Head of New Ventures&Ecosystem Innovation, Johannesburg

A leading financial services group operating across South Africa and select African markets is seeking a new joiner.

This established organization provides a full range of banking, insurance, asset management, and wealth solutions to a broad client base. They focus on delivering innovative financial services while maintaining a strong commitment to integrity, sustainable growth, and positive impact in the communities they serve.

The role offers a stable, professional environment with opportunities for development in a dynamic sector.

Head: New Ventures and Ecosystem Innovation Location:

Johannesburg, South Africa

Final title might be aligned with the experience and seniority of the successful candidate.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end development of new ventures, from opportunity identification and concept validation through to market launch and early growth.

Define venture strategy, market entry approaches, and growth pathways.

Conduct market analysis and customer discovery to identify high-potential opportunities.

Design and validate scalable business models with strong unit economics.

Develop and evaluate venture investment cases, including commercial and financial models.

Assess venture economics, scalability, and capital efficiency to guide strategic decision‑making.

Drive structured experimentation and rapid testing of venture hypotheses.

Work closely with product, technology, and commercial teams to build and scale new solutions.

Establish venture metrics, milestones, and operating disciplines to guide performance and growth.

Mentor and develop venture teams, fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and execution.

Engage with partners and the broader innovation ecosystem to identify opportunities and accelerate venture growth.

Education

Bachelor's degree required

MBA strongly preferred, ideally with a focus on entrepreneurship, strategy, innovation, or venture development

Experience

10–15+ years of relevant experience

Experience in startups, venture studios, scale‑ups, or new business creation environments

Demonstrated track record of building ventures from concept to scale

Experience working closely with product, technology, and commercial teams

Exposure to African market dynamics is strongly advantageous

Core Capabilities

Venture building and venture incubation

Business model design and venture strategy

Strong understanding of unit economics and venture economics

Customer discovery and opportunity validation

Financial modelling and commercial analysis

Data‑driven experimentation and lean startup methodologies

Leadership&Mindset The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

A strong builder mindset

Comfort operating in uncertain and ambiguous environments

A bias toward action and disciplined experimentation

The ability to coach and develop high‑performing venture teams

Intellectual curiosity and a willingness to learn quickly through iteration

Employment Equity Preference will be given to suitably qualified Black African female candidates.

#J-18808-Ljbffr