Cape Town City Centre: Senior Project Manager

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead a large-scale, complex project involving multiple stakeholders, workstreams, and delivery teams. This role will be responsible for establishing the project structure, governance framework, and delivery approach required to drive successful execution across business and technology functions. The successful candidate will provide leadership across planning, stakeholder engagement, risk and dependency management, vendor coordination, and project governance, ensuring delivery is achieved on time, within budget, and aligned to strategic business objectives.  Please note: This role is a 6-month project contract. What you’ll do: The Project Manager will establish and maintain the delivery framework required to coordinate all activities across the initiative. Their responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: Setting up the overall project structure, including governance forums, roles and responsibilities. Coordinating and facilitating workshops with stakeholders, delivery teams, and external vendors. Developing and maintaining a consolidated project plan with clear milestones for each workstream. Tracking progress across all teams and providing consolidated reporting to stakeholders. Managing dependencies, risks, and issues across business and technical teams. Overseeing contracting and engagement with external service providers or vendors as required. Ensuring alignment across business, technology, compliance, and operations stakeholders. Providing regular communication and updates to senior leadership on progress and blockers. Core Requirements Executive Engagement Demonstrated experience managing and influencing C-suite and senior executive stakeholders (CFOs, COOs, Board level etc.) directly Ability to translate complex technical and delivery complexity into clear executive narratives — both written (programme reports, board packs) and verbal (steering committees, leadership briefings) Comfortable challenging and aligning executives where there is disagreement or lack of direction, with gravitas and diplomacy Experience owning and running programme steering committees and governance forums at executive level Planning Complex Coordination Strong command of integrated programme planning — managing interdependencies across multiple workstreams, squads, vendors, and functions simultaneously Proficiency in building and maintaining master delivery roadmaps that span 12–24 month horizons Experience running RAID management (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies) at programme — not just project — level Skilled at critical path analysis and scenario planning under uncertainty Operating in Ambiguous Siloed Environments Proven ability to operate and drive clarity in environments with high ambiguity — able to create structure and governance where little exists Experience breaking down organisational silos and building cross-functional alignment across disparate business units, teams, or geographies Adept at facilitating alignment workshops, establishing ways of working, and building a shared programme culture from scratch Comfortable defining scope, priorities, and ways of working when these are unclear or contested Your expertise: 8–12 years of programme management experience, with at least 5 years at senior level managing complex, multi-workstream digital programmes Proven track record of delivering large-scale digital transformation programmes end-to-end (not just projects) Mastery of programme governance — owning programme-level risks, dependencies, budgets, and benefits realisation Certified in a recognised methodology (MSP, PgMP, or equivalent) — not just project-level (PMP/PRINCE2) Qualifications: Relevant Tertiary Degree in (Finance, Information Technology, Computer Science) Essential Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMI- PMP / PgMP / ACP / CAPM) / PRINCE 2 Agile Practitioner, SAFe Lean Portfolio Management, Preferred Qualifications : Certified Scrum Master (CSM) Other information applicable to the opportunity: Short-term Contract Position: 6 Months Location: Pinelands, Cape Town (Hybrid) Why work for us? Want to work for an organization that solves complex real-world problems with innovative software solutions? At iOCO, we believe anything is possible with modern technology, software, and development expertise. We are continuously pushing the boundaries of innovative solutions across multiple industries using an array of technologies.? You will be part of a consultancy, working with some of the most knowledgeable minds in the industry on interesting solutions across different business domains.? Our culture of continuous learning will ensure that you will have all the opportunities, tools, and support to hone and grow your craft.? By joining IOCO you will have an open invitation to developer inspiring forums. A place where you will be able to connect and learn from and with your peers by sharing ideas, experiences, practices, and solutions.? iOCO is an equal opportunity employer with an obligation to achieve its own unique EE objectives in the context of Employment Equity targets. Therefore, our employment strategy gives primary preference to previously disadvantaged individuals or groups.