Role Purpose
The purpose of the role is to drive the execution, standardisation, and continuous improvement of DevOps and DevSecOps practices across the software development lifecycle. The role balances development, deployment, automation, and operational reliability to enable secure, scalable, and resilient technology platforms. Operating as a senior individual contributor and functional expert, the role defines and embeds DevOps standards, tooling, and automated deployment patterns, while supporting high‑availability, cloud‑native platforms. The role works closely with development, architecture, security, and operations teams to ensure efficient delivery, operational excellence, and platform stability, and plays a key role in enabling modern engineering practices across the Group.
Role Description
DevOps & DevSecOps Standards and Tooling:
- Define, implement, and mature DevOps and DevSecOps best practices, standards, and automated deployment patterns across the software delivery lifecycle.
- Design, build, and maintain CI/CD pipelines using enterprise DevOps platforms (e.g. Azure DevOps, AWS CodePipeline, GitHub, Bitbucket).
- Create and maintain reusable deployment templates and scripts for cloud and on‑premise environments.
- Continuously monitor and improve DevOps processes to reduce risk, minimise manual intervention, and improve reliability.
Cloud Infrastructure & Automation:
- Design, provision, and support scalable and resilient cloud infrastructure using infrastructure‑as‑code tools (e.g. Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible).
- Support containerised and microservices‑based architectures using Docker and Kubernetes, including deployment, scaling, and operational support.
- Contribute to cloud cost optimisation, capacity planning, and performance improvements.
- Support disaster recovery, business continuity, and platform resilience initiatives.
CI/CD, Quality & Security Enablement:
- Integrate automated testing, quality gates, and security controls into CI/CD pipelines.
- Collaborate with security teams to embed DevSecOps controls, vulnerability scanning, and compliance requirements into delivery pipelines.
- Support development and QA teams with pipeline integrations, test automation enablement, and deployment best practices.
- Review and validate code, pipeline configurations, and infrastructure definitions to ensure quality and compliance.
Operational Support & Observability:
- Support operational teams with incident management, troubleshooting, and root‑cause analysis related to DevOps platforms and pipelines.
- Contribute to monitoring, logging, and alerting practices to improve system observability and production stability.
- Participate in operational readiness, post‑incident reviews, and continuous improvement activities.
Coaching, Enablement & Collaboration:
- Act as a technical reference for DevOps practices, tooling, and deployment approaches.
- Coach, mentor, and support developers, DevOps engineers, QA engineers, and platform teams on DevOps and DevSecOps principles.
- Develop and maintain DevOps documentation, runbooks, standards, and training materials.
- Facilitate workshops and maturity assessments to identify DevOps capability gaps and recommend improvement roadmaps.
Qualifications and Experience
- Degree or Diploma in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field - (essential).
- Kubernetes certifications (CKA, CKAD, or CKS) - (beneficial).
- AWS or Azure DevOps / Cloud certifications - (beneficial).
- 2-3 years' experience in a senior DevOps, DevSecOps, or DevOps‑focused programming or similar role with exposure to software development and IT operations - (essential).
- Extensive experience with DevOps and SDLC tools, processes, and methodologies - (essential).
- Strong experience implementing and managing CI/CD pipelines using enterprise DevOps platforms - (essential).
- Experience with infrastructure‑as‑code tools (e.g. Terraform, CloudFormation) - (essential).
- Experience working in cloud environments (AWS and/or Azure) - (essential).
- Proficiency in scripting languages such as YAML, Bash, PowerShell, or Python - (essential).
- Experience with Agile and/or Waterfall delivery methodologies - (essential).
- Hands‑on experience with container orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, EKS, AKS) - (beneficial).
- Strong Linux systems administration and networking fundamentals (DNS, TLS, load balancing) - (beneficial).
- Experience implementing monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions in production environments - (beneficial).
- Exposure to cloud cost optimisation and capacity planning practices - (beneficial).
Key competencies and work ethic
- Technical leadership capability – Positively serves the team and shows an appreciation for team morale. Mentors team members, supporting their development and enabling them to deliver on their objectives.
- Collaborative partner – Builds strong relationships with stakeholders while driving cross functional work teams and projects. Open, honest and direct, comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback. Thinks and acts independently as well as collaboratively.
- Technology expert, bringing top-quality expertise to drive priorities while introducing new tools and practices. Is curious and adaptable, finds agile and rapid ways of implementing solutions fast.
- Analytical and detailed - Readily grasps new concepts and information, investigates various courses of action and integrates multiple sources of data to guide decision-making and identify optimal solutions.
- Innovative and solution-orientated – Thinks outside of the box. Sound judgment, quick decision-making and the ability to generate solutions that serve the flow of work and meeting deadlines.
- Results-driven - Proactively drives results, setting stretch goals for self and others, while remaining focused and working tenaciously to meeting and exceeding expectations within quality standards.
- Planning and organising – Able to timeously and efficiently prioritise and execute multiple and competing demands in a fast-paced environment. Identifies urgent and important tasks / priorities to ensure delivery.
- Business acumen - Understands how business operates and the issues and risks that drive technological success and impact commercial viability.
- Communication skills – Communicates effectively while being able to convert complex concepts into well-articulated messages. Adopts a range of influencing styles to facilitate and deal with challenges internally and externally.
- Flexible and resilient – Able to work in a fast-paced environment, balancing multiple and competing priorities while managing ambiguity and adapting as the business evolves.
Our Group and all its operating companies is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included.
We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally.
Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period.
If you don't hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.
