🚀 We’re Hiring: Executive Head of Shared Services – Merchant Division
Lesaka Merchant | Merchant Division

Are you a strategic, commercially minded operational leader with deep expertise in procurement, facilities, fleet, and shared‑services enablement? Lesaka Merchant is seeking an Executive Head of Shared Services to centralise, optimise, and scale all shared operational functions across the Merchant Division.

This senior role is ideal for a highly organised operator who thrives in complex environments and ensures that assets, facilities, systems, and procurement processes enable — not hinder — business execution.

📍 Location: Johannesburg / Cape Town
📊 Reporting Line: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
👥 Direct Reports: To be confirmed
🤝 Dotted‑Line Partners: Technology, BPMO, Finance, Risk & Fraud, Compliance, Customer Care, Field Services

💼 Purpose

The Head of Shared Services is accountable for centralising and optimising procurement, facilities, and fleet functions across the Merchant Division. This role ensures that shared services deliver:

• Cost efficiency
• Operational reliability
• Sustainability
• Governance and compliance
• Fit‑for‑purpose assets, facilities, and sourcing decisions

All aligned with the Merchant Division’s strategy, architectural standards, and operational needs.

🔍 Key Responsibility Areas

Enterprise Procurement & Sourcing

• Lead all procurement activities across the Merchant Division — including technology, hardware, devices, and service sourcing.
• Assess business needs and architectural fit before sourcing any solution.
• Present best‑fit, value‑optimised options balancing cost, quality, scalability, and risk.
• Drive best‑price outcomes while safeguarding sustainability and quality.

Procurement Governance & Compliance

• Ensure procurement practices align with Group policies, architectural standards, and compliance requirements.
• Embed ethical sourcing, sustainability practices, and supplier‑risk management.
• Partner with Compliance, Risk & Fraud on procurement‑related risk and controls.

Operational Facilities Management

• Own and manage all non‑corporate operational facilities, including warehouses, call centres, operational buildings, and storage sites.
• Ensure facilities are safe, secure, compliant, functional, and operationally effective.
• Oversee rentals, facility maintenance, health & safety, and operational readiness.

Fleet Management

• Lead and optimise the entire Merchant Division fleet.
• Ensure assets are fit for purpose, efficiently utilised, correctly branded, and cost‑optimised.
• Oversee maintenance cycles, risk management, lifecycle planning, and fleet controls.

Cost Optimisation & Asset Efficiency

• Drive cost‑efficiency initiatives across procurement, facilities, and fleet.
• Track total cost of ownership (TCO) and utilisation of shared assets.
• Reduce waste, streamline processes, and embed efficiency across all shared‑services functions.

Shared Services Enablement

• Ensure operational teams receive timely access to assets, facilities, and services.
• Remove operational bottlenecks and enable seamless execution.
• Act as a trusted operational partner to all business units.

Shared Services Leadership & Capability

• Lead and develop procurement, facilities, and fleet management teams.
• Build a scalable shared‑services operating model based on governance, accountability, and service excellence.
• Embed strong performance management, operational discipline, and customer‑centric support.

🧠 Key Competencies Required

⭐ Strategic Procurement – Sources best‑fit solutions balancing architecture, cost, risk, and quality.
💼 Commercial Acumen – Optimises high‑spend categories and drives measurable value.
⚙️ Operational Enablement – Ensures shared services accelerate operational execution.
🛡️ Risk & Compliance Awareness – Understands operational and supplier‑related risks.
🏢 Asset & Facilities Management – Experienced managing complex facilities and infrastructure.
🤝 Stakeholder Management – Works effectively with Finance, Technology, BPMO, and Operations.
📏 Execution Discipline – Runs shared services with consistency, reliability, and strong governance.
👤 People Leadership – Builds accountable, high‑performing shared‑services teams.

🎓 Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Operations Management, Logistics, Facilities Management, or a related field
• Postgraduate qualification in Business, Operations, Supply Chain, or related area advantageous
• MBA highly advantageous for a role of this strategic scale
• 10+ years’ experience in procurement, supply chain, facilities, fleet, or shared‑services operations
• 5+ years’ senior leadership experience, preferably in multi‑entity or high‑volume operational environments
• Proven track record in large‑scale procurement, vendor management, and cost optimisation
• Strong experience managing operational facilities and fleet at scale
• Demonstrated ability to design and run shared‑services operating models
• Strong commercial, analytical, and negotiation skills
• High stakeholder influence and leadership maturity

🌟 Our Values

✔ Entrepreneurial Spirit – We innovate, take initiative, and act with ownership.
✔ Integrity – We operate with honesty, trust, and respect.
✔ Collective Wisdom – We collaborate, learn together, and leverage shared strengths.
✔ Bias to Action – We execute with urgency, discipline, and focus.

📌 Preference will be made to support EE / AA measures.

🔗 Ready to lead the shared‑services engine that powers GAAP, Adumo, Kazang, and Connect?
Apply today — or share this opportunity with an exceptional operational leader.