HEAD OF OPERATIONS – CAPE TOWN
Operations / Traffic / Production
Cape Town – Western Cape
Foundational leadership role | Global, design-led business
This is not a plug-and-play operations role.
We’re working with a globally recognised, design-led technology and manufacturing business as they establish a new operational hub in Cape Town. This hub will support teams across Technology, Sales, Service, Creative, Finance and G&A – and this role will sit at the centre of it all.
This is the company’s first senior hire in South Africa, and the successful candidate will build the operational backbone, ensure strong governance, and put the right HR and financial foundations in place from day one.
The business operates in the premium end of the global print and branded merchandise market, serving brand-conscious SMEs across the UK, Europe and North America. It is award-winning, VC-backed, ESG-led, and now making a long-term strategic investment in South Africa.
The Role
The Head of Operations will be the most senior representative in South Africa, accountable for building a compliant, financially sound and well-run operation from the ground up.
This role is hands-on and executional. It requires someone who has personally implemented HR, financial and operational frameworks, not just advised on them.
You’ll work closely with UK leadership while creating a local operation that is scalable, well-governed and culturally aligned with the wider business.
Responsibilities
Operations, Governance & Financial Stewardship
- Lead the end-to-end setup of the Cape Town office, including facilities, IT, vendors and operational processes
- Own and implement South African HR frameworks, including labour law compliance, Employment Equity, BEE, payroll and tax obligations
- Manage local budgets, payroll and vendor relationships, delivering cost discipline and efficiencies aligned to UK benchmarks
- Establish clear financial and operational reporting to give UK leadership visibility on cost, performance and risk
- Partner with legal and financial advisors to proactively manage employment, compliance and CCMA-related risk
Experience & Capabilities
- Significant experience in operations, finance, general management or business management within a scaling or global organisation
- Proven experience setting up or running offices, hubs or country operations
- Strong, practical experience implementing South African HR, payroll, labour law and compliance requirements
- High financial literacy, with hands-on responsibility for budgets, contracts and vendor performance
- Comfortable operating within global reporting lines and partnering with UK and US stakeholders
- Experience in design-led, tech, eCommerce or creative businesses is advantageous
Why This Role Matters
Cape Town is a strategic, long-term investment for the business.
This role will shape a new pillar of the global operating model — establishing the systems, culture and governance that enable the company to scale responsibly. It’s an opportunity to build something lasting, visible and commercially critical.
If your experience sits primarily in advisory, consulting or oversight roles (rather than hands-on HR and financial implementation) this role is unlikely to be the right fit.
City: Cape Town
Level of Expertise: Senior
Remuneration: Negotiable
Consultant: Viv
Reference Number: #Viv3144
