Project Release Manager - Fixed Term Contract

Job description

Electrum is a next-generation payment software technology company.

Since 2012, we've delivered trusted, enterprise-grade, cloud-native software to optimise financial transaction processing. Our deep expertise has established us as a respected partner in high-volume, low-value payment schemes, enabling clients to deliver services to millions of South Africans daily.

At Electrum, we are grounded in impact – designing solutions that matter, acting with urgency, and continuously learning as we scale. We believe in creating together – working side by side with our clients and teams to build meaningful, lasting solutions. We prioritise making it safe – encouraging open communication, smart risk-taking, and trust so that creativity and alignment thrive. And we back empowered strong teams – hiring brilliant people, collaborating hard, and holding each other to high standards while leading with empathy and kindness.

When you join the Electrum team, you’ll get to: - Be part of the entire journey — from the spark of an idea to the final product launch. - Grow your skills through world-class training and hands-on learning every day. - Receive mentorship and guidance from industry leaders who are invested in your success. - Work in a dynamic, innovative workplace where collaboration and creativity thrive. - Tackle real-world customer challenges and see the impact of your work firsthand. - Explore plenty of opportunities to grow your career and expand your expertise. - Gain valuable experience in a leading FinTech environment , contributing to meaningful, high-impact projects.

The Opportunity

The Intermediate Engineering Release Manager is a 6-month fixed-term contract role responsible for coordinating and driving the software release process within the Engineering team, from planning through to go-live. The role ensures predictable, high-quality releases by coordinating cross-functional teams, managing deliverables, and aligning execution with Engineering’s objectives.

This multi-disciplinary role combines elements of Project Management, Program Management and Scrum Master responsibilities , with a strong focus on planning, execution, stakeholder alignment and continuous improvement.

We are looking for someone with an innate aptitude for optimisation, predictability and a big-picture mindset — someone who continually looks for better, more scalable ways of working and understands how effective day-to-day execution contributes to the strategic growth of both Engineering and Electrum.

The Role

Release Planning and Coordination

Ensuring efficient and productive work planning at a weekly cadence. Making the Engineering group more predictable by: - Leading weekly planning sessions with Engineering team leads - Vetting plans for risks and proactively flagging potential issues - Effectively compiling and assessing scenario plans for the delivery roadmap - Running prioritisation in collaboration with key cross-departmental stakeholders to ensure Engineering work is planned in alignment with business strategy

Release Process Management and Execution - Implementing and monitoring systems to track project execution and Engineering’s predictability toward committed milestones. - Managing Engineering project execution and the release lifecycle.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation - Proactively identifying and managing risk, scope, and quality for projects, releases, and release management systems.  - Forming and driving risk mitigation plans. - Driving compliance adoption across the Engineering organisation.

Communication and Reporting - Owning and improving communication to stakeholders outside of Engineering. - Keeping both Engineering and Electrum stakeholders informed on the progress and risk status of releases. - Data analysis and reporting, providing insights and suggestions for improvement.

Process Improvement, Tools and Optimisation - Improving project management and release practices within the Engineering organisation by proactively identifying process inefficiencies and friction areas. - Proposing and implementing process improvements, facilitating feedback sessions, and achieving stakeholder buy-in.  - Innovating new flows or systems, and designing and implementing them in existing or new tools.

Requirements - A University Degree. - 4 years experience in a project management role specifically - work with a software development team to deliver software projects using Agile methodologies; - in a role requiring communication in cross-functional teams; - in an analytical role closely involved in the delivery of technical projects; - creating release documentation and reporting. - demonstrating experience in proactive ownership of the release lifecycle and cross-functional project management  - demonstrating a strong affinity for improving processes and systems to make things better - Experience with release management tools and platforms.

Beneficial Experience - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field - Previous experience working in the Fintech industry. - Certified in Agile / Scrum methodologies.

Benefits

Why Join Electrum? - We believe in a People First approach, ensuring a culture where you can thrive and make a real difference

Your Career & Culture - Career Growth: Delivering world-class financial software is challenging, but your effort will earn you hands-on experience with products used by millions, accelerating your career. - Strong Teams : We keep teams small, focused, and collaborative to maximize impact . - Transparency : We openly discuss strategy, finances, and salaries. Mistakes are viewed as l earning opportunities that we actively discuss. - Autonomy : We trust you . You're expected to seek out the data needed for informed decisions and manage your own time—knowing when to focus and when to recharge. - Shared Vision : You'll have the power to shape the vision of how we build the future of financial services.

Practical Perks - Here's how we support our culture: - Generous Leave: Starting at 20 days per year. - Office Perks (Cape Town): Fully-stocked kitchen and daily catered lunch . - Social Life: Regular team activities like hikes, getaways, and dinners