Chief Operating Officer- Commercial (Swellendam)

Description:

Description
Sentraal-Suid Co-operative Ltd (SSK), with its head office located in Swellendam, was founded in 1931 and has been serving its loyal members as a co-operative for the past 94 years. The business currently operates in the Western, Eastern, and Southern Cape as well as in the Garden Route, Langkloof, and Karoo. SSK strives to ensure the prosperity and survival of the organization and its members by continuously promoting and pursuing growth and diversification, whilst maintaining stability.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer - Commercial is primarily responsible for ensuring sustained profitable performance of the business units entrusted to them within the SSK Group, ensuring a growing and dominant market share for all its operations in the traditional service area and beyond. The business units include:

• Retail (32 Agriland and 17 Umtiza branches)
• Fuel (24 fuel service points and 13 separate service stations)
• Two Distribution Centres
• Agriland Packaging material branch
• Fertilizer and Chemicals
• Mechanization (4 branches)
• Technifarm (Precision farming subsidiary)
• SSK Petro Retail (Fuel retail subsidiary)

The Chief Operating Officer - Commercial will determine the overall operational strategy for the business units, contributing to sustained profitable growth within the SSK Group, and implement these strategies with appropriate operational and risk management plans.

Responsibilities

• The development, recommendation, and implementation of the business units’ strategy and vision.
• The development and implementation of annual business plans and budgets for said business units.
• The establishment and implementation of corporate policies and procedures.
• Providing a leadership role in implementing an effective succession strategy for senior management.
• Ensuring long-term sustainability by focusing on business confidence, brand, leadership, competence, financial management, social responsibility, and the needs of members, customers, and employees.
• Creating sustainable value for all stakeholders.
• To embody the SSK culture and create an enabling environment for employees.

Requirements

• An appropriate tertiary qualification, with a focus on general management and/or finance.
• A post-graduate business qualification in leadership will be advantageous.
• Proven experience in agricultural retail and agricultural mechanization is required.
• A proven record and experience in management within a profitable, diversified, complex, and decentralized business similar in size to SSK.
• Proven experience in year-on-year profit growth within a business similar in size to SSK, as well as managing the profit and loss of a division.
• Proven success (with references and examples) and track record of growing business/identifying business opportunities within an Agriculture environment.
• Entrenched experience in the management of members as well as the management of complex relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Strong commercial exposure in a variety of organizations and industries.
• General business management experience.
• Must be able to service the existing clientele but also be open to developing future markets for the growth of the organization.
• Must be bilingual in English and Afrikaans.

Suitable candidates are invited to email a detailed CV to annelize.vanrensburg@signium.co.za by the close of business on Tuesday, 19 August 2025. Enquiries may be directed to Ms. Annelize van Rensburg on 011 771 4800. Regrettably, late applicants cannot be considered.

Please regard your application as unsuccessful if you do not receive feedback within one month of the closing date. SSK reserves the right not to fill any position. SSK is an equal-opportunity employer.

Requirements:

• Retail (32 Agriland and 17 Umtiza branches)
• Fuel (24 fuel service points and 13 separate service stations)
• Two Distribution Centres
• Agriland Packaging material branch
• Fertilizer and Chemicals
• Mechanization (4 branches)
• Technifarm (Precision farming subsidiary)
• SSK Petro Retail (Fuel retail subsidiary)

• The development, recommendation, and implementation of the business units’ strategy and vision.
• The development and implementation of annual business plans and budgets for said business units.
• The establishment and implementation of corporate policies and procedures.
• Providing a leadership role in implementing an effective succession strategy for senior management.
• Ensuring long-term sustainability by focusing on business confidence, brand, leadership, competence, financial management, social responsibility, and the needs of members, customers, and employees.
• Creating sustainable value for all stakeholders.
• To embody the SSK culture and create an enabling environment for employees.

• An appropriate tertiary qualification, with a focus on general management and/or finance.
• A post-graduate business qualification in leadership will be advantageous.
• Proven experience in agricultural retail and agricultural mechanization is required.
• A proven record and experience in management within a profitable, diversified, complex, and decentralized business similar in size to SSK.
• Proven experience in year-on-year profit growth within a business similar in size to SSK, as well as managing the profit and loss of a division.
• Proven success (with references and examples) and track record of growing business/identifying business opportunities within an Agriculture environment.
• Entrenched experience in the management of members as well as the management of complex relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Strong commercial exposure in a variety of organizations and industries.
• General business management experience.
• Must be able to service the existing clientele but also be open to developing future markets for the growth of the organization.
• Must be bilingual in English and Afrikaans.