About this role
Build banking for the businesses South Africa forgot. This space is still being shaped. You'd help shape it. Most engineering roles ask you to build on what's already decided. This one asks you to help decide what gets built. We need a senior engineer who leads technical initiatives, designs complex systems and drives architectural decisions – in a space that is still emerging. The team is building banking services for entrepreneurs, small businesses and side-hustlers who haven't had suitable products before. The engineering you do here has a direct line to real economic change for people who have been underserved for too long. If you thrive on ownership, ambiguity and direct business exposure – read on. What you'll do here Take ownership of selected back-end domains within our emerging markets platform Lead the design of complex back-end systems and make architectural decisions that drive our technical standards Build and maintain integrations that power entrepreneur accounts, merchant acquisition and payment services – including account lifecycles, transactions, payment rails and cards Design and implement distributed, event-driven and domain-driven solutions Mentor and provide leadership to the existing engineering team Engage directly with stakeholders and senior business leaders to translate business objectives into technical solutions Evaluate and introduce technologies that move the platform forward and improve development processes Proactively identify questions, gaps and opportunities beyond your immediate tasks – the team needs people who look further than the ticket in front of them Our tech stack Java and Spring Boot – your primary back-end environment Kafka – event-driven architecture and messaging PostgreSQL – our primary data store AWS – where we build and run at scale Terraform – infrastructure as code and DevOps tooling Odin ecosystem – internal tooling and platform integrations AI-assisted development – we use AI tooling actively to amplify what engineers can do What you bring Experience 6+ years of proven back-end software development experience, delivering production-grade systems at scale Deep expertise in Java and Spring Boot within event-driven or distributed systems Hands-on experience with Kafka (Or Similar), PostgreSQL and AWS Working knowledge of Terraform or DevOps practices is a strong advantage Experience with domain-driven design and event-driven architectures is highly valued Experience in payments, fintech or financial services environments preferred The ability to engage confidently with senior business stakeholders – not just engineers Proven ability to work independently and take ownership Education Minimum: Grade 12 National Certificate Preferred: A relevant tertiary qualification in information technology Knowledge You can apply expert-level knowledge and develop others' understanding across: Event-driven and domain-driven architectures Advanced Java programming and Spring Boot ecosystem Distributed systems design, including the saga pattern and resilience patterns such as circuit breakers and bulkheads Database systems and query optimisation (SQL and NoSQL) RESTful API design and integration Message-based systems and Kafka event streaming Cloud computing platforms and services (AWS) Infrastructure as code using Terraform Testing practices – unit, integration and contract testing IT systems development processes (SDLC), agile delivery and version control What's in it for you This is where engineers with real conviction do some of their most impactful work. You're not looking for a role where the decisions are already made and you're just there to execute. You want ownership, exposure and the chance to build something that matters. Here's what we offer. Genuine technical autonomy The team operates with substantial engineering independence. You'll shape how requirements are designed, challenge assumptions, engage stakeholders directly and make technical decisions that stick. You'll have real influence over technical direction and the ability to evaluate and introduce new technologies – not just inherit someone else's choices. Work that opens doors for people This team is building banking for South African entrepreneurs, small businesses and informal traders who haven't had the right products until now. The integrations and payment infrastructure you build will create real economic access for people who need it. That's not a value statement – it's the brief. A small team where your contribution is visible The emerging markets team is intentionally lean. Your work will be seen, your decisions will matter and your leadership will be felt by the people working alongside you. AI-assisted engineering The team actively uses AI tooling to amplify what engineers can do. You'll work in an environment that treats AI as a practical productivity multiplier, not a future concept. Growth that's real, not just promised We believe in investing in the growth and development of our people and proactively encourage continuous learning and development. We have a high internal promotion rate; if you are a self-starter who takes initiative and is motivated to be the best you can be the opportunities for growth are endless. A culture built on trust We welcome diverse thinking, promote a learning environment, and encourage each team member to use the available opportunities to grow and unlock their potential. We value humility, informality and entrepreneurial spirit. No politics. No suits. No micromanagement. Flexibility where it counts You can be based at either of our head offices in Cape Town or Johannesburg, with a hybrid schedule of up to three days in the office. Ready to build something that opens doors? Apply on our careers site or find the role on LinkedIn. Additional Information Clear criminal and credit record