Chief Operations Officer

SUMMARY:
The Chief Operations Officer (COO) is part of the second-in command executive(s) responsible for the seamless and strategic execution of operations. Focused internally, the COO leads the Support and Project teams, ensuring that systems, processes,
and people are aligned to deliver exceptional service to municipal client.
The COO is a key enabler of operational excellence, effective client onboarding, support
resolution, and collaboration across the product, advisory, and sales teams.
This role requires a seasoned operational strategist with a background in managing complex
IT service environments, particularly multi-stakeholder project environments. The COO must ensure that the company delivers a consistent, compliant and responsive ERP support experience across all municipalities.

POSITION INFO:
Key Responsibilities:
1. Operational Leadership & Strategy
- Oversee day-to-day internal operations and ensure alignment with business strategy.
- Drive process optimisation and service efficiency across support and project units.
- Define and implement SLAs, KPIs, escalation procedures, and quality assurance
- controls.
- Lead internal performance reviews and interdepartmental coordination.
2. Support Services Oversight
- Provide executive oversight of the Support Team handling municipal queries,
incidents, and escalations.
- Ensure issues are resolved in compliance with contractual SLAs and in line with
mSCOA regulations.
- Champion proactive support, knowledge base development, and client education
initiatives.

Project Delivery & Onboarding
- Lead the Project Delivery Team responsible for implementing and converting new municipal clients from legacy systems to company ERP.
- Ensure smooth transitions, timely go-lives, and effective handovers to the CRM (Client Relations Management) and Support units.

Leadership and People Management
- Build a high-performance culture by developing operational leaders and instilling accountability.
- Coach and manage direct reports (e.g., Support Leads, Project Managers).
- Collaborate with the HR efforts on workforce planning, talent development, and performance management.
5. Risk, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
- Ensure operations align with POPIA, MFMA, and Circular 80 requirements.
- Manage operational risks, audits, and continuity planning.
- Continuously evaluate new technologies and methodologies to enhance service delivery.


Executive and Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Actively contribute to EXCO and provide strategic input across all business areas.
- Serve as an escalation point for major incidents, client disputes, or delivery failures.
- Support the CEO in executing enterprise-wide initiatives and strategic decisionmaking.


Qualifications & Experience:
1. A degree in Business Administration, Information Technology, or related field (MBA preferred).
2. Minimum 10 years’ experience in senior operations roles, preferably in IT services, public sector software, or ERP environments.
3. Proven success in leading IT support, project delivery, or managed services teams.
4. Deep experience in client lifecycle management from onboarding through to support.
5. Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with the capacity to advise and
influence executive management.
6. Exceptional analytical, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
7. Exemplary leadership qualities, with the ability to inspire and manage teams towards
achieving excellence in operations.
8. Strong understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and the competitive
landscape.
9. Proficiency in MS Office and CRM software (e.g. Salesforce)
10. Ability to travel


Competencies & Attributes:
Operational leadership with a hands-on, execution-driven approach.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to engage with municipal executives.
High level of resilience, attention to detail and ability to manage complexity.
Change management and systems implementation experience advantageous.