Head of Operations and Customer Experience– Ladies Stack at TFG (The Foschini Group)

Job Description

• The Head of Operations and Customer Experience in the Ladies Stack comprises a critical strategic executive role across Foschini, The Fix and TFG Beauty.. This critical role reports directly into the MD for the Stack with full accountability to each Head of Brand and direct engagement with the Fix, Foschini and Beauty executive functions. 
• This leader is accountable for 5 direct senior sales manager reports and responsible for over 6000 field and store employees. The role interfaces with key stakeholders across The Retail Operations Hub, Property Estates, Group Store Design, interfacing across 3 unique brands within the dynamic and competitive ladies’ marketplace. A key function of this role is to build and lead the 3–5-year operational strategy aligned to brand strategies through annual business plans, budgeting, performance reviews and delivery on other key metrics

Responsibilities
Customer Experience Excellence

• Deliver exceptional, on-brand and frictionless customer experiences as a core commercial lever.
• Connect CX metrics to financial outcomes, including VOC, NPS, conversion, repeat purchase rate and retention.

Omni-Channel Selling & Revenue Growth

• Accountable for total sales performance across physical stores.
• Drive seamless omni-channel integration including click & collect, endless aisle and fulfilment from store.

Store Productivity & Retail Excellence

• Address underperforming stores through data-led interventions.
• Optimise store labour efficiency and staffing using Workforce Management (WFM) data and analytics.
• Drive in-store visual merchandising excellence and improved sales per square metre.
• Partner with the Retail Operations Hub to drive cost optimisation, OPEX controls and risk mitigation.

People, Culture & Leadership

• Translate strategy into simple, executable behaviours aligned to the TFG purpose, vision and values.
• Build and lead high performance sales-driven operations teams with a strong service mindset.
• Upskill teams for omni-selling and embed new ways of working through sustained behavioural change.
• Provide strategic change leadership by shaping direction, aligning leaders and teams, and embedding sustained adoption of change.
• Build and maintain a culture of care and growth for all operation teams

Location Strategy & Capex Returns

• Develop and deliver a clear stack roadmap for place.
• Identify location gaps versus competitors, optimise store formats and align expansion with shifting customer demand.
• Ensure effective and measurable returns on capital expenditure.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Digital Transformation

• Leverage data and analytics for informed decision making and “test and learn” execution.
• Drive digital transformation in stores, including AI-enabled personalisation.
• Ensure strong adoption of digital tools across store and field teams.

Qualifications

• A relevant bachelor’s degree in business, Commerce, Retail Management, Operations Management or a related field
• Minimum of 8–10 years’ senior leadership experience in large‑scale retail or fashion operations
• Extensive experience in change leadership  
• Proven accountability for multi billion rand turnover with direct impact on sales, margin and customer experience 
• Experience leading large, geographically dispersed teams in multi-brand environments 
• Strong background in omni-channel retail, store operations and productivity optimisation 
• Demonstrated capability in operational strategy, budgeting, and performance management 
• Experience driving customer experience, digital transformation, and capex-led location strategy

Skills 

• Change Leadership 
• Extensive Agility
• Multi‑Brand Operational Leadership
• Strong Commercial & Financial Acumen
• Omni‑Channel Retail Expertise
• Retail Operations & Store Productivity Excellence
• Customer Experience as a Commercial Lever
• Senior People Leadership & Culture Building
• Strategic Execution & Change Leadership
• Data‑Driven Decision Making & Digital Enablement
• Location Strategy & Capex Management
• Executive Influence & Stakeholder Management
• Resilience & Risk Management

Behaviours 

• Being Resilient - rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
• Building Effective Teams - forms, develops and leads a group of individuals toward the achievement of a common team objective
• Cultivates Innovation - creates an environment that fosters and nurtures a culture of creativity which drives success
• Decision Quality - consistently makes timely, well-rounded and informed decisions
• Ensures Accountability - takes accountability and ensures others are held to account on agreed upon performance targets
• Manages Complexity - interprets and simplifies complex and contradictory information when resolving organisational problems
• Situational Adaptability - effectively adjusts their behaviour, approach, and decision-making based on the situation
• Strategic Mindset - thinks and plans strategically, focusing on the long-term goals and objectives of the organisation