About the Role

Department/Section: Technology / Technology Strategy and PMO

Job Title: Technology Strategy and Governance Manager

Reports to: Director Technology Strategy and PMO

Job Purpose

To lead the development, alignment, and execution of Zain Sudan’s technology strategy, ensuring effective financial planning, transformative innovation, and compliance with regulatory and group requirements. This role aims to modernize the technology landscape, enhance operational agility, and drive customer-centric digital transformation while fostering collaboration across internal and external stakeholders to support position Zain Sudan as the preferred mobile operator.

 Key Tasks / Accountability

Technology Strategy Development:

• Develop and govern Zain Sudan’s Technology Strategy and Roadmap, ensuring alignment with the group's corporate strategy and local market needs.

• Establish frameworks and processes for effective communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including vendors and regulatory bodies.

• Drive the adoption of innovative, cost-effective, and customer-centric technologies to enhance operational agility and efficiency.

Financial Management

• Oversee the creation and execution of technology business and financial plans, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and financial targets.

• Collaborate with finance and corporate strategy teams to ensure accurate forecasting, budgeting, and investment planning.

• Monitor financial performance and recommend corrective actions to optimize technology expenditures.

Technology Transformation:

• Accelerate the adoption of automation, AI, data-driven solutions, and public cloud SaaS/managed services to modernize the technology landscape.

• Foster a culture of experimentation and prototyping to validate innovative solutions and inform strategic decisions.

• Ensure technology transformation initiatives are customer-centric, data-driven, and aligned with Zain Sudan’s digital transformation objectives.

Governance and Compliance:

• Ensure Zain Sudan’s adherence to Group policies, international standards, and Sudanese telecom regulations.

• Collaborate with Internal Audit, Regulatory Affairs, and the Sudanese Regulator (TPRA) to shape governance frameworks and influence future regulations.

• Drive strategic compliance initiatives to enhance operational integrity and regulatory alignment

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Act as a key liaison between Zain Sudan’s technology function, the group, local finance, corporate strategy, and regulatory authorities.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Zain Group, internal teams, vendors, and external stakeholders as TPRA to support strategic objectives

Team Development:

• Mentor and develop direct reports to build a high-performing team that drives Zain Sudan’s technology strategy and governance objectives.

• Identify skills gaps and implement training programs to enhance team capabilities.

• Promote a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Dimensions    

• Reports to: Director Technology Strategy and PMO

• Leading Functions: Leads three specialized teams comprising technology Strategy and Financial Management, Technology Strategy and Transformation, and Technology Strategy and Compliance.

• Budget Responsibility: Oversees the development and management of technology budgets, ensuring alignment with corporate financial plans and strategic priorities.

• Strategic Impact: Responsible for aligning technology initiatives with Zain Sudan’s corporate vision and contributing to the organization’s position as the preferred mobile operator.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Engages with internal stakeholders (Finance, Corporate Strategy, Technology Teams, Business Teams) and external stakeholders (Vendors, Regulators, Zain Group) to ensure strategic alignment.

What We Need From You

Personal Specifications

Qualifications/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; a master’s degree in Business Administration or Technology Management is preferred.

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in technology strategy, transformation, financial management, or compliance, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.

• Strong understanding of telecom technologies, digital transformation, and regulatory environments.

• Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams and driving large-scale technology initiatives.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to align technology initiatives with business goals and financial constraints.

• Knowledge of public cloud platforms, AI/ML, Enterprise Automation, and data-driven solutions

• General Knowledge of technology trends as (e.g., Cloud, 5G, SDN/NFV, CloudNative, Microservices, DevOps, CI/CD, AI/ML, RPA, IoT…)

Skills

• Strategic Thinking and Planning

• Financial Acumen

• Leadership and Team Management

• Innovation and Problem-Solving

• Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Governance and Compliance Expertise

• Strong communication, analytical and negotiation skills to engage with regulators, industry peers, and internal teams

• Strong ability to develop and execute long-term strategies for technology adoption and regulatory alignment

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive collaborative efforts toward shared objectives.

Behaviours for Success

• Strategic Visionary: Thinks long-term, aligns daily operations with strategic goals, and seeks innovative solutions.

• Collaborative Leadership: Builds trust, fosters teamwork, and strengthens stakeholder relationships.

• Results-oriented: Delivers measurable outcomes, upholds high standards, and drives continuous improvement.

• Adaptability: Thrives in change, shows resilience, and remains flexible under pressure