📍 Location: Johannesburg (National travel required)
📂 Business Unit: Merchant Division
👤 Reports to: Chief Strategy Officer

⭐ Primary Focus

To design, build, and scale Lesaka’s Merchant division non‑field commercial acquisition channels by integrating digital (ecommerce & telesales) and physical (retail, wholesale, kiosks, marketplaces) routes to market into a unified, low Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) distribution engine.

The role exists to prove scalable acquisition models, optimise conversion and activation performance, and establish commercially viable channel economics that reduce reliance on traditional field sales.

This is a founder‑mode execution role accountable for revenue contribution, acquisition cost discipline, activation quality, and channel performance visibility.

🔍 Key Responsibility Areas & Associated Tasks

⚡ Owned Direct Channels (Digital Acquisition Engine)

• Launch and optimise ecommerce and digital commerce (e.g. WhatsApp & Social commerce) as both transactional and lead generation channels
• Build and manage telesales conversion playbooks
• Define assisted vs self‑serve acquisition flows
• Own CRM routing, prioritisation, and funnel performance
• Track conversion rates, CAC, activation, and early churn
• Test messaging, offers, and onboarding journeys
• Exit underperforming funnel components

🏪 Retail & Wholesale Distribution (Physical Access Engine)

• Secure retail listings with strategic retailers and wholesalers
• Structure revenue share, distribution, or embedded acquiring agreements
• Secure and manage retail device listings
• Drive sell‑through and activation performance
• Develop wholesale distribution models targeting informal and hybrid markets
• Design and deploy kiosk pilots using hub‑and‑spoke model
• Launch and manage marketplace listings (Takealot, Amazon, Makro)
• Monitor sell‑in, sell‑through, and activation economics
• Structure defensible commercial constructs
• Align retail and wholesale partnership designs to Alternative Distribution Payments strategic priorities
• Present structured deal proposals to Executive Committee

🔗 Omni Channel Integration & Lifecycle Governance

• Maintain a unified merchant acquisition funnel across all channels
• Standardise onboarding and activation playbooks
• Define clear handover processes to field or support teams
• Establish channel‑level performance dashboards
• Identify and remove friction in onboarding and activation

💰 Commercial & Unit Economics Discipline

• Own channel‑level CAC and blended CAC performance
• Track channel revenue contribution
• Improve conversion‑to‑activation ratio
• Reduce time‑to‑activation
• Monitor early churn and retention
• Provide weekly and monthly performance reporting to the Executive Head

🚀 Pilot, Scale or Exit Decision Framework

• Launch channel pilots with defined commercial success criteria
• Conduct structured economic validation before scaling
• Scale viable models responsibly
• Exit or redesign underperforming initiatives
• Inform long‑term structural decisions as channels mature

💡 Key Competencies Required

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to understand and optimise financial drivers
• Execution excellence with the ability to convert strategy into measurable outcomes
• Data‑driven decision making using analytics to guide direction and priorities
• Deep channel strategy and design capability for scalable go‑to‑market models
• Strong stakeholder influence and cross‑functional collaboration skills
• High operational rigour with disciplined process management
• Adaptability and effectiveness in fast‑evolving business environments

🎓 Experience & Qualifications

Minimum Experience:

• 8–10 years’ experience in commercial distribution, GTM execution, or channel‑led acquisition roles
• Proven experience building or scaling acquisition channels
• Demonstrated understanding of conversion funnels and unit economics
• Experience working across digital and physical routes to market
• Hands‑on experience launching and optimising new commercial models and new channels

Preferred Experience:

• Fintech, payments, telecoms, devices, or merchant services exposure
• Experience operating in informal or township markets
• Experience with CRM‑based lead management and reporting
• Experience in retail distribution or wholesale sales models
• Experience in eCommerce and Omni Channel

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing, Economics, or related field required
• Postgraduate qualification (MBA or equivalent) advantageous

🌟 Our Values

At Lesaka Merchant, we are guided by four core values:
✔ Entrepreneurial Spirit – We innovate boldly and act with ownership.
✔ Integrity – We operate with honesty, trust, and transparency.
✔ Collective Wisdom – We collaborate and leverage shared expertise.
✔ Bias to Action – We deliver with urgency, discipline, and focus.

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

🔥 Ready to Build the Future of Merchant Acquisition?

If you're driven by growth, innovation, and building scalable commercial channels, this role offers the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on Lesaka’s distribution evolution.

📩 Apply now — or share this opportunity with someone exceptional!

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