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

Lead Zain Sudan’s technology strategy, investment planning, transformation, and governance to deliver a modern, data-driven, AI-enabled technology landscape that accelerates growth, improves customer experience, and strengthens operational resilience.

This role serves as the strategic engine of the technology organization, aligning internal and external functions under a single, coherent direction aligned with the Zain Sudan and Group 4WARD strategy.

 Key Tasks / Accountability

Technology Strategy & 4WARD Alignment:

• Lead the development and governance of the end-to-end Technology Strategy and multi-year roadmap.

• Align all technology domains with Zain Group 4WARD priorities, corporate objectives, and local market dynamics.

• Ensure technology initiatives deliver measurable improvements in customer experience, digital growth, efficiency, and resilience.

Technology Landscape & Network Long-Term Strategy

• Lead transformation of the technology landscape across:

• Processes, Applications, Data, Infrastructure.

• Define long-term strategies for: Spectrum, Radio access, Transport and Backbone, and Core platforms.

• Conduct strategic studies and forecasts to justify capacity, coverage, and resilience investments.

Data, AI & Innovation Strategy

• Define and govern the Technology Data Strategy to enable unified, trusted, and actionable data.

• Lead AI and automation adoption across the technology domain.

• Identify and scale high-value use cases in network optimization, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, and customer experience.

• Establish innovation frameworks to run pilots, validate emerging technologies, and support scalable adoption

   

Investment Planning & Financial Governance

• Lead preparation and governance of:

  • Annual technology business plans

  • CAPEX and OPEX budgets

  • Multi-year investment roadmaps.

• Drive portfolio prioritization and investment optimization.

Capability, Governance & Regulatory Alignment:

• Identify technology capability gaps and drive strategic training programs.

• Establish governance frameworks to strengthen risk posture and audit readiness.

• Lead regulatory-related engagement with the support of our regulatory team to ensure compliance and support future telecom bylaws for emerging technologies.

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, Internal Audit, Regulatory, 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 IT/Network Planning, or Development, or Operations with at least 2 years in a leadership role.

• Good understanding of telecom technologies, digital transformation, compliance frameworks and regulatory environment

• 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, Data Management, and Enterprise Automation

• General Knowledge of technology trends as (e.g., 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