Talent.com
Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Switch RecruitJohannesburg, South Africa
26 days ago
Job description

This pivotal role offers the opportunity to take a business with a strong legacy and accelerate its journey from good to great. The COO will translate business strategy into action, lead a diverse portfolio of operations and ensure the organisation achieves sustainable growth, innovation, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities :

  • Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing executive team, cultivating a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Oversee air and sea freight, customs clearing, contract logistics, transport, pharma logistics, and trade lanes - ensuring service excellence and customer retention.
  • Drive customer obsession by engaging directly with key clients, safeguarding retention structures and ensuring long-term loyalty.
  • Actively support the new business sales function through customer acquisition strategies, field involvement, tender participation and innovative pricing models.
  • Champion the use of data-driven insights, digital solutions, and artificial intelligence to drive automation, innovation and competitive advantage.
  • Conduct regular operational assessments across business units to ensure compliance, efficiency and profitability.
  • Ensure full compliance with regulatory requirements, including the Customs Act, risk management frameworks and B-BBEE standards.
  • Develop and execute financial strategies in collaboration with the CFO, ensuring profitability, yield optimisation and cost control.
  • Partner with the marketing function to enhance brand visibility and ensure relevant, industry-leading campaigns.
  • Foster strong stakeholder relationships with customers, global partners, suppliers, bankers and shareholders to maximise business opportunities.
  • Support talent management, succession planning and staff recognition programmes to sustain a people-centric and high-performance culture.
  • Prepare and present detailed performance reports and strategies at Board and AGM level, ensuring alignment with long-term growth objectives.
  • Proactively identify and develop new product opportunities and market innovations to expand service offerings and distinguish the group in the industry.

Requirements :

  • Bachelors degree in Commerce / Business (NQF level 8), postgraduate qualification or executive leadership program is advantageous.
  • 20+ years experience in international freight forwarding, logistics, contract logistics, transport and customs clearing.
  • Proven track record of transforming and scaling businesses sustainably.
  • Strong financial acumen : yield management, pricing, cost control and profitability.
  • Exceptional leadership, board-level communication and negotiation skills.
  • Entrepreneurial mindset with resilience, vision and a hands-on leadership style.
  • Willingness to travel locally and internationally as business needs dictate.
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    Chief Operating Officer • Johannesburg, South Africa