mentoring
• Governance, Risk and Decision-Making
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Data-informed Problem Solving 

Description of the Ideal Candidate 

• The ideal candidate is an experienced Product and Transformation leader who combines strategic thinking with strong capability-building expertise. They have credibility with executives, experience leading specialist teams, and a passion for developing people and modern ways of working.
• They are equally comfortable managing an established Business Analysis function and leading the transformation of SLS into a more product-led organisation. Through influence, collaboration, and strong leadership, they build sustainable capability that improves customer outcomes, delivery effectiveness, and organisational performance. 

In simple terms, this person must successfully balance two mandates: 

• Lead and strengthen the existing Business Analysis capability.
• Build and institutionalise Product Management and Product Ownership as strategic capabilities across Sanlam Life and Savings.

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping  our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Turnaround time

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. 

Closing Date: 7 August 2026

Our commitment to transformation