{"id":1806170,"url":"https://alion.io/job/core-head-of-ecommerce-operations","title":"Head of eCommerce Operations","company":{"id":3880289,"name":"Core","domain":"core.co.za","url":"https://alion.io/company/core-14","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Simplify","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":87,"open_postings":13,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.538,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":59,"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":"head","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Sandton, South Africa"],"countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":33000,"max_usd":74000,"period":"year","method":"global_role_cell_scaled_by_country","sample_n":2013},"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Power BI","optional":false},{"name":"SLI/SLO/SLA","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-07-14T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-03","last_verified_at":"2026-10-20T13:10:19Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":98,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":[],"days_open":98},"description":"The Head of eCommerce Operations carries ultimate accountability for every order placed on istore.co.za and istorepre-owned.co.za (and their respective apps) reaching the customer on time, however it is fulfilled - from the Distribution Centre, Deliver-from-Store (DFS) locations nationwide, Click & Collect / Buy Online Pick Up In Store (BOPIS), and express delivery services.\nThis is a senior leadership role that owns the operations function end to end. It leads the full operations team - including the Operations Manager (Fulfilment) and all fulfilment, fleet, and courier functions - and personally owns the strategic and commercial relationships with courier and logistics partners. Scope extends across the full order lifecycle: returns and reverse logistics, payment operations (including virtual and subscription transactions), the integrations that support e-commerce operations, and supply chain management as it relates to e-commerce operations. The role is built for a leader who is equally comfortable setting strategy and direction as they are rolling up their sleeves: stepping directly into live execution and escalations when it matters, while building and leveraging a capable operations team to deliver day to day.\nThe buck stops here for fulfilment SLA performance across every channel - delivery, stores, and click & collect.\nKEY RESPONSIBILITIES\nFulfilment SLA Ownership\nCarry ultimate accountability for SLA performance across DC dispatch, Deliver-from-Store (DFS), Click & Collect (BOPIS), and express delivery\nSet the SLA framework, targets, and escalation thresholds across all fulfilment channels.\nEnsure 100% of pre-order and launch-day deliveries are fulfilled on launch day.\nPersonally intervene on critical or high-visibility fulfilment failures.\nOwn the fulfilment strategy and resourcing plan for peak peaks.\nApprove and oversee surge resourcing (driver shifts, courier capacity) ahead of known peaks.\nTeam Leadership & Operating Model\nLead the full operations team, including all direct and indirect reports.\nDesign and continuously refine the operating model across DC, DFS, click & collect, fleet, and courier functions to support growth and scale.\nSet direction and priorities for the team hold them accountable for day-to-day execution against SLA targets.\nBuild organisational capability and succession depth so the team can execute consistently without constant direct intervention.\nLead, coach, and develop the Operations Manager (Fulfilment) and the broader operations team.\nOwn recruitment, onboarding, and performance management for all direct reports.\nEnsure all direct reports - including the Operations Manager and their team - have valid, up-to-date KPAs and completed Scorecard check-ins.\nBuild a high-performance, accountable operations and fulfilment culture across the full team.\nGet directly involved in execution during critical incidents, peak trading, and launch events - not only in an oversight capacity.\nStep into live order pipelines and escalations personally when SLAs are at risk, working alongside the team to resolve issues in real time.\nModel a hands-on, execution-first leadership style across the operations team.\nCourier & Logistics Partner Relationships\nOwn the strategic and commercial relationship with all courier and last-mile logistics partners.\nLead contract negotiations, rate cards, and service level agreements with courier partners.\nRepresent iStore in senior-level courier and logistics engagements, including escalation of systemic performance issues.\nEvaluate and onboard new courier and logistics partners as the fulfilment footprint grows.\nHold the Operations Manager and team accountable for day-to-day courier performance management, while retaining ultimate ownership of the relationship.\nStore, DFS & Click-and-Collect Fulfilment\nEnsure DFS pick, pack, and dispatch processes are executed consistently across all participating stores.\nEnsure Click & Collect (BOPIS) readiness workflows are executed to SLA across all stores.\nPartner with retail store leadership to embed fulfilment processes into store operating rhythms.\nEnsure fulfilment execution is consistent across both istore.co.za and istorepre-owned.co.za.\nReturns & Reverse Logistics Management\nCarry ultimate accountability for the end-to-end customer returns and collections process, from home and store locations, across all fulfilment channels.\nEnsure all return collection requests are actioned within defined SLAs.\nOversee coordination with courier and driver fleet partners for return pickups, and ensure inventory is processed back to DC or store accurately.\nOwn reverse logistics performance reporting, including returns volumes, failure rates, and SLA compliance.\nIdentify and drive process improvements to reduce returns volumes and reverse logistics cost and cycle time.\nPayments, Virtual & Subscription Transaction Management\nOwn operational management of payments across all e-commerce transactions, ensuring accuracy, reconciliation, and timely settlement. Including but not limited to:\nvirtual transactions (e.g. digital vouchers, gift cards, and virtual products)\nsubscription-based transactions (e.g. recurring billing, renewals, and cancellations), ensuring accurate processing and a seamless customer experience.\nPartner with Finance to resolve payment failures, chargebacks, and reconciliation discrepancies.\nIntegrations (E-Commerce Operations)\nAct as operational owner for new system integrations affecting fulfilment.\nCoordinate with IT and Digital teams on integration issues, upgrades, and rollouts affecting e-commerce operations.\nEnsure integration failures are identified, escalated, and resolved within defined SLAs.\nOwn the last-mile delivery cost base; set targets for cost per order and delivery cost efficiency.\nApprove courier commercial terms, invoice audit outcomes, and billing dispute resolutions.\nSponsor and prioritise cost optimisation initiatives across the fulfilment network.\nOwn the commercial relationship and contract for the Transport Management System vendor.\nOperational Reporting & Governance\nEnsure daily, weekly, and monthly fulfilment, payments reporting is accurate, timely, and actioned.\nOwn SLA governance: chair regular fulfilment performance reviews with the operations team and courier partners.\nProvide fulfilment performance reporting to leadership.\nStakeholder & Executive Engagement\nAct as the senior point of accountability for fulfilment performance to leadership.\nBuild strong cross-functional relationships with Warehouse, Digital Commerce, Retail Store Operations, Finance, IT/Digital, and Customer Service leadership.\nRepresent operations and fulfilment in executive planning, budgeting, and strategy discussions.\nQUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or equivalent; MBA or postgraduate qualification advantageous but not mandatory.\nAdvanced proficiency in Excel and PowerBI for operational and executive-level reporting.\nStrong working knowledge of Transport Management Systems\nWorking knowledge of payment gateways, payment reconciliation processes, and e-commerce systems integrations.\nExperience Required\nMinimum 8 years of experience in e-commerce fulfilment, last-mile delivery, logistics, or retail operations, including at least 5 years in a senior management role leading other managers.\nTrack record of owning SLA performance across multiple fulfilment channels (DC, DFS, click & collect, express) simultaneously.\nManaging or working closely with e-commerce systems integrations (payment gateways, TMS, ERP, inventory, or CRM platforms).\nInventory and supply chain management within an e-commerce or omnichannel retail environment.\nHigh-pressure, high-volume retail or e-commerce execution environments, including peak trading and product launches.\nExperience across omnichannel fulfilment models (delivery, in-store, click & collect).","description_format":"text","description_chars":7963,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":5,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":true},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Commerce"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-03T19:17:49Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":17,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.474,"p_room":0.36,"age_days":98,"expected_fill_days":59,"reasons":["conf:1","stale_co","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/core-head-of-ecommerce-operations","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/core-head-of-ecommerce-operations.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-20T14:38:59Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":16477,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":3880289},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3880289"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcore-head-of-ecommerce-operations"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcore-head-of-ecommerce-operations"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcore-head-of-ecommerce-operations"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/core-head-of-ecommerce-operations\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcore-head-of-ecommerce-operations"}]}