With South Africa’s shortage of skilled software engineers reaching critical levels, leading software engineering firm Dariel has promoted Lebo Mosola to Talent Manager, tasking her with reshaping how the company attracts, develops and retains top tech talent.
According to the 2024 JCSE-IITPSA ICT Skills Survey, software development remains one of South Africa’s most in-demand yet under-supplied skills, with demand consistently outstripping supply. BusinessTech reports that of the 26.8 million active software developers globally, only 121,000 reside in South Africa, with 716,000 across the African continent – a figure also cited by Investec, intensifying the war for talent across industries.
Mosola joined Dariel in 2021 as a Talent Acquisition Specialist, focusing solely on recruiting intermediate, senior and architect-level roles. This experience has given her a clear understanding of what works for Dariel and how to identify the right talent. Now her role has evolved beyond finding talent to retaining it and working with the Office of the CTO (OCTO) to identify the skills the organisation should focus on developing internally.
Her 10-year career in talent acquisition spans senior roles at Paracon, Old Mutual, DAV, Kelly and Quest Staffing Solutions. This broad industry experience, coupled with her people-centred philosophy, has shaped a recruitment approach grounded in flexibility, well-being and purpose. Having been at Dariel for four years, she understands the company’s unique culture and approach.
“In a skills-short market, great developers can choose where they work – and they’re looking for purpose, flexibility, and growth just as much as a salary,” says Mosola. “My focus is on building an environment where the best talent wants to join, stay and thrive.”
The greater part of Mosola’s role will involve skills development throughout the organisation, ensuring Dariel keeps up with the latest trends, while maintaining good succession planning and enhancing current skills offerings to clients. She will be responsible for guiding staff growth and development to ensure everyone at Dariel evolves during their tenure with the company. Strategically, her role includes ensuring staff are experts at what they do and can offer well-thought-out solutions to clients.
Her appointment comes as Dariel expands its presence in the tech, finance and mining sectors. As Talent Manager, Mosola will lead strategies to scale teams for complex enterprise software projects and support Dariel’s architectural capacity while deepening its reputation as a destination employer for South Africa’s top developers.
Regarding the graduate programme, Mosola will continue her involvement in graduate interviews and representing Dariel at career days. Going forward, she will play a bigger role in establishing the right training and developmental paths for graduates, helping them progress to their first promotion.
Featured in an ITWeb TV interview earlier this year, she shared insights on bridging generational gaps in the workplace and engaging Gen Z talent on their own terms.
“Dariel has something really special – the people. Our people are like no other and I am and have always been very passionate about people,” says Mosola. “This role comes at such a great time where recruitment has taught me the fundamentals, and now I get to help people reach their highest potential.”
Internally, she will help drive the culture, making sure Dariel remains the employer of choice, which will lead to implementing effective retention strategies. Her role will strategically enhance current skills whilst focusing on equipping staff with the right tools to advance their careers, all whilst fostering meaningful mentorship relationships and building a culture of organic growth that supports the organisation’s long-term objectives.
Dariel Group Managing Director Malcolm Rabson says Mosola’s promotion reflects the company’s long-term commitment to investing in people:
“Our business is built on talent. Lebo understands how to find it, grow it, and keep it – and that’s exactly what the market demands right now.”