General Manager - Data Products Engineering.Group Strategy and Transformation

Global Influences/Industry Considerations:

•    Accelerated growth in enterprise demand for data-driven insights, location intelligence, and advanced analytical solutions integration internal and 3rd-party data and solutions to offer innovative solutions
•    Emergence of new monetisation pathways such as Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), API marketplaces, and ecosystem licensing models 
•    Extremely high emphasis on data quality, execution agility, speed to insight, compliance assurance, integration of new technologies, and cross-functional execution

Organization Values: At MTN we believe that understanding our people’s needs and aspirations is key to creating experiences that delight you at work, every day. We are committed to fostering an environment where every member of our Y’ello Family is heard, understood, and empowered to live an inspired life. Our values keep us grounded and moving in the right direction. Most importantly, they keep us honest. It is not something we claim to be. It is in our DNA.
As an organisation, we consider it our mission to create an exciting and rewarding place to work, where our people can be themselves, thrive in positivity and ignite their full potential. A workplace that boosts creativity and innovation, improves productivity, and ultimately drives meaningful results. A workplace that is built on relationships and achieving a purpose that is bigger than us. This is what we want you to experience with us!
Our commitments go beyond an organisational promise. It is in our leadership and managerial ethos to meaningfully partner with our employees, customers, and stakeholders with a vision to realise our shared goals. 

Our values dubbed, LIVE Y’ello, are the cornerstone of our culture.

Lead with Care

Can-do with Integrity

Collaborate with Agility

Serve with Respect

Act with Inclusion

Data Monetisation Strategy and Vertical Prioritization

•    Define  data monetisation strategy with prioritised use cases for retail, insurance, transport, and digital advertising sectors
•    Partner with Group Strategy and OpCos to align the monetization roadmap with market opportunities and regulatory readiness
•    Translate global trends in data monetization into actionable strategies tailored for MTN Group
•    Facilitate cross-functional workshops to align on monetization objectives and market targeting

2.    Infrastructure, Product Development and Commercial Delivery

•    Lead the design and development of scalable, high-impact data products across domains such as customer insights & segmentation, mobility intelligence, and location/geospatial analytics
•    Translate business and market needs into data-driven solutions, collaborating with product managers and commercial teams to define packaging, delivery models, and pricing frameworks tailored to target industry verticals
•    Ensure modular, scalable product architectures that adapt to diverse client and OpCo requirements
•    Collaborate with platform engineering to standardize delivery and access protocols using advanced technologies
•    Oversee end-to-end engineering execution, from data ingestion and processing to modelling and visualization on MTN’s data platform
•    Ensure robust architecture, performance, scalability, and security of data solutions across Group and OpCos
•    Architect and build out required high-performance and high-security technical infrastructure to facilitate data processing and solution design and deployment, in collaboration with MTN’s technology and cybersecurity teams to ensure system reliability, security, and compliance
•    Drive adoption of best practices in DevOps, Mops, and automated data pipelines
•    Establish a culture of innovation, technical excellence, and continuous learning within engineering and product teams
•    Identify and integrate emerging technologies, data partnerships, and innovation opportunities to evolve MTN’s analytics product portfolio

3.    GTM and Channel Enablement

•    Co-develop go-to-market strategies in collaboration with DataCo and OpCo sales teams to drive effective commercialization of data products
•    Equip channel teams with technical sales kits, demos, and commercial playbooks, and deliver targeted training
•    Monitor sales enablement effectiveness and continuously refine collateral based on field feedback and performance insights
•    Provide extensive support to DataCo Technical Pre-Sales teams during client engagements, including contracting, SLA definition, and provisioning for priority clients. Deliver technical input, build proof-of-concepts, and respond to client requirements across industry verticals

4.    Deal Structuring and Partner Management

•    Identify and structure strategic technical and capability partnerships to scale DataCo’s delivery capacity, clearly articulating the business rationale and operating models
•    Facilitate co-sell agreements, joint value propositions, and revenue-sharing frameworks with ecosystem partners
•    Engage with C-suite stakeholders to secure support and alignment for key partnerships
•    Regularly review customer feedback on DataCo products and services and integrate insights into agile product improvements and new opportunities

5.    Risk, Governance & Compliance Alignment

•    Ensure all monetization constructs adhere to data privacy, consent, and regulatory compliance frameworks
•    Collaborate with Legal, Risk, and Compliance teams to embed trusted data practices across the organization
•    Develop proactive mitigation strategies to address regulatory changes impacting data monetization
•    Participate in internal audit and risk governance forums to ensure accountability, transparency, and traceability

Education:

•    Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field.  
•    Master’s or higher degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or Data Analytics-related fields strongly preferred
•    Certification in A.I. technologies, Big Data Analytics, Agile ways of work, data commercialisation, digital product management or analytics value realisation is advantageous

Experience:

•    Atleast 10+ years of progressive experience in data science, AI/ML, analytics product development, and/or data platform engineering, CI/CD methodologies
•    Proven leadership of cross-functional data/engineering and IT teams in a commercial environment
•    Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), big data tools (Spark, Hadoop), and modern ML/AI frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc.)
•    Strong exposure to B2B analytics use cases and technical pre-sales engagements, with a strong orientation toward solution design and consultative sales
•    Experience working across multiple countries or regions (Africa experience highly advantageous)
•    Proven track record in launching and scaling commercial data products within telecom, fintech, or platform-based business models
•    Deep experience collaborating across multi-disciplinary teams and engaging with senior stakeholders at client organizations
Competencies:
•    Strategic Monetization Planning: Demonstrates strategic thinking and business orientation; translates data assets into revenue streams aligned with market needs
•    Product and Pricing Strategy: Designs and operationalizes monetization models, bundles, and API pricing structures
•    Market and Partner Insight: Understands external vertical dynamics and co-develops compelling value propositions
•    Cross-Functional Execution: Coordinates Legal, Sales, Platform, and DataCo delivery teams to drive go-to-market impact
•    Commercial Storytelling: Clearly articulates value propositions for enterprise buyers and strategic partners
•    Regulatory Sensitivity: Crafts monetization strategies that are compliant, auditable, and ethically grounded
•    Technical Acumen and Agility: Provides leadership in technical architecture and product engineering; possesses strong expertise in data science and AI/ML solutioning. Executes with agility in fast-paced environments and demonstrates exceptional creativity in problem-solving