Product & Commercial Director

• Our purpose is to change people’s lives for the better through wellness.
• We create inclusive spaces and experiences that support physical, mental and social wellbeing, helping members build lasting progress and a sense of community.
• Lead the product and commercial growth agenda for Virgin Active South Africa, translating our wellness ambition into a differentiated member offering and sustainable financial performance. Shape the local product portfolio, identify new sources of value and build the leadership capability required to deliver consistently across our club network.
• Accountable for product revenue, budgets and forecasts, the Director sets commercial priorities across Personal Training, Health Professionals, Group Exercise, Swim, Family and emerging wellness propositions. The role balances growth, profitability and member experience, connecting product strategy with operational delivery.
• Working with the Group Chief Product Officer, align South African priorities with the Group product direction and provide executive insight on portfolio performance, investment opportunities and the decisions required to accelerate growth.

Product Strategy and portfolio leadership

• Define and execute the South African product strategy in alignment with Group direction, business priorities and evolving member needs.
• Make clear portfolio choices: where to invest, which propositions to expand or improve, and which to discontinue based on performance and strategic fit.
• Use member insight, market intelligence and performance data to strengthen the relevance and differentiation of our wellness offering.

Commercial growth and financial performance

• Own product revenue plans, budgets and forecasts in partnership with Commercial Finance. Drive delivery against agreed revenue and profitability objectives.
• Lead pricing, packaging and product adoption strategies that grow participation and spend per member while protecting member value.
• Evaluate performance by product and club, identify material variances and direct corrective action through the relevant functional and operational leaders.
• Provide clear executive reporting on results, commercial risks, forecasts and decisions required.

Innovation and investment

• Identify and assess new revenue opportunities, including recovery, longevity and partnerships, alongside growth in established products and Health Professionals.
• Sponsor robust business cases with Finance, testing demand, commercial viability, operating requirements and expected returns before investment.
• Oversee a disciplined pipeline from concept and pilot to national rollout, with clear criteria to scale, refine or stop initiatives.

Execution across the club network

• Partner with the COO, Central Operations and club leadership to ensure propositions are commercially effective, practical to operate and consistently delivered.
• Align Marketing, Digital and IT, Finance, HR and Learning and Development around launch readiness, capability requirements and ongoing performance.
• Establish clear ownership, delivery milestones and performance reviews across one integrated product roadmap; resolve dependencies and escalate material barriers.

Leadership and organisational capability

• Lead, coach and hold the functional heads accountable for strategic priorities, financial outcomes and member experience.
• Build an engaged, commercially capable leadership team with clear objectives, succession plans and a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with UK and European product teams to share insight and adapt proven propositions to the South African market.

We can’t live without…

• Senior product or commercial leadership experience in fitness, wellness, leisure, hospitality or a consumer subscription business.
• A demonstrated record of growing revenue, developing propositions and delivering results with profit and loss accountability.
• Strong financial and analytical capability, including business case evaluation, budgeting, forecasting and commercial performance management.
• Leadership in a multi-site business, with an understanding of how to translate central strategy into consistent local execution.
• Experience using pilots and member insight to validate propositions before scaling.
• Strong programme delivery capability across multiple functions and competing priorities.
• Experience leading senior functional leaders, building accountable teams and developing leadership capability.
• The credibility and influence to align executive stakeholders and operational teams around shared commercial priorities.
• Evidence of taking propositions from opportunity assessment through launch and into sustained commercial performance.

Core Interpersonal Skills:

• Emotional Intelligence
• Active Listening
• Cultural Awareness and Fluency
• Empathy

Operational & leadership Skills Required:

• Attention to Detail
• Resilience and Composure
• Problem solving and conflict resolution
• Adaptability
• Relatability
• Situational Awareness
• Curiosity
• Time Management
• Digital Fluency