Country Head / Head Of Commercial – South Africa (Telecom / Digital / Product)

Avatar Advisory - Avatar Human Capital; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic telecom-services company in South Africa is seeking a Country Head to take full P&L ownership and lead the commercial team. This strategic role involves client acquisition, team leadership, and market expansion. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in telecommunications, strong product management skills, and a proven record of meeting financial targets. Join us to innovate and influence growth in a pivotal phase of our business.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in telecommunications or ICT, ideally with SA telcos.
• Proven track record of hitting revenue and profitability targets.
• Ability to build and lead a high-performing local team.

Responsibilities

• Full P&L accountability for assigned clients.
• Recruit and lead a high-performing team.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders at major telcos.

Skills

Telecommunications experience

Product management

Customer-value management

Digital transformation

Stakeholder management

Negotiation skills

Business development

Job description

Position : Country Head / Head of Commercial – South Africa (Telecom / Digital / Product)

Location : Johannesburg / Gauteng (South Africa) — hybrid / remote option possible

About us

We are a dynamic telecom-services company seeking to expand our footprint in South Africa.

We deliver innovative digital / IT / telecom solutions to enterprise and corporate clients.

Role Overview

We seek an experienced senior leader to take full P&L ownership per client, lead our local team, and drive commercial growth.

This is a strategic leadership role with responsibility for client acquisition, delivery, team building, and market expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Full P&L accountability for assigned clients; ensure profitability and financial targets are met.

Recruit, lead, and grow a high-performing local operations & commercial team.

Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders at major telcos and enterprise clients.

Manage the full pipeline — from opportunity identification, through RFP response, to contract closure and delivery.

Oversee proposal preparation (technical + commercial), project execution and delivery quality.

Drive innovation initiatives to expand the opportunity pipeline.

Plan and conduct roadshows and market-outreach campaigns to promote our solutions.

Required Background & Skills

10+ years' experience in telecommunications / ICT / digital — ideally with major SA telcos (e.g. Telkom, Vodacom, MTN).

Strong product management, customer-value management (CVM), or digital / IT transformation experience.

Proven commercial drive — track record of hitting revenue / profitability targets.

P&L responsibility or equivalent commercial leadership experience.

Leadership experience — ability to build and lead a local team.

Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and business-development skills.

Resilience, strategic thinking, and commercial acumen.

Why join us?

An opportunity to lead and shape the business in South Africa from early stages.

Real profit-and-loss ownership — not just a managerial role.

Freedom to innovate, build a team, and influence the company's growth trajectory.