General Manager - Customer Operations & Collections

Happy Pay; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 900 000; Full time

Job summary

A growing financial technology company in Cape Town is seeking a General Manager: Customer Operations Collections to transform and scale its debt collections function. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in collections management and customer operations, thrive in fast-paced environments, and demonstrate the ability to implement KPI-driven systems. This role requires a leader who can design processes and coach teams while ensuring fair outcomes and sustainable debt book performance.

Benefits

Employee Share Option Program (ESOP)

Impact-driven company ethos

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in collections or customer operations.
• Proven track record in scaling collections operations.
• Strong hands-on experience with debt book management.

Responsibilities

• Lead transformation of Happy Pay's debt collections operation.
• Design a scalable collections operating model.
• Build reporting packs and insights for senior leadership.

Skills

Collections management

Customer operations

Call centre management

Performance management

KPI-driven operations

Job description

About Happy Pay

Happy Pay is an ad‑subsidised payments network that gives South Africans access to zero‑cost credit at checkout. Our model is powered by a blend of merchant fees and a performance advertising platform that connects high‑intent shoppers with relevant brands. We exist to save consumers millions in interest and fees, while helping merchants boost conversion, increase average order value, and drive repeat sales. At the core of what we do is a commitment to responsible credit, fair customer outcomes, and building systems that scale sustainably.

About the Role

We are appointing a General Manager: Customer Operations Collections to transform, scale, and professionalise Happy Pay's customer service and debt collections function. An operations team already exists, with early systems and processes in place. This role is about taking that foundation and turning it into a scalable, KPI‑driven operation capable of supporting a fast‑growing BNPL credit book. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who thrives in unstructured, high‑growth environments — a leader who can design systems, implement tools, set performance standards, and coach teams while the business is moving quickly.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the end‑to‑end transformation of Happy Pay’s debt collections operation in line with the rapid growth of the credit book.
• Design and implement a scalable collections operating model, covering early‑stage, late‑stage, and customer support interactions.
• Introduce structure, governance, and repeatability into an evolving startup environment.
• Assess existing systems and lead the implementation of fit‑for‑purpose collections and customer service tools (CRM, diallers, workflow, payments, reporting).
• Work closely with Product and Technology teams to prioritise and deliver operational tooling.
• Build supporting training materials and user guides for systems and processes.
• Define, implement, and own KPIs and performance frameworks across customer service and collections.
• Build reporting packs and insights for senior leadership and executives, including portfolio performance, customer outcomes, and operational efficiency.
• Use data to drive continuous improvement, resourcing decisions, and strategy.
• Own operational oversight of the BNPL debt book, ensuring sustainable performance and fair customer outcomes.
• Lead and coach call centre agents and customer experience teams, setting clear expectations and performance standards.
• Establish QA, coaching, and feedback loops to improve agent effectiveness and customer interactions.
• Design and implement training frameworks for collections and customer service teams, including onboarding and ongoing development.
• Coach team leaders and agents to operate effectively within new systems and performance expectations.
• Build leadership capability within the team as the operation scales.
• Report regularly to senior leadership and executives on performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Partner closely with Risk, Compliance, Finance, Product, and Technology teams.
• Act as the senior operational owner for customer service and collections as Happy Pay scales.

Requirements

5+ years’ experience in collections, customer operations, call centre management, or credit operations. Proven experience building, transforming, or scaling collections or customer service operations. Strong hands‑on experience with debt book management and call centre environments. Demonstrated ability to implement systems, tooling, and reporting frameworks. Experience setting and managing KPI‑driven operations. Comfortable operating in fast‑moving, unstructured startup environments. Advantageous: Experience in BNPL, fintech, unsecured lending, or retail credit. Exposure to modern collections trends, digital channels, and automation. Experience leading teams through periods of rapid growth and change.

What You’re Like

Scrappy, practical, and execution‑focused. Comfortable building while running. Structured thinker who brings clarity to ambiguity. Confident leading frontline teams and senior stakeholders. Motivated by impact, not titles. Calm under pressure and commercially minded.

Benefits

Join a company with a clear social mission and real traction. Work closely with a driven, founder‑led team that’s scaling responsibly. Shape how customer service and collections operate at scale in a high‑growth fintech. Help define a fairer, more sustainable approach to consumer credit. Opportunity to participate in our Employee Share Option Program (ESOP).

Our Mission

To bring the cost of consumer credit to zero.

Our Vision

A world of equal financial empowerment, where everyone can thrive.

Our Company Values

Prioritise team health and well‑being. Maintain the highest (but fair) standards for execution. Give frequent, fair, and always candid feedback. Empower teams to be entrepreneurial and explore their ideas. Celebrate wins, big and small. Embrace an owner's mentality. Care deeply about impact. Use time wisely and welcome diversity.