Head of Identity & Privilege Access Management Operations (64990)

Job title: Head of Identity & Privilege Access Management Operations
Job type: Full-time
Emp type:
Salary type: Market related
Location: Johannesburg Metro
Job published: 12 May 2026
Job ID: 64990

Job Description

A market-leading, globally recognised financial services organisation is seeking an exceptional senior technology leader to take ownership of its enterprise Identity & Privileged Access Management environment

This is a rare opportunity to join a highly respected organisation known for innovation, world-class technology standards, and a culture that attracts some of the strongest technical talent in the industry. The environment is fast-paced, intellectually stimulating, and built around high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement

The successful candidate will play a critical role in protecting complex enterprise infrastructure across hybrid and cloud environments, driving strategic identity initiatives, strengthening security posture, and leading a high-performing global team responsible for mission-critical identity services

The Opportunity

  • Lead the strategy, governance, optimisation, and operational management of enterprise identity platforms spanning Active Directory, Entra ID / Azure AD, privileged access management, and least privilege security models
  • Work closely with executive leadership, cybersecurity, infrastructure, risk, and cloud teams to shape and mature enterprise-wide identity capabilities aligned to Zero Trust principles and modern security operating models

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead enterprise identity, privileged access, and directory services across hybrid environments
  • Drive the evolution of modern identity architecture integrating on-premises and cloud ecosystems
  • Oversee Active Directory operations, governance, hardening, replication, and lifecycle management
  • Lead enterprise PAM and least privilege initiatives across critical infrastructure
  • Implement and mature Just-in-Time (JIT) and Just-Enough-Access (JEA) frameworks
  • Ensure audit readiness, compliance alignment, and identity risk governance
  • Partner with cybersecurity, risk, audit, cloud, and infrastructure teams to strengthen enterprise security posture
  • Lead global technical teams across identity engineering, directory services, and access governance
  • Engage with senior stakeholders, regulators, and executive leadership on identity strategy and risk management
  • Drive operational excellence, resilience, disaster recovery, and high-availability identity platforms

What We're Looking For

  • 12+ years' experience within Identity, Directory Services, Cybersecurity, or Security Operations
  • Extensive leadership experience managing enterprise-scale identity environments
  • Strong expertise across Active Directory, Entra ID / Azure AD, PAM, BeyondTrust, hybrid identity environments, and Zero Trust security frameworks
  • Proven experience within financial services or similarly regulated industries
  • Strong stakeholder engagement and leadership capability
  • Ability to operate effectively within high-pressure, mission-critical environments

Preferred Certifications

  • CISSP
  • ITIL Foundation
  • Microsoft Identity / Entra ID Certifications
  • BeyondTrust Certification
  • CyberArk or equivalent PAM certifications

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

  • Join a globally respected financial services environment
  • Work with cutting-edge security and cloud technologies
  • Influence enterprise-wide security and identity strategy
  • Lead highly skilled global technical teams
  • Exposure to large-scale, complex, mission-critical infrastructure
  • Strong culture of innovation, autonomy, and technical excellence
  • Exceptional long-term career growth opportunities


This opportunity is ideally suited to a technically strong leader who thrives in sophisticated environments, enjoys solving complex security challenges, and wants to make a meaningful impact within a top-tier organisation

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