Head of Subsidiary | SmartNology

ABOUT SMARTNOLOGY

SmartNology is Smart Africa Group's digital transformation subsidiary — delivering enterprise software, data solutions, cybersecurity, digital platforms, and application development to businesses and government institutions across Africa. With a philosophy built on trendsetting solutions, technical clinic expertise, and plug-and-play delivery, SmartNology helps corporates, financial institutions, NGOs,

Job Summary

The Head of Subsidiary is the overall leader of SmartNology, responsible for driving the subsidiary's growth, profitability, and strategic positioning within the African technology landscape. Working closely with the GCOO and GBD, the Head of Subsidiary will turn Smart Africa Group's vision into action, oversee day-to-day operations, and ensure SmartNology delivers exceptional technology solutions—including cloud services, cybersecurity, AI, IaaS, and digital transformation—for public, private, and enterprise clients.

The role requires a commercially driven technology leader who combines deep ICT expertise with strong business development acumen, operational discipline, and the ability to inspire and grow high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Business Growth

• Define and execute SmartNology's annual business strategy and growth roadmap in alignment with Smart Africa Group's objectives.
• Drive revenue growth by expanding the client portfolio across cloud services, cybersecurity, AI, IaaS, and digital transformation solutions.
• Identify new market opportunities, partnerships, and service offerings that position SmartNology as a leading ICT solutions provider in Africa.
• Represent SmartNology at industry forums, client engagements, and strategic meetings with group leadership.
• Collaborate with the Group Business Director to align subsidiary commercial targets with group-wide revenue goals.

2. Operational Excellence

• Oversee all SmartNology operations, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery of technology solutions and client projects.
• Implement and monitor operational processes and workflows that drive efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize turnaround time.
• Ensure 100% compliance with contractual obligations, SLAs, and client expectations across all service lines.
• Manage resource allocation, project planning, and vendor relationships to maintain delivery standards.
• Drive process automation and digital best practices across SmartNology's internal operations.

3. Financial Management

• Manage the subsidiary P&L, ensuring revenue targets, margin goals, and budget adherence are consistently met.
• Collaborate with the GCFO to develop accurate financial forecasts, budgets, and quarterly business performance reports.
• Drive cost-efficiency initiatives while maintaining service quality and team capability.
• Ensure all projects, partnerships, and solutions meet profitability thresholds set by the Board and Group leadership.
• Monitor and control operational expenditure, escalating variances above ±5% of approved budgets.

4. People & Culture

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team across business development, technical delivery, and client management functions.
• Foster a culture of performance, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning within SmartNology.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and implement development plans for all direct reports.
• Champion staff engagement, retention, and professional growth across the subsidiary.

5. Partnership & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with technology vendors, cloud providers, government agencies, and enterprise clients.
• Represent SmartNology at high-level client engagements, negotiations, and technology forums.
• Collaborate with Group entities (SmartFoundry, SmartLab, SmartStudio, SmartCodes) to deliver integrated, cross-subsidiary solutions.
• Maintain strong relationships with existing clients to ensure satisfaction, retention, and incremental revenue growth.

6. Governance & Reporting

• Provide accurate and timely performance reports to GCOO and Group leadership on business growth, operations, and risks.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, contractual, and governance requirements across all SmartNology activities.
• Maintain robust documentation of contracts, partnerships, project milestones, and client engagements.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field (Master's preferred).
• Minimum 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in the ICT sector, with at least 3 years in a senior management role.
• Proven track record of growing technology businesses, managing P&Ls, and delivering complex ICT projects in the African market.
• Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, AI, and IaaS solutions.
• Demonstrated experience in business development, client management, and team leadership.
• Excellent knowledge of the African technology landscape, regulatory environment, and enterprise procurement processes.

Core Competencies

• Visionary technology leader with strong business acumen.
• Results-driven with a bias for execution and delivery excellence.
• Strong commercial and financial management skills.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and negotiation abilities.
• Collaborative team builder with high emotional intelligence.
• Innovative thinker with the ability to adapt strategies to dynamic market conditions.