Head of Development and Innovation

About Reflex

Established in 2000 in South Africa, Reflex has evolved from modest origins to become a distinguished provider of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions. We specialise in delivering innovative ICT solutions across various industries, earning a sterling reputation for our excellence in the retail sector and beyond. With a robust network of partnerships, we pride ourselves on our ability to swiftly address the technological needs of our clients.

Our portfolio of ICT solutions spans various industries.

Reflex Carrier understands what is needed to build, manage, and operate complex backbone networks simply. Our solutions are tailored for Fibre Network Operators (FNO), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and those looking for comprehensive Managed Connectivity solutions.

On the other hand, our Enterprise Solutions take the complexity out of technology, allowing you to focus on what you do best. We provide seamless, high-performance solutions for connectivity, communications, workplace management, cloud, and cybersecurity services.

Together, both divisions reflect our core values of expertise, clarity, and client-centricity. We take pride in being large enough to offer extensive support while remaining small enough to provide personalised service. At Reflex, our clients are at the centre of everything we do, and we’re committed to delivering reliable, jargon-free solutions that drive your success.

About the role

The Head of Development and Innovation is accountable for leading and evolving the internal development capability at Reflex. This role ensures the delivery of high-quality, secure, and scalable applications that support both internal operations and client-facing services.

Beyond delivery, this role is a key driver of innovation, challenging conventional approaches, embedding emerging technologies (particularly AI), and shaping how Reflex builds, integrates, and experiences technology across its value chain.

Development Leadership & Delivery

Lead and manage a high-performing team of developers and project managers.

Establish and enforce structured development methodologies (Agile/Scrum) with strict sprint planning, execution, and delivery discipline.

Ensure consistent, predictable delivery of development initiatives aligned to business priorities.

Drive accountability across the team for timelines, quality, and outcomes.

Quality, Security & Standards

Ensure all applications meet defined quality, security, and performance standards.

Embed secure development practices (DevSecOps mindset).

Implement robust testing strategies (automated testing, regression, performance testing).

Implement effective and well documented release management practices

Drive reduction in defects, rework, and production incidents.

Innovation & AI Enablement (Critical Focus Area)

Champion a culture of innovation within the development team and broader business.

Drive the adoption of AI and automation to:

Accelerate development cycles

Improve code quality and testing

Enhance user and client experiences

Identify and implement emerging technologies that create competitive advantage.

Challenge existing processes, systems, and user journeys to continuously improve efficiency and experience.

Technology Strategy & Architecture

Own and evolve the development technology stack, ensuring it remains modern, relevant, and scalable.

Define and maintain architectural standards for applications and integrations.

Ensure alignment with broader data, integration, and platform strategies (e.g., portal, Data Warehouse, AI initiatives).

Evaluate and introduce new frameworks, tools, and platforms where appropriate.

Development Infrastructure Ownership

Take ownership of the development ecosystem, including:

Application environments (Dev, Test, Prod)

Servers, hosting platforms, and supporting services

Ensure high availability, scalability, and security of all development-related infrastructure.

Work closely with infrastructure, security, and operations teams to maintain standards.

Vendor & Partner Management

Manage third-party development partners, vendors, and consultants.

Ensure delivery quality, adherence to standards, and alignment with Reflex architecture.

Evaluate vendor performance and drive continuous improvement.

Governance, Documentation & Repositories

Ensure structured and well-maintained:

Code repositories (e.g., Git standards, branching strategies)

Documentation (technical, functional, architectural)

SOPs and development standards

Drive consistency, reusability, and knowledge sharing across the team.

Ensure compliance with internal governance and audit requirements

Minimum Requirements

Experience

8–12+ years in software development, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role.

Proven experience managing development teams and delivering complex projects.

Experience in both internal systems and client-facing application development.

Exposure to AI/automation in development environments (highly advantageous).

Technical Competencies

Strong understanding of modern development frameworks and architectures.

Experience with cloud platforms and scalable infrastructure.

Knowledge of DevOps / CI-CD pipelines and tools.

Familiarity with security best practices in application development.

Objective Key Results:

Objective 1: Build a High-Performing, Predictable Development Function

Intent: Move from reactive delivery to a disciplined, measurable, high-output team.

Key Results:

≥ 90% of sprint commitments delivered on time (measured per quarter)

Sprint velocity variance < ±15% across 3 consecutive sprints

≥ 95% of projects delivered within agreed timelines and scope

Team utilisation aligned to plan (±10% variance across dev capacity)

Developer engagement score ≥ 8/10 (internal survey)

Objective 2: Improve Application Quality, Stability, and Security

Intent: Reduce production issues while embedding engineering discipline and security.

Key Results:

≥ 40% reduction in production defects quarter-on-quarter

≥ 80% automated test coverage across critical applications

100% of applications aligned to secure development standards (DevSecOps)

Zero critical security vulnerabilities unresolved beyond SLA

Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) for dev-related incidents reduced by ≥ 30%

Objective 3: Accelerate Development Through AI & Automation

Intent: Make AI a real productivity multiplier, not a theoretical initiative.

Key Results:

≥ 50% of developers actively using AI-assisted development tools daily

≥ 30% reduction in development cycle time for standard features

≥ 25% reduction in bug rates through AI-assisted testing/review

Implement at least 3 AI-driven capabilities (e.g. code generation, test automation, ticket summarisation)

Documented AI usage standards and governance adopted across 100% of the team

Objective 4: Establish Strong Governance, Documentation & Reusability

Intent: Eliminate dependency risk and create a scalable, repeatable dev environment.

Key Results:

100% of active applications stored in centralised, governed repositories

100% of projects include updated technical documentation and SOPs

Standardised coding, branching, and release management adopted across all teams

≥ 30% reuse of components/services across new development initiatives

Audit readiness: all development artefacts available and compliant

Objective 5: Ensure Robust, Secure, and Scalable Development Infrastructure

Intent: Treat development platforms as critical production assets.

Key Results:

≥ 99.9% uptime across development and application environments

Zero major outages caused by unmanaged dev infrastructure

All environments (Dev/Test/Prod) clearly defined and governed

Automated CI/CD pipelines implemented for ≥ 80% of applications

Infrastructure scaling aligned to demand with no performance bottlenecks reported