PROGRAM MANAGER AT INTERSWITCH GROUP

About Company:

Interswitch is an Africa-focused integrated digital payments and commerce company that facilitates the electronic circulation of money as well as the exchange of value between individuals and organisations on a timely and consistent basis. We started operations in 2002 as a transaction switching and electronic payments processing, and have progressively evolved into an integrated payment services company, building and managing payment infrastructure as well as delivering innovative payment products and transactional services throughout the African continent. At Interswitch, we offer unique career opportunities for individuals capable of playing key roles and adding value in an innovative and fun environment.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Description:

• To plan and manage the delivery of Product Innovation projects, coordinate project resources and monitor progress and completion to ensure the on time and on specification delivery of new products.
• To develop and drive diligent implementation of high impact programmes across Interswitch, while continuously adapting to the growing needs of the business and building sustainable practices that can help grow and scale Interswitch’s products.
• To empower product management teams to efficiently deliver high-scale solutions and products to customers by breaking down high-level ambitions and strategies into tactical execution.
• To plan and manage the delivery of Product Innovation projects, coordinate project resources and monitor progress and completion to ensure the on time and on specification delivery of new products.

Responsibilities
Project Scope Definition:

• Manage the delivery of research, workshops, and other activities to support the specification and agreement of projects and programme deliverables.
• Plan and deliver projects or programmes using an appropriate project management methodology to ensure intended outcomes are achieved.
• Partner with Product Managers to establish goals, roadmaps, and operational models for engaging with cross-functional teams.
• Define initiative-level programme roadmaps with a macro-view of all supporting work streams, driving overall programme completion.
• Facilitate regular programme/project status and design review meetings, ensuring the right stakeholders are involved.
• Document decisions and action items, and follow up with owners to prevent deviations from project scope.

Stakeholder Management:

• Plan and deliver stakeholder engagement activities to develop effective project working relationships.
• Ensure stakeholder needs and concerns are identified and addressed.
• Serve as the bridge between business functions (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Finance), aligning stakeholders on initiatives.
• Communicate standards, guidelines, processes, governance, and performance expectations with cross-functional stakeholders and executives.
• Manage workflow through delegation, scheduled check-ins, and feedback loops.
• Partner with Product Managers to establish programme goals, roadmaps, and operational models, ensuring alignment and delivery.

Project Risk and Issue Management:

• Evaluate portfolio performance against key metrics, taking corrective actions where needed.
• Provide executives with portfolio-level transparency into status, dependencies, issues, and risks.
• Identify and evaluate risks, issues, dependencies, and constraints, escalating where appropriate.
• Anticipate obstacles and potential risks, implementing solutions to mitigate them.
• Apply structured change management methodologies to build acceptance of change and embed desired culture/behaviours.

Project Resource Management:

• Manage the allocation of programme/project budgets, control costs, and address deviations promptly.
• Develop tactical plans to optimise resources and assets within programmes and projects.
• Prepare workforce planning reports and budget forecasts.
• Proactively manage project costs, provide forecasts, and present variances with narratives at review points.

Innovative Products Programme Portfolio Management:

• Translate strategic innovative product initiatives into a programme portfolio aligned with Interswitch’s strategic objectives.
• Prioritise and align programmes and projects to maximise resource use while managing time and budget constraints.
• Build synergies between related programmes and projects.
• Produce project plans with clearly identified and organised activities to achieve programme objectives.
• Ensure compliance with Interswitch’s portfolio management frameworks and decision-making structures.
• Draft elements of programme management frameworks/tools, ensuring adherence to design principles.
• Compile review reports and presentations with key insights and recommendations for stakeholders.

Promote Culture of Innovation:

• Promote a culture of innovation through initiatives such as idea-generation platforms, jam sessions, and hackathons.
• Provide means (research, ideas, solutions) to prototype innovation business cases that shape strategy and roadmaps.

Technical Competencies:
Project Change Management:

• Identify, manage, and control project-related changes independently.
• Guide and train others on contract change control, managing requirements changes, and maintaining project scope documentation.
• Tools: Change Management Plan, Change Log/Register, Change Requests, Scope Documents.

Project Resource Planning and Control:

• Identify, acquire, and manage project resources (physical and human).
• Provide guidance on resource allocation and workforce planning.
• Tools: Resource Management Plan, Estimating, RACI/RASCI Matrix.

Project Tracking and Reporting:

• Measure and report progress toward milestones to keep projects on track.
• Train others on project tracking frameworks.
• Tools: Performance Reports, Schedule/Status Reporting.

Project Scope Management:

• Manage scope identification, verification, and changes.
• Provide independent oversight and mentoring on requirements management.
• Tools: Requirements Documentation, Scope Baseline, Validation & Verification Plans, Scope Statement.

Stakeholder Expectation Management:

• Identify and analyse stakeholders, manage relationships, and align expectations.
• Tools: Communications Plans, Conflict Management/Resolution, and Expectation Management Frameworks.

Project Communications Management:

• Ensure timely creation, distribution, and archiving of project information.
• Tools: Communications Plan, Performance Reports, Status Updates.

Project Organisation and Structure:

• Build project team structures and cultures, define roles/responsibilities.
• Tools: Kanban boards, Sprint Planning, Sprint Demonstrations, and Retrospectives.

Project Portfolio Management:

• Develop and manage portfolio-level strategic plans and roadmaps.
• Tools: Portfolio Charter, Portfolio Roadmap, Strategic Plans.

Project Benefits Management:

• Identify, track, and ensure delivery of programme/project benefits.
• Tools: Benefits Planning, Realisation Plans, Business Cases, Benefits Transition.

Project Business Acumen:

• Apply entrepreneurial spirit to run projects within business parameters.

Project and Programme Risk Management:

• Identify, monitor, analyse, and prioritise risks; develop and implement mitigation plans.
• Tools: Risk Register, Probability/Impact Matrix, Risk Management Plan, Alternative Planning, Categorisation.

Project and Programme Schedule Management:

• Manage project schedules, align resources, and control delivery timelines.
• Tools: Critical Path Analysis, Gantt Charts, Precedence Diagrams, Schedule Baselines, WBS.

Strategic Project and Programme Alignment:

• Align projects with organisational strategy and execution frameworks.
• Tools: Strategic Execution Frameworks, Alignment Plans.

Requirements:

Education:

• University first degree in Business, Computer Science, Project Management, or related field.

Experience:

• General Experience: At least 8 years in Programme/Project Management roles, ideally in financial services or the payments industry.
• Managerial Experience: Minimum 3 years coordinating people and resources to deliver results within defined timeframes.

Salary

Application Closing Date: Not specified

Application Instructions:

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO APPLY

Note: Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.