Chief Operating Officer

Maziv; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 750 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading telecommunications company in South Africa seeks a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead strategic execution and manage operations. The COO will oversee operational service delivery, financial oversight, and human resource management. Key responsibilities include optimizing maintenance protocols for network reliability, driving financial performance, and enhancing talent development. This role requires an experienced executive leader to ensure effective operational execution in a competitive environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational management at an executive level.
• Expertise in financial and commercial oversight.
• Strong background in human resource management and talent development.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the operational service delivery for the company's network and assets.
• Manage financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasts effectively.
• Collaborate with HR to enhance recruitment and talent management strategies.

Skills

Operational management

Financial oversight

Human resource management

Strategic execution

Service level agreement management

Job description

Position Statement

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the principal executive responsible for the strategic execution and efficient management of the company's entire operating model.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the COO will translate the company's strategic vision into scalable, profitable, and reliable operational execution across all technical, financial, commercial, and human resource functions.

This role is centered on optimizing service delivery and driving business growth while maintaining stringent control over financial performance and talent management.

Key Responsibilities

A. Operational Service Delivery

Fibre Maintenance & Reliability : Oversee and optimize all maintenance protocols for Optical Fibre Networks (FTTH and FTTB) to achieve industry‑leading network uptime, reliability, and Mean Time To Repair (MTTR).

Fibre Installation and Activation : Direct the end-to-end process for FTTH installations and FTTB link activations, focusing on quality control, speed of delivery, and cost-effective deployment.

CCTV & Facilities Management : Establish and manage the maintenance and service schedule for all deployed CCTV systems and lead the strategy for the efficient management, maintenance, and security of all company-owned and managed physical facilities and assets.

SLA Management : Define, monitor, and enforce strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to guarantee consistent, high-quality service delivery.

B. Financial and Commercial Oversight

Financial Control & Reporting : Provide executive oversight of all operational financial matters.

Ensure the accuracy of financial reporting related to operational expenditures, capital expenditures, and service delivery costs.

Budgets and Forecasts : Direct the preparation of detailed annual operational budgets and implement robust financial forecasting models.

Monitor actual performance against budgets, identify variances, and drive corrective actions to ensure cost containment and profitability.

Commercial Support : Assist the CEO and Business Development teams with new business acquisition by providing expert costing models, operational feasibility studies, and comprehensive commercial support during bid and contract negotiations.

Profitability Analysis : Implement models to accurately determine the cost-to-serve for all service offerings (FTTH, FTTB, CCTV, Facilities), ensuring pricing strategies maximise gross margin and align with market competitiveness.

C. Human Resource and Talent Management

HR Strategy and Policy : Collaborate with the Head of HR to develop and execute human resource strategies that support operational objectives, including talent acquisition, retention, and succession planning.

Performance and Development : Drive a performance management culture across all operational teams, ensuring employee development and high productivity through practical training and mentorship programs.

Organizational Design : Ensure the operational structure, hierarchy, and headcount are optimised to deliver services and scale with the business demands efficiently.