Strategy and Enablement Manager – Transactional Banking SA

Absa is seeking a strategic and analytical professional to join their Transactional Banking division in South Africa as a Strategy and Enablement Manager. This pivotal role is designed for an individual who thrives on driving business performance, supporting executive decision-making, and facilitating impactful change within a dynamic banking environment. If you possess a passion for strategic execution and a knack for turning data into actionable insights, this opportunity could be your next career move.

The core of this position involves partnering closely with senior leadership to steer the strategic and operational trajectory of Transactional Banking South Africa. You will be instrumental in translating high-level strategies into tangible execution plans, meticulously tracking progress, and identifying potential risks and opportunities along the way. A key responsibility will be to coordinate and monitor the delivery of key strategic initiatives, ensuring they remain aligned with the overarching business objectives. This requires a proactive approach to anticipating challenges and collaborating across the franchise to drive successful outcomes.

Performance Management and Insight Generation

A significant aspect of the role centres on robust performance reporting and the generation of critical business insights. You will be responsible for managing business performance dashboards and management information systems, providing a clear overview of how the business is tracking against its goals. This involves a deep dive into business and sales performance trends, analysing the data to unearth actionable insights that can inform strategic adjustments and operational improvements. The ability to translate complex data into clear, data-driven recommendations for the executive team will be paramount. You will be the go-to person for understanding what drives performance and where improvements can be made to achieve financial, strategic, and operational objectives.

Governance and Executive Support

This position also plays a crucial role in the governance framework and executive enablement within Transactional Banking. You will coordinate various governance forums, leadership meetings, and executive committee sessions, ensuring they are well-structured and productive. A significant part of this will involve preparing high-quality executive presentations, strategic updates, and management reports that effectively communicate progress, challenges, and recommendations. Maintaining accountability for business commitments, actions, and decisions will be essential, ensuring that agreed-upon items are actioned and delivered upon.

Driving Efficiency and Stakeholder Alignment

Beyond strategy and governance, the Strategy and Enablement Manager will contribute to enhancing operational effectiveness and sales enablement. This means driving initiatives aimed at boosting business productivity and efficiency across the various functions. You will be involved in refining reporting mechanisms, optimising processes, and improving overall ways of working. Furthermore, building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders across Sales, Product, Coverage, Finance, Human Capital, and other support functions is vital. Acting as a central coordination point for strategic and cross-functional initiatives, you will foster alignment and collaboration across the broader Transactional Banking leadership team, ensuring a unified approach to achieving business goals.

In South Africa, roles like this within major financial institutions typically require a strong foundation in finance, business management, or strategy, often backed by a relevant degree. A CA(SA) qualification is highly regarded, particularly given the emphasis on financial acumen and reporting. Experience levels of 5-8 years in strategic planning, business performance management, and executive support are common for such positions. These roles often lead to broader strategic management or leadership positions within the financial services sector, offering significant career progression. Employers can range from large banking groups like Absa to other financial services firms and large corporates. The remuneration for such a skilled and experienced professional would generally be competitive within the South African market, reflecting the critical nature of the responsibilities.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification in Business, Finance, Strategy, or a related discipline will be advantageous.
• CA(SA) qualification preferred.

Experience

• 5–8 years' experience in business management, finance, strategy, consulting, corporate banking, or a related environment.
• Experience supporting senior executives and leadership teams.
• Strong background in financial management, business performance reporting, and strategic planning.
• Experience preparing executive committee, board, and governance reporting.
• Proven ability to coordinate complex cross-functional initiatives.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Strategic thinking and analytical capability.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Sound understanding of governance, risk, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong planning, organisation, and execution capabilities.
• Ability to translate data and insights into business actions.

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)