Principal Specialist: Commercial & Partnership Management

Vodafone Group; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

Vodafone Group is seeking a Commercial Lead to support the Vodapay Partnerships portfolio in Midrand. The role involves delivering commercial insights, managing customer contracts, and collaborating with various teams to optimize business processes. Ideal candidates should have a strong business background, significant experience in product development, and exceptional relationship management skills. This position offers compelling benefits, including a competitive salary and various incentives.

Benefits

Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages

Retirement funds and medical aid benefits

Cell phone and data benefits

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, commerce, economics, or statistics required.
• 5+ years in business/product development roles with C-level engagement experience.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate contracting commercials on new and existing engagements.
• Prepare and deliver executive committee presentations against success metrics.
• Accountable for strategy execution and performance monitoring.

Skills

Exceptional relationship management

Commercial acumen

Sales ability

Analytical mindset

Education

Bachelor’s or honours degree in business, commerce, economics or statistics

Job description

When it comes to putting people first, we're number 1.

The number 1 Top Employer in South Africa.
Certified by the Top Employer Institute 2025.

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

This role is to support the commercial execution of the key strategic priorities in the Vodapay Partnerships portfolio. The Commercial Lead focuses on activities that provide high quality commercial and analytical insights that are actionable to the commercial function of scaling partnerships. Supports driving sustainable value through the planning, negotiation, and management of customer contracts. She/he will also have a demonstrated ability to think strategically about business, product, and technical challenges, with the ability to problem-solve through an analytical mindset. Identifying customer needs, pain points and building propositions with internal growth teams and the respective commercial partner.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Evaluation of contracting commercials on new engagements and contract renewals on existing engagements
• Product performance and insights – marketing ROIs, engagement tracking, IBRO implementation including reporting and monitoring & recommendation of key actionable insights
• Strategy execution, performance monitoring and optimisation including accountability to facilitate commercial actions across the portfolio via focused deep dives
• The candidate will work closely with Data and Analytics and the Web analytics team enabling the right level of reporting is in place that drives actionable insights.
• The candidate will also establish processes across the business to enable seamless GTM on new and existing products, working closely with SCM, Privacy, Finance, Data & Analytics, Risk & Compliance, CVM and Marketing COE, with the aim of process & ROI optimisation and enhancing governance.
• Accountability on preparing, prioritising of features & products in line with strategy under the PI Planning with subsequent tracking and reporting against features/products as per QBR.
• Review, analyse and evaluate success of initiatives against key KPIs including preparation and delivery of executive committee presentations
• Perform competitor analysis across the product portfolio
• Deliver on rolling forecasts on product level working closely with Finance

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Bachelor’s or honours degree in business, commerce, economics or statistics

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience:

• 5+ years of experience in business and/or product development roles
• Experience engaging and influencing C-level executives
• Exceptional relationship management
• Exceptional sales ability
• Strong commercial acumen across e-commerce and m-commerce verticals with the ability to coordinate legal, technical and commercial teams to develop and close high-profile partnerships
• Highly resourceful and flexible fast learner

We make an impact by offering:

• Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
• Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
• Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

Closing date for Applications: 21 July 2025

The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.
Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.