Principal Software Engineer

About The Role

Team – Vitality Programme

Working Pattern - Hybrid – 2 days per week in the Vitality Sandton Office. Full time, 37.5 hours per week.

We are happy to discuss flexible working!

Top 3 skills needed for this role:

• Enterprise-Level Java & Modern Architecture Expertise
• Cross-Team Technical Leadership & Influence
• End-to-End Solution Ownership & Integration

What this role is all about:

Principal Software Engineers turn complexity into scalable, high-impact solutions. They partner across teams and domains to design, build, and evolve technology that enables seamless, customer-centric journeys and drives real business value.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead engineering direction across multiple teams and platforms, acting as a trusted authority on complex technical challenges. You will shape architecture, ensure integration across systems and value streams, and set the standard for modern engineering practices - raising the bar for quality, resilience, and innovation across the organisation.

Key Actions

• Lead end‑to‑end software development across multiple systems and platforms, from design through to delivery and optimization
• Drive alignment on complex, cross‑platform technical solutions with senior stakeholders and third‑party partners
• Solve high‑impact technical challenges, conducting root cause analysis and guiding robust, scalable solutions
• Define and apply architectural patterns and design principles to ensure secure, resilient, and future‑fit solutions
• Ensure seamless integration across systems, platforms, and customer journeys to enable cohesive outcomes
• Take ownership of system stability, release success, and the ongoing performance of critical applications
• Champion engineering standards and continuous improvement, embedding best practices, governance, and modern engineering approaches
• Coach and mentor engineers while collaborating across teams to uplift capability and enable effective delivery at scale

What do you need to thrive?

• Proven experience leading software development across large or multiple teams, with accountability for end‑to‑end delivery
• Strong ability to influence and align senior stakeholders and third‑party partners to deliver integrated, high‑quality solutions
• Deep expertise in solving complex, high‑impact technical challenges, including root cause analysis and scalable solution design
• Advanced knowledge of architectural and design patterns, with the ability to apply and coach these across teams
• Established leadership capability, including driving engineering standards, mentoring engineers, and elevating engineering excellence across teams

So, what’s in it for you?

• Bonus Schemes – A bonus that regularly rewards you for your performance
• Retirement support – We will match your contributions up to 5% of your salary
• Health & wellbeing – Discovery Medical Health Scheme
• Financial protection - Life assurance, income protection and short and long-term disability insurance

These are just some of the many perks that we offer! To view the extensive range of benefits we offer, please visit our careers page. Fantastic Benefits. Exciting rewards. Great career opportunities!

If you are successful in your application and join us at Vitality, this is our promise to you, we will:

• Help you to be the healthiest you’ve ever been.
• Create an environment that embraces you as you are and enables you to be your best self.
• Give you flexibility on how, where and when you work.
• Help you advance your career by playing you to your strengths.
• Give you a voice to help our business grow and make Vitality a great place to be.
• Give you the space to try, fail and learn.
• Provide a healthy balance of challenge and support.
• Recognise and reward you with a competitive salary and amazing benefits.
• Be there for you when you need us.
• Provide opportunities for you to be a force for good in society.

We commit to all these things because we want you to feel that you belong and are supported to be happy and healthy.

About Us

Vitality South Africa plays a key role in the development and delivery of the shared‑value insurance model within the Discovery Group. The team leads key strategic initiatives in the South African market, strengthens alignment across the organisation, and ensures the successful implementation of Vitality’s health and wellness programmes. In addition, the team provides specialised expertise, cutting edge technology, behavioural science and health and wellness, drawing on both global innovation and local market insight. Roles within Vitality South Africa are dynamic and fast‑paced. As such, we are seeking individuals who are adaptable, solutions‑oriented, and capable of delivering high‑quality, sustainable value in a complex and evolving environment Employment Equity: The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.