Senior AI/ML Specialist

The Senior AI and ML Specialist is accountable for leading Postbank’s enterprise AI and machine-learning capabilities for assigned domains. This role defines the AI/ML strategy, standards, governance, responsible AI controls, and MLOps practices. You will prioritize the AI/ML portfolio, direct AI and ML developers, and provide authoritative specialist leadership over high-impact AI/ML solutions that support secure, ethical, auditable, and scalable operational decision-making.

Job Responsibilities

AI/ML Strategy, Portfolio, and Governance

• Translate Postbank priorities into a comprehensive AI/ML roadmap, standards, and delivery portfolio for assigned domains.
• Prioritize AI/ML initiatives based on strategic value, feasibility, risk, data readiness, regulatory implications, resource availability, and operational benefit.
• Define standards for responsible AI, solution design, model development, validation, explainability, deployment, monitoring, security, and retirement.
• Advise the Head of Analytics and senior stakeholders on AI opportunities, constraints, risks, investment needs, and implementation options.
• Evaluate new AI technologies, tools, vendors, and platforms, recommending adoption, containment, or rejection based on value and risk.

AI/ML Solution Leadership and MLOps

• Lead complex AI/ML, deep-learning, NLP, optimization, automation, and generative-AI initiatives from concept to deployment handover.
• Approve or challenge AI architecture, algorithm choices, MLOps design, testing strategies, monitoring thresholds, and integration approaches.
• Coordinate implementation dependencies with technology, BI, automation, data, risk, operations, compliance, and business stakeholders.
• Oversee the design and maintenance of MLOps practices for secure, scalable, repeatable, and auditable AI/ML delivery.
• Present AI/ML findings, solution options, benefits, limitations, and risk implications to executive, operational, and technical audiences.

Responsible AI, Risk, Compliance, and Auditability

• Own AI/ML governance artifacts, model registers, responsible-AI evidence, deployment documentation, and monitoring evidence for assigned domains.
• Ensure compliance with POPIA, FSCA requirements, internal data-governance policies, information-security standards, and model-risk controls.
• Oversee fairness, bias, explainability, privacy, robustness, security, drift, and performance monitoring for all AI/ML solutions.
• Coordinate audit, assurance, regulatory, and internal-control evidence relating to AI/ML solutions.
• Escalate material ethical, operational, security, or compliance risks and recommend targeted control improvements.

People, Resource, and Capability Leadership

• Lead, allocate, and monitor the work of AI and ML developer resources in line with portfolio priorities, quality gates, and deadlines.
• Set clear role expectations, review performance inputs, coach AI engineering capabilities, and identify ongoing development needs.
• Contribute to recruitment, onboarding, probation input, workforce planning, and succession planning for AI/ML roles.
• Manage workload, operational continuity, leave planning, and delivery risk across all AI/ML workstreams.
• Promote a professional, responsible, secure, and innovation-oriented AI delivery culture aligned with Postbank values.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Software Engineering, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative/technology field (NQF Level 7).
• Honours or Master’s degree in AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, Computer Science, Analytics, or a related field (NQF Level 8/9) (Ideal).
• 8+ years of relevant Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning experience at a specialist level.
• 5+ years of managerial or team lead experience.
• Relevant experience in the banking industry (Advantageous).

Skills and Attributes

• Uncompromising integrity, honesty, and professional ethics.
• Respectful and professional conduct at all times.
• Strong personal accountability and ownership.
• A commitment to excellence in every deliverable.
• High levels of resilience and perseverance when facing obstacles.
• Self-motivation and the ability to operate independently.
• A passion for continuous learning and intellectual curiosity.
• Loyalty to team objectives and organizational success.

Phase Target Skills and Tech Stack Mapping

• Core Data & BI Engineering: Database optimization, automated ETL pipelines, stored procedures. Tech Stack: SQL Server (SSMS, SSIS), Power Query, Power BI (DAX), Tableau, SAS.
• Predictive AI & Automation: Binary classification, feature engineering, regression trees, ensemble learning, survival analysis, lifetime value (LTV) estimation, and NLP. Tech Stack: Python (scikit-learn, XGBoost, lifelines, HuggingFace), R, SQL Server, Power Query, Power BI.
• Advanced Optimization & Geo: Location allocation algorithms, spatial clustering, spatial regression, constrained optimization, attribution modeling, and marketing mix modeling (MMM). Tech Stack: ArcGIS, Python (GeoPandas, PySAL, SciPy.optimize), R.

How to Apply

If you wish to apply and meet the requirements, please forward your Curriculum Vitae (CV).