Impact Sales Operations Manager

BackaBuddy; Wes-Kaap; Remote; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fundraising platform is seeking an Impact Sales Operating Manager to lead sales operations and develop systems for external fundraisers. The ideal candidate lives in South Africa and has over 5 years of experience in sales management, with strong skills in CRM and team leadership. This role offers a salary between R60,000 to R80,000 per month, based on experience, with a focus on driving substantial societal impact through successful fundraising campaigns.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in sales operations or management.
• Experience leading distributed teams or partner networks.
• Ability to build scalable systems and toolkits for team support.

Responsibilities

• Lead sales function implementation and internal team development.
• Partner with CGO on sales and growth objectives.
• Equip external fundraisers with necessary toolkits and resources.

Skills

Sales operations

Growth management

CRM proficiency

Team leadership

KPI delivery

Tools

Zoho

Project management tools

Job description

Impact Sales Operating Manager

Location: Remote / Cape Town-Joburg preferred

Level: Manco

Salary: Depending on experience between R60 000 to R80 000 per month

Reports to: Chief Growth Officer (Exco – Catherine Swanepoel)

Start date: Q1 2026

About BackaBuddy

If you are a high-performance sales team manager who has successfully delivered in leading a distributed team of sales agents using significant integration of CRM toolkits and you want to engage those skills for nation‑wide purpose‑driven impact, then you’re the right person for this position.

We are BackaBuddy. We’re the leaders in our field of crowdfunding. Our target, to be the leaders in Africa, and we’re building the team to achieve it. Every month, we enable 1,000s of people and organisations to raise the funds they need from 10,000s of people. We are looking for ‘the’ person who will operationally lead the impact sales team as we target 10x impact growth over the next 3 years.

Role Overview

The Impact Sales Operating Manager will lead the sales function implementation — build the internal team and the structures that empower an external volunteer army of fundraisers to succeed.

It is a highly operational leadership role, reporting directly to our Chief Growth Officer (CGO) at Exco level. You will work closely with the CGO to co‑develop the growth strategy and take full ownership of its implementation across the department.

What makes this role unusual is that your internal team of 8–9 people will only be the core of traditional sales to fundraisers — beyond this, your job is to support, equip, and activate 1000s of external fundraisers (mostly individuals) who each act as their own dedicated sales agents for their campaigns during short, high‑intensity fundraising windows.

In many ways, this structure is similar to straight commercial sales models:

• Insurance agency models (central team supporting independent agents)
• Real estate group models (central team supporting individual agents)
• Airbnb hosts (a central platform providing toolkits to support hosts)

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Implementation and Leadership

• Partner with the CGO to set and execute quarterly and annual sales/growth objectives.
• Translate vision into measurable plans, OKRs, and team accountability frameworks.
• Lead the sales/growth function with a focus on scalable systems and performance outcomes.

Internal Team Management and Cross‑functional Alignment

• Lead and align the Charities, Portfolio Management, and Campaign Success teams to deliver exceptional support for thousands of active campaign creators.
• Foster collaboration across marketing, tech, and customer success to streamline campaigner experience.
• Build a culture of learning through feedback loops and shared knowledge.

Equip an ‘army’ of 1,000s – develop Systems, Toolkits and Knowledge Infrastructure

• Develop scalable toolkits, playbooks, templates, and automations that drive campaign success.
• Design and test resources to maximise fundraising results within the key 3‑week campaign window.

Reporting and Performance Management

• Establish dashboards and reporting to track performance, success rates, and bottlenecks.
• Deliver regular performance insights and improvement recommendations to senior leadership.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Skills and Experience

• 5+ years in sales operations, growth, or channel management, ideally leading distributed teams or partner networks.
• Skilled in building scalable enablement systems (toolkits, playbooks, training).
• Proven leader with strong KPI delivery and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Experience in platforms, marketplaces, or fundraising environments is a plus.
• Proficient with CRM (Zoho), project management, and reporting tools.

Mindset and Attributes

• Purpose‑driven, empathetic, and passionate about people‑powered impact.
• Systems thinker who thrives on scale, structure, and rapid execution.
• Blends strategic vision with hands‑on leadership.
• Understands that sales is storytelling — inspiring belief and action.

Why Join BackaBuddy?

This is an opportunity to help tens of thousands of campaigners raise funds for what matters most to them — while shaping the systems and team that support them. You will operate at the heart of a platform where real‑world impact happens fast, and your work translates directly into lives changed.

If you have led distributed sales networks, supported gig‑economy workers, or enabled communities at scale — and you want your work to matter — this role was made for you.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover video (with transcript) telling us why you think you’re ‘the one we need’ to [e-mail]

Why We Love What We Do

At BackaBuddy, we believe people are most powerful when we work together.

That’s the heart of your role — to enable thousands of individuals and organisations to turn compassion into funds raised. You’ll create toolkits that guide, support, and advise campaign creators as they launch their fundraisers, run them effectively, and raise the funds they need for what truly matters in the world. Your work will empower everyday people to make extraordinary change.

Patrick Schofield, CEO

We’re at a point where structure meets soul — where operational excellence unlocks human potential. If you love building systems that empower others to succeed, and you care deeply about the ‘why’ behind the work, this is where you’ll thrive.

Catherine Swanepoel, CGO

I’ve been at BackaBuddy for almost 9 years. It’s incredible to be a part of a company that allows you to have a positive impact on the lives of the people around you, as well as the wider world. One of the things I am most proud of at BackaBuddy, is our warm, friendly and respectful work culture, that will allow you to grow both personally and professionally.

Zane Groenewald - Head of Campaign Marketing and Strategy