Head of Service Operations – iStore Africa

At Core Group, we are passionate about technology, innovation, operational excellence, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

We are looking for a highly experienced and strategically minded Head of Service Operations and Transformation to lead, redesign, and scale our service operations across Africa.

Purpose of the Role

The Head of Service Operations and Transformation – iStore Africa will provide strategic and operational leadership to the service function across the African continent.

This role will have full accountability for the end-to-end repair and after-sales service journey, including workshop operations, collections, logistics, cross-border repairs, technical capability, parts management, customer experience, compliance, financial performance, process optimisation, and regional expansion.

The successful candidate will be responsible for assessing the current service operating model, identifying inefficiencies, redesigning processes, and implementing scalable operational solutions across multiple countries.

This is not only a technical service management role. It is a senior Head of Department position requiring strong Industrial Engineering capability, commercial thinking, operational leadership, and the ability to manage complex, multi-site environments across Africa.

The role will ensure that all service operations are efficient, commercially sustainable, customer-focused, and fully aligned with Apple Authorised Service Provider standards.

Key Responsibilities

Service Strategy and Departmental Leadership

• Develop and implement the service operations strategy for iStore Africa in support of the broader business strategy.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the service function across all countries and locations.
• Build a scalable service operating model that supports growth across Africa.
• Set clear departmental priorities, performance standards, governance structures, and operating rhythms.
• Identify opportunities to improve service capability, productivity, efficiency, customer experience, and commercial performance.
• Provide senior leadership with clear insight into operational performance, risks, opportunities, and strategic priorities.
• Act as the senior escalation point for significant customer, operational, technical, compliance, and commercial matters.

Operational Transformation and Process Design

• Review the full end-to-end service and repair operation across Africa.
• Map, analyse, redesign, and standardise operational processes across all service locations.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, duplication, inefficiencies, control gaps, and opportunities for automation.
• Develop scalable processes that can be implemented consistently across multiple countries.
• Improve workflow design, capacity planning, workforce utilisation, productivity, and resource allocation.
• Lead continuous improvement and operational transformation initiatives across the service division.
• Use data and operational insights to drive measurable improvements in cost, turnaround time, quality, and customer experience.
• Ensure that standardised processes remain practical and appropriate for individual country requirements.

End-to-End Repair Operations

• Take full ownership of the repair lifecycle from customer collection through to final delivery.
• Ensure fast, consistent, and high-quality repairs across all service locations.
• Drive turnaround times and maintain strong service-level performance.
• Oversee workshop operations, service desks, repair queues, technician productivity, and repair quality.
• Manage collections, parts movement, courier networks, logistics, and cross-border repair operations.
• Ensure same-day repairs are achieved where workshop capability and parts availability allow.
• Monitor capacity and demand across all locations and implement corrective action where required.
• Ensure service centres operate consistently and in line with required operational standards.

Financial and Commercial Management

• Own the service division’s budget, cost management, financial planning, and operational forecasts.
• Improve the financial and commercial contribution of the service function.
• Monitor and manage key cost drivers, including parts, logistics, labour, repeat repairs, stock losses, write-offs, and third-party service costs.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve productivity, and increase operational value.
• Develop business cases for service expansion, systems, equipment, tooling, staffing, and process improvements.
• Evaluate service investments and measure the return on operational initiatives.
• Manage external service providers, suppliers, and logistics partners against agreed commercial and operational outcomes.

Service Quality, Governance and Compliance

• Maintain Apple Authorised Service Provider compliance and audit readiness across all service locations.
• Ensure consistent application of Apple policies, procedures, technical standards, and controls.
• Ensure technicians maintain all required Apple certifications, including ACMT and ACiT where applicable.
• Develop and maintain strong operational governance and control frameworks.
• Monitor repeat repairs, audit findings, technical errors, customer complaints, and service failures.
• Lead root-cause analysis and ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
• Ensure accurate operational reporting, documentation, and record management.
• Maintain strong risk, safety, security, and compliance controls across workshops and service desks.

Customer Experience

• Define and drive a premium after-sales customer experience aligned with the iStore and Apple brands.
• Ensure customers receive clear, accurate, and timely communication throughout the repair journey.
• Establish customer service and escalation standards across all countries.
• Monitor customer satisfaction, complaints, service recovery, and customer effort metrics.
• Ensure complex customer escalations are handled quickly and appropriately.
• Partner with Retail, Customer Experience, Marketing, and regional teams to improve the overall customer journey.
• Use customer feedback and service data to identify and implement meaningful improvements.

Stock, Parts and Asset Management

• Ensure effective stock control and parts management across all service centres.
• Improve parts forecasting, availability, replenishment, and allocation.
• Ensure the correct parts are available to support service-level and turnaround-time commitments.
• Oversee workshop asset registers, tools, equipment, and security controls.
• Manage shrinkage, obsolete stock, lost parts, write-offs, and inventory inaccuracies.
• Ensure strong financial and operational controls are in place across all locations.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Finance, and regional teams to improve stock accuracy and availability.

Regional Growth and Expansion

• Lead the operational planning and readiness of new service locations across Africa.
• Assess service demand, infrastructure, staffing, technical capability, and operational risks in new markets.
• Ensure new workshops and service points meet Apple standards from launch.
• Develop scalable processes, systems, structures, and training models to support regional growth.
• Partner with country leaders and regional stakeholders to support expansion.
• Ensure consistency across countries while accommodating local legislation, infrastructure, and market requirements.
• Support the continued growth of iStore’s service capability across the continent.

Technology, Data and Reporting

• Use data and technology to improve visibility, decision-making, and operational performance.
• Establish clear dashboards and reporting across service levels, productivity, cost, quality, stock, and customer experience.
• Identify opportunities for automation and system improvement across the repair journey.
• Ensure data accuracy and consistent reporting across all locations.
• Track performance trends and use insight to drive operational action.
• Partner with IT and relevant stakeholders to improve service systems and technology capability.

Stakeholder and Partner Management

• Build strong relationships with Apple and other strategic partners.
• Represent the service function in senior leadership, regional, and business planning forums.
• Partner closely with Retail, Supply Chain, Finance, IT, HR, Customer Experience, and regional leadership.
• Manage stakeholder expectations across multiple countries and functions.
• Provide clear, accurate, and timely updates to executive stakeholders.
• Manage third-party suppliers, logistics providers, contractors, and service partners.
• Ensure external partners consistently meet agreed performance and service standards.

People Leadership and Capability Development

• Lead, coach, and develop senior service, technical, operational, and customer service leaders across Africa.
• Build a capable and accountable leadership structure across all service locations.
• Establish clear KPIs, performance expectations, operating rhythms, and accountability.
• Drive succession planning and develop a strong internal talent pipeline.
• Ensure the service function has the technical, leadership, and operational capability required for future growth.
• Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across countries and teams.
• Foster a culture aligned with Core Group’s values of Customer Focus, Passion, Innovation, Teamwork, Integrity, and Getting Things Done.

Experience Requirements

• A minimum of 8 to 10 years’ experience in complex operational, engineering, service, logistics, manufacturing, retail, technical, or after-sales environments.
• At least 5 years’ experience in a senior leadership or Head of Department role.
• Proven experience managing complex operations across multiple countries in Africa.
• Strong experience leading multi-site and geographically dispersed operations.
• Proven experience in process design, operational transformation, process optimisation, and continuous improvement.
• Experience building and implementing scalable operating models.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end operational processes, service delivery, logistics, stock management, and customer experience.
• Experience managing large or multidisciplinary teams across different countries and cultures.
• Strong financial and commercial management experience, including budgets, forecasts, cost control, and business cases.
• Proven experience managing suppliers, logistics partners, and third-party service providers.
• Experience working in a high-performance, KPI-driven, and compliance-focused environment.
• Previous experience within premium electronics, technology, telecommunications, automotive, manufacturing, logistics, or another complex service environment would be advantageous.
• Previous Apple or premium technology brand experience would be beneficial but is not essential.

Qualifications

• A degree in Industrial Engineering is strongly preferred.
• A postgraduate qualification in Business, Operations, Engineering Management, or a related field would be advantageous.
• Lean Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Project Management, or related certifications would be beneficial.
• Apple certifications, including ACMT or ACiT, would be advantageous but are not essential.
• ITIL or other relevant service management certification would be beneficial.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong Industrial Engineering and systems-thinking capability.
• Excellent process design, analysis, and optimisation skills.
• Strong operational transformation and continuous improvement capability.
• Strategic thinking with strong execution ability.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Excellent leadership and people-development skills.
• Advanced problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Strong stakeholder and executive-management capability.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and performance-management skills.
• Ability to influence and operate effectively across multiple countries and cultures.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk, compliance, and operational controls.
• Ability to standardise operations while accommodating local market requirements.
• Strong customer orientation and commitment to service excellence.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, complex, and high-pressure environment.
• Ability to work strategically while remaining hands-on when required.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.

What Success Looks Like

• A clear and successfully implemented service strategy across Africa.
• A scalable and consistent operating model across all service locations.
• Improved operational efficiency, productivity, and cost management.
• Strong turnaround times and service-level performance.
• High-quality and consistent repair execution.
• Improved customer satisfaction and reduced customer escalations.
• Audit-ready service centres operating in line with Apple standards.
• Reduced repeat repairs, stock losses, service failures, and operational waste.
• Improved financial and commercial performance of the service division.
• Successful and sustainable rollout of new service locations.
• Strong regional collaboration and stakeholder confidence.
• A high-performing, engaged, and capable service leadership team.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a qualified Industrial Engineer with strong experience managing complex, multi-site operational environments across multiple countries in Africa.

We are looking for someone who has worked in a highly complex business and has a proven track record of improving processes, driving operational efficiency, and building scalable solutions across different markets.

The successful candidate must be comfortable operating across multiple countries, cultures, systems, and levels of operational maturity.

They must be able to understand the full end-to-end service operation, identify gaps and inefficiencies, redesign processes, and implement practical solutions that improve performance, customer experience, and commercial outcomes.

This person should combine strong Industrial Engineering capability with senior leadership experience, commercial thinking, and the ability to manage diverse teams and stakeholders across Africa.

They should be able to operate strategically while remaining close enough to the operational detail to understand problems and drive effective execution.

Why Join Core Group?

At Core Group, you will have the opportunity to lead and transform a critical function within one of Africa’s leading technology retail and service businesses.

You will work with world-class brands, passionate teams, and diverse markets across the continent, while shaping the future of after-sales service operations and customer experience within the business.

This role offers the opportunity to build, improve, and scale a complex operation across Africa and to make a meaningful impact on business performance and customer experience.

If you are a strategic and operationally driven Industrial Engineer who thrives in complex environments and is passionate about building high-performing operations, we would love to hear from you.