CEO (Chief Executive Officer)

Stonebridge HR Solutions; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

A telecommunications company in Gauteng is seeking a hands-on CEO to drive strategic growth and operational excellence. The ideal candidate should have over 5 years of executive experience and a strong commercial background. Responsibilities include overseeing all operations, optimizing customer acquisition costs, and leading the modernization of systems. This role requires excellent leadership skills and the ability to foster a results-driven culture.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of executive experience in a high-growth business.
• Industry experience in fintech, telecommunications, IT, or outsourcing.
• Strong commercial background with P&L responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategy, profitability, and operational excellence across the organisation.
• Lead operational scale-up and growth initiatives.
• Spearhead customer growth, market expansion, and acquisition cost optimization.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

P&L management

Operational scale-up

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Overview

We have an opportunity for an experienced entrepreneurial minded CEO for a company within the telecommunications industry, based in the Pretoria East area, to lead the company into its next chapter of growth, operational excellence, and digital transformation. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a high level of emotional intelligence and a willingness to take a hands-on approach, actively engaging in day-to-day operations and contributing directly to the company's success.

Role overview : The successful candidate will be responsible for driving strategy, profitability, team leadership, and operational modernisation while reporting to the board and investors. This is a hands-on leadership role for a commercially savvy, systems-minded, people-focused individual who thrives in high-growth, high-impact environments. The CEO will oversee all operations and drive efficiency, spearhead customer growth and market expansion, optimise customer acquisition costs, elevate retention rates, and enforce disciplined cost management. The CEO will lead the modernisation of current systems, build high-performing teams, and foster a transparent, results-driven culture.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

• Drive strategy, profitability, and operational excellence across the organisation
• Lead operational scale-up and growth initiatives
• Oversee all operations to drive efficiency and performance
• Spearhead customer growth, market expansion, and acquisition cost optimization
• Elevate customer retention and enforce disciplined cost management
• Modernise systems and build high-performing teams
• Foster a transparent, results-driven culture and engage with the board and investors

Qualifications

• 5+ years of executive experience in a high-growth business
• Industry experience such as fintech, telco / comms, IT or outsourcing
• Strong commercial background with P&L responsibility
• Proven success leading operational scale-up and growing businesses
• Strong leadership and ability to manage and inspire teams
• Experience in overseeing complex systems or processes
• Experience managing cashflow and cost disciplines

Attributes

• Driven, humble, and unafraid to make tough decisions
• A builder of high-trust, high-performance teams
• Comfortable selling to exec-level stakeholders in large corporates
• Skilled in managing strategic client relationships and partnerships
• Proven track record of modernising outdated business models
• Tech-savvy and able to connect technology with customer value
• Exposure to low-income or mid-market customer segments
• Strong EQ, excellent stakeholder engagement, and grit

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you have not heard from us in 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.