Company: Takealot
Location:South Africa
Takealot.com, South Africa’s leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Customer Service Project Manager to join our team.
We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us!
Think you’ve been challenged before? Think again!
- Scale: Over 4 million happy shoppers shop online on takealot.com and 2.7 million on Mr D. Show them what you can do.
- Learn: We work with the best of the best. Work alongside leaders and upskill in record time.
- Grow: Expand your career in the fast-growing Takealot Group: Takealot.com and Mr D. We like to promote from within: Here’s your chance.
Who’s who in the tech space
The position reports to the Group Head of Customer & Business Support.
Purpose of the role:
Lead the strategic delivery and change management of AI and automation transformation programs across the CS organisation, with a focus on Agentic AI, automation platforms, and AI-powered customer service solutions.
The role is responsible for driving end-to-end program success, including strategic planning, prioritisation, governance, project delivery, organisational adoption, and impact measurement, while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships and providing executive-level reporting.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
Strategic Program Management
- Lead the end-to-end delivery of AI and automation transformation initiatives.
- Develop and manage transformation roadmaps, governance frameworks, and prioritisation processes.
- Establish use-case intake frameworks and evaluation criteria for automation opportunities.
- Partner with analytics teams to identify and prioritise high-value automation initiatives.
Change Management Execution
- Lead organisational change management to support AI and automation adoption.
- Develop stakeholder engagement, communication, and training strategies.
Monitor adoption rates and implement interventions to drive behavioural change and capability development.
Project Delivery Accountability
- Manage scope, timelines, budgets, and risks for complex cross-functional transformation projects.
- Coordinate delivery across Product, Engineering, Operations, Commercial, and Enablement teams.
- Resolve blockers and ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
Impact Measurement and Tracking
- Define success metrics and track adoption, efficiency gains, cost savings, and ROI.
- Report program progress, risks, and outcomes to executive stakeholders.
- Conduct post-implementation reviews and drive continuous improvement.
- Measure operational impact across metrics such as AHT, FCR, reopen rate, cost per contact, and capacity optimisation.
Stakeholder and Vendor Management
- Build and maintain relationships with executive sponsors and key decision-makers.
- Facilitate decision-making and manage escalations.
- Collaborate with Technology Architecture, InfoSec, Data, and external vendors to ensure scalable and secure implementation aligned with business strategy.
Key Deliverables
- AI and automation transformation roadmaps and program governance frameworks
- Business cases and ROI models for transformation initiatives
- Project plans, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies
- Change management and adoption frameworks
- Executive dashboards and program progress reports
- Operational playbooks and standard operating procedures for AI/automation implementation
Post-implementation reviews and continuous improvement recommendations
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, Information Systems, Industrial Engineering, or related field (NQF 7).
- Postgraduate qualification in Business, Operations, Data, or Project Management advantageous.
- Project Management certification (PMP, PRINCE2, AgilePM or similar) advantageous.
- Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt minimum) advantageous.
- Change Management certification (e.g. Prosci) advantageous.
- 5–7 years’ experience in project management, operational transformation, consulting, or digital enablement in complex, high-volume environments.
- Experience leading cross-functional transformation initiatives impacting frontline operations (e.g. contact centres, retail, banking, telecoms, or e-commerce).
- Demonstrated experience implementing AI, automation, or workflow optimisation solutions.
- Experience developing business cases and tracking financial and operational benefits realisation.
- Experience engaging senior stakeholders and managing programme reporting and escalations.
- Experience operating within South African regulatory and data privacy frameworks (e.g. POPIA).
- Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives while balancing operational risk and customer experience.
- Experience with customer service platforms and AI-enabled tools (e.g. CRM systems, chatbots, agent assist, automation)
- Understanding of automation, system integration, and data flows (e.g. RPA, APIs, middleware)
- Ability to interpret operational performance data and analytics dashboards
- Experience working with Technology, Data, and InfoSec teams to deliver scalable solutions
- Awareness of AI governance and risk considerations
- Ability to assess and optimise operational processes impacted by automation
The skills we need:
- Strong programme leadership with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders
- Analytical, structured problem-solving and sound decision-making capability
- Proven change leadership with a focus on adoption and impact
- Strong commercial, governance, and prioritisation acumen
- Clear communication across executive and operational levels
- Resilient and adaptable in fast-paced environments
Let’s talk about life @ Takealot Group
- The power is in your hands: We offer a market-related Total Remuneration Package that allows full flexibility according to your needs. Go on, be the master of your own destiny.
- No doors: We aren’t fans of stuffy offices or siloed work environments. See someone you like? High five, collab, and make something great.
- Remote working: Love water cooler chats and working from home? Takealot.com offers a hybrid working model for the best of both worlds.
- Mentorship programme: We aren’t kidding when we say the people with the best people win. Now’s your chance to be one of the best by learning from the best.
- Naspers Tech Community & Online Learning: Share ideas and grow with global industry leaders who are all just a Slack message away. Love to learn? Up-skill with free access to courses on MyAcademy, Udacity, Coursera, and more.
- Good times: Get to know the other extraordinary minds at takealot.com during regular social events and out-of-office activities (think hikes, think mini-golf, think good times).
- Staff discount. Millions of products across 28 departments. What more could you ask for?
- Birthday leave: Cake Day all the way. Enjoy your day off – you deserve it.
- Right tools, right job: Mac or Windows, two monitors or one. Whatever your preference, you’ll work on the latest tech of the latest tech.
- Help when you need it most: Confidential counselling, legal support and financial guidance, for free, anytime, anywhere.
- Free parking: No more 5km fun runs to your desk (unless you want to).