Job Description

• The Home Improvement business operates within the Client's voluntary trade model. Every store is an independent legal entity with its own MD, its own localised ERP, and its own way of listing articles and setting price. That makes a group commerce launch far more complex than a corporate, top-down rollout.

• The business has not launched a programme of this kind end to end before. The mobile app, the website relaunch, loyalty, CRM and CDP, and store operations all have to come together at once.

• The first wave targets approximately 30 stores, retailer adoption, store readiness and change management are central to success, not an afterthought.

• South African shoppers are quick to judge service and have plenty of choice. The programme gets one chance to make the launch land.

• Own the single, integrated programme plan across merchandise, marketing, operations and IT, working backwards from the agreed go-live.

• Act as the binding force that gets every department operating as one team toward a common launch date.

• Drive the first-wave rollout across the targeted approx. 30 stores, including store readiness, scanning and picking equipment, and the capital and cost conversations with participating retailers.

• Lead retailer engagement and adoption. Build the case that earns buy-in from independent retailers, respecting that rollout depends on convincing each business rather than mandating it.

• Coordinate the launch of the mobile app and the relaunched website as one connected ecosystem, alongside loyalty, CRM and CDP, and reward integrations.

• Hold the line on the business rules that protect the model: store-level pricing, prevention of retailer cannibalisation, and correct surfacing of price to the consumer.

• Oversee the operational realities specific to building materials, including delivery logistics, credits and returns, rather than treating them as standard grocery fulfilment.

• Coordinate IT and vendor delivery as one workstream within the programme, holding it to the same plan and milestones as every other team.

• Run programme governance, reporting and a clear cadence to leadership, with visibility on risks, dependencies and launch readiness.

• Own go-live readiness, cutover and the early stabilisation period after launch.

• 15 – 18 years managing complex, cross-functional business programmes, ideally a commerce or omnichannel launch taken from plan to go-live.

• Proven track record bringing merchandise, marketing, operations and IT together under one plan and one date.

• Direct experience launching e-commerce or marketplace ecosystems, across web and mobile, in a live retail environment.

• Strong grasp of the business complexity behind commerce: master data and article listing, store-level pricing, fulfilment, returns and loyalty.

• Comfort operating across independent or franchised retail networks where adoption has to be earned, not directed.

• Retail domain experience strongly preferred.

• Confident managing senior business stakeholders, vendors and delivery teams at the same time.

• Working familiarity with delivery tooling such as Jira and Confluence, and with agile delivery, enough to hold IT accountable without running the build personally.

Education and Certifications (Preferred)

The following qualifications are good to have. They are preferred but not mandatory:

• MBA / PGDBM, or B.Tech — or an equivalent qualification recognised in South Africa.
• Project / programme management certification — PMI Project Management Professional (PMP) or Program Management Professional (PgMP), PRINCE2, or equivalent.
• Agile / product certification — SAFe Certified Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), a recognised Product Management certification, or equivalent.

• Business-first programme thinking, with technology treated as one input.

• Ability to align and mobilise departments that do not usually work as one team.

• Strong execution rigour anchored to a fixed launch date.

• Change management and stakeholder influence across independent businesses.

• Risk, dependency and escalation management.

• Clear, senior-level communication and reporting.

• Comfort operating in an evolving, first-of-its-kind environment.

• A successful, on-date launch of the commerce ecosystem across the first wave of stores.

• Smooth coordination across merchandise, marketing, operations and IT, evidenced by one plan all teams work to.

• Retailer readiness and adoption within the first wave, and a credible path to broaden the rollout.

• A launch customer experience strong enough to protect the business's reputation for service.

• Correct enforcement of pricing and anti-cannibalisation rules at launch.

• Controlled risks, dependencies and escalations through go-live and stabilisation.

At Zensar, we’re “experience-led everything” We are committed to conceptualizing, designing, engineering, marketing, and managing digital solutions and experiences for over 130 leading enterprises. We are a company driven by a bold purpose: Together, we shape experiences for better futures Whether for our clients, our people, or the world around us, this belief powers everything we do. At the heart of our culture is ONE with Client - a set of four core values that reflect who we are and how we work: One Zensar, Nurturing, Empowering, and Client Focus

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We believe the best work happens when individuality is celebrated, growth is encouraged, and well-being is prioritized. We are an equal employment opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action employer, committed to creating an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, family medical leave status, or protected veteran status.