Chief Technology Officer - Fibre Network Operator

Chief Technology Officer - Fibre Network Operator

Location: Northern Johannesburg (3 to 5 days on-site)

Package: Up to R200,000 per month, excluding incentives

Connecting hundreds of thousands of homes to high-speed prepaid fibre is a significant operational achievement. 

One of South Africa's fastest-growing fibre network operators and internet service providers has built a substantial footprint across underserved communities. 

Now, as the business transitions from an entrepreneurial builder into a board-governed scale-up, they need a Chief Technology Officer to take complete ownership of their technology ecosystem.

The business is projected to triple its headcount over the next five years. 

To support that trajectory, the technology environment needs a structured operating model, disciplined software delivery, and mature architecture.

What is in it for you?

• Substantial upside: A market-related base of up to R200,000 per month, backed by confirmed performance incentives and an equity stake.
• Capital to execute: You will not have to scrape for resources. An approved budget is ready for you to invest in the right tooling, infrastructure, and operational improvements.
• A mandate to build your way: Reporting directly at executive and board level, you get the autonomy to standardise the software stack, overhaul supplier governance, and shape the engineering culture.
• A serious engineering landscape: You will steer a hybrid stack featuring Microsoft Azure, containerised deployments via Docker and Kubernetes, Python backend automation, and a Java-centric enterprise backbone.
• High-volume scale: You will own platforms that handle high-volume prepaid billing and provisioning via the SOLID platform, integrated with spatial mapping tools (QGIS) and carrier-grade vendors like Nokia and Huawei.
• Visible commercial impact: Your work directly impacts network build economics, cost per connection, and uptime for communities that need reliable connectivity most.

The Role and Priorities You will lead an established internal engineering squad while managing key external telecom partners:

• Core Systems: Own the lead-to-cash workflow, OSS/BSS, CRM, and billing systems, ensuring smooth integration with core databases (MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server).
• Vendor and Network Oversight: Technically direct and challenge backhaul providers, infrastructure partners, and build contractors to maintain capacity, low latency, and rapid fault resolution.
• Delivery Standards: Embed structured agile practices, rigorous code reviews, QA protocols, CI/CD pipelines, and clear architectural documentation.
• Security and Governance: Drive identity management, access control, vulnerability mitigation, and disaster recovery across all cloud, on-premise, and supplier-facing systems.

What You Bring

• Proven technology leadership (CTO, Head of Technology, or equivalent) within an FNO, ISP, or telecom operator.
• Hands-on technical grounding across software engineering, enterprise integrations, and telecom infrastructure (FTTH, transmission, IP routing, backhaul).
• Strong commercial acumen with the confidence to review supplier contracts, enforce SLAs, and eliminate redundant operational spend.
• Direct experience reporting to executive leadership or a board on technology risk, delivery roadmaps, and capital allocation.
• Willingness to be present on-site in Sandton at least 3 days per week, with a preference for 5 days during the initial transition phase.

Standard company benefits are currently being formalised as part of broader group-level expansion, with the package anchored by the base salary, equity, and incentive structure.

To apply or discuss the role in confidence, connect with the team at Badger & Bird Talent.