MTN is entering a new phase in its lifecycle in which commercial excellence, customer experience, disciplined execution and technologies such as AI are increasingly important to sustainable success. Competitive intensity, technological disruption and changing customer expectations heighten the need to connect strategy formulation directly to execution and measurable outcomes.
Under Ambition 2030, MTN’s strategy is built around Connectivity, Fintech and Digital Infrastructure, supported by cross-platform priorities that include leading customer experience, leveraging AI for growth and creating shared value.
The Senior Manager: Strategy & Transformation must operate effectively in the context of:
• A rapidly changing ICT, digital, fintech and infrastructure environment.
• Increasing competitive intensity and continued disruption from new technologies and business models.
• The geopolitical, geoeconomic and regulatory complexities affecting MTN’s African footprint.
• The need to translate Group strategic priorities into clear business, function and OpCo plans.
• Management of executive, Board and shareholder expectations.
• Delivery of strategic initiatives across organisational, functional and geographic boundaries.
• Achievement of growth, customer-experience, efficiency and shared-value outcomes.
• The integration of strategic initiatives into business plans, budgets, performance frameworks and management routines.
• Establishment of effective governance, decision rights, escalation paths and accountabilities.
• The changing role of people, processes and operating models in a human-digital AI environment, including reskilling, role redesign and appropriate controls.
The role must balance strategic insight with practical execution and demonstrate the ability to move between long-term enterprise thinking and detailed delivery management.
Lead with Care
Can-do with Integrity
Collaborate with Agility
Serve with Respect
Act with Inclusion
Strategy Development and Planning
• Support the formulation, review and refinement of MTN Group’s corporate strategy.
• Provide meaningful insights, strategic analysis, benchmarks and recommendations to inform the Group’s strategic direction.
• Analyse long-term global, regional, industry, customer, competitor and technology trends and assess their implications for MTN.
• Coordinate the Group strategic planning process, including planning timelines, strategic content, stakeholder inputs and governance requirements.
• Apply strategic foresight and scenario analysis to evaluate alternative futures, risks, opportunities and strategic responses.
• Support the development of Group strategic roadmaps, business plans and medium- to long-term priorities.
• Assess opportunities relating to new products, services, platforms, ecosystems, partnerships, diversification and market expansion.
• Provide competitive intelligence to support strategic choices and help MTN maintain a sustainable competitive position.
• Support the definition of MTN’s desired future state, portfolio choices and strategic positioning.
• Facilitate strategic dialogue across Group functions, business units and OpCos to promote an integrated enterprise-wide view.
• Test the strategic and commercial logic of major proposals, including expected value, feasibility, risk and alignment with Group priorities.
• Support the Executive in developing strategic alternatives and recommendations for consideration by Group Exco and other governance forums.
Strategy Translation and Transformation Delivery
• Translate approved strategic priorities into clearly defined strategic and transformation initiatives.
• Develop initiative charters, scope, objectives, outcomes, milestones, deliverables, resource requirements and measures of success.
• Lead selected Group-wide strategic and transformation workstreams from inception through implementation and handover.
• Develop practical delivery plans in consultation with business owners, functional leaders, subject-matter experts and implementation teams.
• Secure stakeholder alignment and commitment to the scope, delivery approach, funding, resources and intended outcomes.
• Lead cross-functional and cross-market teams, including internal resources, external advisers and specialist partners.
• Ensure that strategic initiatives are integrated into relevant business plans, budgets and performance frameworks.
• Coordinate with accountable business owners to support effective handover, adoption and operational sustainability.
• Support organisational change, communication and capability-building activities required to embed strategic initiatives.
• Identify barriers to execution and work with stakeholders to simplify processes, accelerate decisions and resolve delivery constraints.
• Maintain clear accountability for outcomes while ensuring that ownership transfers appropriately to the relevant business or functional area.
Programme and Project Management
• Establish fit-for-purpose governance for assigned strategic and transformation initiatives.
• Create and maintain integrated delivery plans, critical paths, milestones and decision calendars.
• Manage project status meetings and ensure timely decisions, actions and follow-through.
• Monitor delivery against agreed scope, schedule, budget and outcome measures.
• Identify and manage risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies that could affect delivery.
• Develop and monitor mitigation and recovery actions where initiatives are at risk.
• Escalate matters that may have a material impact on business outcomes, customers, employees, timing, cost or scope.
• Support the allocation and coordination of resources across internal teams, business units, OpCos, consultants and contractors.
• Maintain appropriate project documentation and decision records.
• Manage assigned programme and initiative budgets in line with business objectives and delegated authority.
• Ensure adherence to applicable MTN governance, financial, procurement, risk and compliance requirements.
Performance Monitoring and Benefits Realisation
• Define clear outcome measures and KPIs for strategic and transformation initiatives.
• Establish baselines, targets and measurement approaches in partnership with business owners and Finance.
• Track implementation progress and assess whether initiatives are delivering their intended strategic and financial outcomes.
• Monitor strategic benefits during implementation and after handover, where required.
• Identify gaps between the expected and realised benefits and recommend corrective action.
• Review performance against agreed KPIs and establish continuous-improvement plans.
• Maintain strategy and transformation dashboards that provide an integrated view of priorities, delivery progress, risks and outcomes.
• Ensure that performance information is accurate, decision-useful and provided to relevant governance forums on time.
• Support periodic reassessment of strategic drivers, assumptions and initiative priorities.
Emerging Technology and Data-Enabled Strategy
• Assess the strategic implications of AI, automation, autonomous systems and other emerging technologies for MTN’s businesses, operating model and competitive position.
• Identify AI-enabled opportunities that could support growth, customer experience, operational efficiency, innovation or improved decision-making.
• Incorporate relevant AI and technology developments into strategic foresight, scenario planning and competitive analysis.
• Use approved AI-enabled research, analytical and productivity tools to strengthen the quality and speed of strategic analysis and transformation delivery.
• Apply AI-enabled tools, where appropriate, to support synthesis, scenario analysis, programme monitoring, risk identification and management reporting.
• Work with relevant technology, data, risk and business stakeholders to assess potential AI opportunities and their strategic relevance.
• Promote responsible use of AI in accordance with MTN policies, data-confidentiality requirements, governance standards and appropriate human oversight.
• Maintain an informed understanding of developments in AI, digital platforms, fintech, data infrastructure and adjacent ecosystems relevant to MTN’s strategy.
Governance, Executive Support and Escalations
• Prepare high-quality strategy and transformation materials for Group Exco, Board and other senior governance forums.
• Ensure that submissions clearly articulate the strategic issue, available evidence, alternatives, risks, recommendations and decisions required.
• Support the Executive in proposing strategic alternatives and transformation priorities.
• Support reviews of OpCo strategic goals and their alignment with Group strategy.
• Participate in relevant strategy, transformation, business-planning, performance and governance meetings.
• Facilitate timely resolution of strategic and delivery issues through clear analysis and appropriate escalation.
• Manage and resolve escalations affecting the critical path of strategic initiatives.
• Escalate issues that could materially affect strategic outcomes, customers, employees, cost, scope, timing or organisational reputation.
• Maintain appropriate governance discipline without creating unnecessary process or slowing execution.
• Promote transparency and accountability for strategic decisions, actions and outcomes.
Stakeholder Management and Collaboration
• Establish trusted working relationships with Group executives, functional leaders, OpCo executives and key business stakeholders.
• Facilitate alignment across functions, markets and platforms on strategic priorities and transformation outcomes.
• Constructively challenge assumptions, proposals and delivery approaches while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.
• Communicate complex strategic and transformation topics clearly and succinctly, both verbally and in writing.
• Manage external consultants, contractors and specialist advisers in accordance with agreed scope, quality, timelines and budget.
• Maintain relationships with external industry experts to identify market trends, competitive developments, acquisition ideas and partnership opportunities.
• Create effective forums for collaboration, problem-solving and knowledge sharing across the Group.
• Influence stakeholders without relying on formal reporting authority.
Strategy and Transformation Capability Building
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of MTN’s strategy and transformation methodologies, processes and tools.
• Develop and maintain practical templates, playbooks and knowledge assets for strategic planning and transformation delivery.
• Capture and share lessons from completed strategic initiatives and transformation programmes.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to identify successes, challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Improve and standardise relevant strategy, programme-management and performance-management practices.
• Share external good practices and lessons across Group functions and OpCos.
• Build strategy and transformation capability within project teams and business areas through coaching, knowledge transfer and collaborative delivery.
• Support a culture of strategic thinking, disciplined execution, learning and continuous improvement.
Reporting
• Report monthly to management on strategy development, transformation delivery, key risks, decisions and outcomes.
• Prepare ad hoc analysis and reporting on specific strategic issues or initiatives when required.
• Ensure reporting provides a clear line of sight between strategic priorities, initiatives, resources, performance and realised benefits.
• Maintain executive-ready standards of accuracy, clarity, structure and insight in all written deliverables.
Role Dependencies
• Clear executive sponsorship and timely strategic direction.
• Active participation and ownership from Group functions, platforms and OpCos.
• Timely decision-making and resolution of escalated issues.
• Access to reliable financial, customer, market and operational information.
• Availability of appropriate subject-matter expertise and implementation resources.
• Coordination between strategy, transformation, finance, business planning, technology, risk, people and operational teams.
• Compliance with MTN policies, procedures and delegated authorities
Education:
• Minimum four-year tertiary degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, Technology or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification, MBA, CA or relevant Master’s degree is advantageous.
• Proficiency in English.
• French would be advantageous.
Experience
• Minimum five to eight years’ relevant experience in strategy, transformation, management consulting or a multinational business environment.
• Relevant management experience involving responsibility for the quality and delivery of work produced by cross-functional or project teams.
• Demonstrated experience in corporate strategy, strategic planning, strategic analysis or business planning.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex strategic or transformation initiatives.
• Experience leading multiple workstreams involving senior stakeholders, ambiguity and competing priorities.
• Experience in telecommunications, technology, media, fintech, financial services, digital infrastructure or an adjacent sector.
• Experience working in global or emerging markets and across diverse cultures and geographies.
• Experience developing executive and Board-level strategy or transformation materials.
• Experience defining KPIs, monitoring performance and assessing initiative outcomes.
• Exposure to the use of data, advanced analytics, AI-enabled tools or digital technologies for strategy, research, planning or decision support would be advantageous.
• Proven track record of translating strategic thinking into practical action and measurable delivery.
Strategic competencies
• Strategic thinking and planning.
• Strategic foresight and scenario analysis.
• Commercial and financial acumen.
• Competitive and market intelligence.
• Portfolio and business-model thinking.
• Analytical and conceptual problem-solving.
• Ability to identify the implications of complex external developments for the business.
Transformation and execution competencies
• Programme and project management.
• Strategy translation and implementation.
• Benefits realisation and performance management.
• Risk, issue and dependency management.
• Change management and stakeholder adoption.
• Process and business analysis.
• Prioritisation and resource management.
• Strong execution discipline and results orientation.
Leadership and interpersonal competencies
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams without relying on formal authority.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills.
• Stakeholder influence and relationship management.
• Constructive challenge and negotiation.
• Conflict management and resolution.
• Resilience and agility in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Ability to balance enterprise-wide thinking with attention to detail.
• Ability to build trust across Group, OpCo and external stakeholder groups.
• Commitment to developing colleagues and transferring capability.
Digital and AI competencies
• Digital and AI literacy.
• Understanding of the strategic opportunities and risks associated with AI and emerging technologies.
• Ability to use approved AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, analysis and decision support.
• Data-driven decision-making.
• Awareness of responsible AI principles, including confidentiality, appropriate governance and human oversight.
• Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning in relation to digital and technology developments.