Head of Service Operations and Transformation Gauteng

Core Group is actively recruiting for a Head of Service Operations and Transformation position in Gauteng. This is an excellent opportunity for professionals in the Consultancy sector looking to advance their careers.

• Experience Level: 8 - 10 years • Educational Background: Others or equivalent • Industry Focus: Consultancy • Location Preference: in Gauteng

Consultants in Head of Service Operations and Transformation roles provide strategic guidance. This position enables you to influence business decisions across multiple sectors.

This role in Consultancy offers valuable career progression opportunities aligned with your experience level and professional aspirations.

When applying for this Head of Service Operations and Transformation position, ensure your CV highlights: • Relevant experience matching the 8 - 10 years requirement • Educational qualifications in line with Others • Specific achievements in the Consultancy field • Any certifications or specialized training

The Consultancy sector in South Africa continues to show strong demand for skilled professionals. This position represents a valuable opportunity in the current job market.

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We are looking for an experienced, strategically minded Head of Service Operations & Transformation to take ownership of our end-to-end service operation across Africa and lead the transformation of how we deliver repairs, after-sales support and customer service. This is a senior Head of Department opportunity for an individual who combines Industrial Engineering expertise, operational leadership, commercial acumen and transformation capability with the ability to manage complex, multi-site operations across multiple African markets. You will be responsible for building a scalable, efficient and commercially sustainable service operating model while ensuring that our operations consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience and meet Apple Authorised Service Provider standards. As the Head of Service Operations & Transformation, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the iStore Africa service network. You will own the complete service journey – from customer collection and diagnostics through repair, parts management, logistics and cross-border movement to final delivery and customer recovery. A key focus of the role will be to assess the existing operating model, identify inefficiencies and opportunities, redesign processes and implement scalable solutions that improve productivity, turnaround times, quality, cost, customer experience and commercial performance. This is an opportunity to shape and scale a critical function across Africa while working with world-class technology brands and diverse teams and markets.

Service Strategy & Leadership

Develop and execute the service operations strategy in alignment with the broader iStore Africa and Core Group strategy. Provide strategic direction across all service locations and countries. Build a scalable operating model capable of supporting future regional growth. Establish clear performance standards, governance structures, KPIs and operating rhythms. Identify opportunities to improve capability, productivity, efficiency, customer experience and profitability. Provide executive leadership with clear insight into performance, risks, opportunities and strategic priorities. Act as the senior escalation point for significant operational, technical, customer, compliance and commercial matters. Review and optimise the complete end-to-end service and repair operation. Map, analyse, redesign and standardise processes across service locations. Identify bottlenecks, duplication, control gaps, inefficiencies and automation opportunities. Design scalable processes that can be consistently implemented across multiple markets. Improve capacity planning, workforce utilisation, workflow design and resource allocation. Lead continuous improvement and operational transformation initiatives. Use data and operational insights to drive measurable improvements in cost, turnaround time, quality and customer experience.

End-to-End Service Operations

Own the complete repair lifecycle from collection through to final customer delivery. Drive consistent, high-quality repair execution across all locations. Oversee workshops, service desks, repair queues, technician productivity and repair quality. Manage collections, parts movement, logistics, courier networks and cross-border repairs. Drive same-day repair capability where workshop capacity and parts availability allow. Monitor demand and capacity across the network and implement corrective action where required. Ensure all service centres operate consistently against defined operational standards.

Financial & Commercial Management

Own the service division's budget, forecasts, cost management and financial planning. Improve the financial and commercial contribution of the service function. Manage key cost drivers including parts, labour, logistics, repeat repairs, stock losses, write-offs and third-party service costs. Identify opportunities to reduce waste and improve productivity and operational value. Develop business cases for new locations, technology, equipment, tooling, staffing and process improvements. Evaluate investments and measure return on operational initiatives. Manage external suppliers, service providers and logistics partners against agreed commercial and operational outcomes. Maintain Apple Authorised Service Provider compliance and audit readiness. Ensure consistent application of Apple policies, technical standards, procedures and controls. Ensure technicians maintain relevant Apple certifications, including ACMT and ACiT where applicable. Establish robust governance and control frameworks. Monitor repeat repairs, technical errors, audit findings, customer complaints and service failures. Lead root-cause analysis and ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained. Maintain strong risk, safety, security and compliance controls across all service environments.

Customer Experience

Define and deliver a premium after-sales experience aligned with the iStore and Apple brands. Ensure customers receive accurate, clear and timely communication throughout the repair journey. Establish consistent service and escalation standards across markets. Monitor customer satisfaction, complaints, service recovery and customer effort. Drive rapid resolution of complex customer escalations. Partner with Retail, Customer Experience, Marketing and regional teams to continuously improve the customer journey. Use customer feedback and operational data to identify improvement opportunities.

Stock, Parts & Asset Management

Ensure effective stock and parts management across the service network. Improve parts forecasting, availability, replenishment and allocation. Ensure parts availability supports service-level and turnaround-time commitments. Oversee workshop assets, tools, equipment and security controls. Manage shrinkage, obsolete stock, lost parts, write-offs and inventory inaccuracies. Establish strong operational and financial controls. Partner with Supply Chain, Finance and regional teams to improve stock accuracy and availability.

Regional Growth & Expansion

Lead operational readiness for new service locations across Africa. Assess demand, infrastructure, staffing, technical capability and operational risk in new markets. Ensure new workshops and service points meet required Apple standards from launch. Develop scalable processes, systems, structures and training models to support growth. Partner with country leaders and regional stakeholders on expansion initiatives. Balance operational consistency with local legislation, infrastructure and market requirements. Leverage technology and data to improve visibility and operational decision-making. Establish effective dashboards and reporting across service levels, productivity, cost, quality, stock and customer experience. Identify opportunities for automation and systems optimisation. Ensure consistent and accurate reporting across locations. Analyse trends and translate insights into operational action. Partner with IT and relevant stakeholders to improve service technology and systems.

Stakeholder & Partner Management

Build strong relationships with Apple and strategic business partners. Represent the service function at senior leadership and regional planning forums. Work closely with Retail, Supply Chain, Finance, IT, HR, Customer Experience and regional leadership. Manage stakeholder expectations across multiple countries and functions. Provide clear and timely executive-level reporting. Manage third-party suppliers, logistics providers, contractors and service partners. Hold external partners accountable for agreed service and performance standards.

People Leadership & Capability Development

Lead, coach and develop senior service, technical, operational and customer-service leaders. Build a strong, accountable leadership structure across the service network. Establish clear KPIs, performance expectations and accountability. Drive succession planning and internal talent development. Ensure the service function has the capability required to support future growth. Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across countries and teams. Foster a culture aligned with Core Group's values: Customer Focus, Passion, Innovation, Teamwork, Integrity and Getting Things Done.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a senior operational leader who can combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

8–10+ years' experience in complex operational, engineering, service, logistics, manufacturing, retail, technical or after-sales environments. 5+ years' experience in a senior leadership or Head of Department role. Proven experience managing complex, multi-site operations across multiple African countries. Strong experience leading geographically dispersed teams and operations. A proven track record in process design, operational transformation, optimisation and continuous improvement. Experience developing and implementing scalable operating models. Strong understanding of service delivery, logistics, stock management and customer experience. Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams across different cultures and markets. Strong financial and commercial management experience, including budgets, forecasts, cost control and business cases. Experience managing suppliers, logistics partners and third-party service providers. Experience operating within KPI-driven, high-performance and compliance-focused environments. Experience within premium electronics, technology, telecommunications, automotive, manufacturing, logistics or another complex service environment would be advantageous. Previous Apple or premium technology experience would be beneficial but is not essential.

Degree in Industrial Engineering strongly preferred. Postgraduate qualification in Business, Operations, Engineering Management or a related field would be advantageous. Lean Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Project Management or related certification would be beneficial. Apple certifications such as ACMT or ACiT would be advantageous. ITIL or relevant service-management certification would be beneficial.

Key Skills & Competencies

Strong Industrial Engineering and systems-thinking capability. Exceptional process analysis, design and optimisation skills. Proven operational transformation and continuous improvement capability. Strategic thinking combined with strong execution. Strong commercial and financial acumen. Excellent leadership and people-development capability. Advanced problem-solving and decision-making skills. Strong executive stakeholder management and influencing ability. Strong analytical, reporting and performance-management skills. The ability to operate effectively across multiple countries, cultures and levels of operational maturity. Strong understanding of governance, risk, compliance and operational controls. The ability to standardise processes while accommodating local market requirements. A strong customer focus and commitment to service excellence. The resilience to operate in a fast-paced, complex and high-pressure environment. Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-management skills.

In this role, success will mean:

A clearly defined and successfully implemented service strategy across Africa. A scalable and consistent operating model across all service locations. Improved productivity, operational efficiency and cost management. Strong turnaround times and service-level performance. Consistently high-quality repair execution. Improved customer satisfaction and fewer escalations. Audit-ready service centres operating in line with Apple standards. Reduced repeat repairs, stock losses, service failures and operational waste. Improved financial and commercial performance. Successful and sustainable rollout of new service locations. Strong regional collaboration and stakeholder confidence. A high-performing, engaged and capable service leadership team.