Training and Development Manger

The Takealot Group, a prominent player in South Africa's e-commerce landscape, is seeking a strategic and experienced Training and Development Manager to spearhead their customer service learning initiatives. This vital role will be based in Cape Town and is instrumental in shaping how the company equips its customer-facing teams to deliver exceptional service.

About the Role

This position goes beyond traditional training delivery. It’s a leadership opportunity focused on the strategic design, implementation, and ongoing optimisation of learning programmes for the organisation's contact centre operations. The successful candidate will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of learning solutions, from initial strategy development and curriculum design to the measurement of tangible business impact. A key aspect will be ensuring that all training interventions are directly linked to improvements in customer experience, operational efficiency, and ultimately, commercial success.

The core responsibilities of this role are extensive and demand a holistic approach to learning and development within a customer service context. You will be tasked with:

• Developing and executing a comprehensive customer service learning and training strategy that aligns with the group's overall business objectives, customer experience goals, and commercial priorities.
• Integrating learning programmes seamlessly into existing performance management systems, succession planning frameworks, and broader workforce development initiatives within the contact centre.
• Establishing and maintaining structured training frameworks and clear learning pathways for all levels of customer service staff, from frontline agents to senior management.
• Taking ownership of Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) responsibilities and ensuring full compliance with South African skills development legislation and associated regulatory requirements within customer service training operations.
• Designing and implementing leadership development programmes and structured training journeys tailored for the customer service hierarchy.
• Creating role-specific learning curricula and career progression pathways that clearly connect skill development with advancement opportunities.
• Developing training programmes that foster succession readiness and embedding principles of mentoring, coaching, and experiential learning.
• Designing and delivering training across critical competencies such as Customer Experience, Contact Centre Operations, Client Engagement, and Service Leadership.
• Translating identified customer service performance gaps into targeted, impactful learning interventions and structured improvement plans.
• Collaborating closely with Quality Assurance and Operations teams to embed training best practices in areas like call handling, service delivery standards, and behavioural frameworks.
• Leading the design and governance of the contact centre's Learning Management System (LMS) to ensure scalable and effective training delivery.
• Deploying a variety of learning modalities, including blended learning, digital-first approaches, and micro-learning, all tailored to align with customer service operational workflows.
• Exploring and introducing AI-enabled and data-informed learning pathways to personalise training experiences.
• Translating complex customer service and product information into engaging and easily digestible learning content and materials.
• Demonstrating a clear link between learning and training programmes and key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), First Call Resolution (FCR), Average Handling Time (AHT), ticket reopen rates, quality scores, and agent attrition.
• Defining robust training effectiveness metrics, developing learning impact dashboards, and providing executive-level reporting on training Return on Investment (ROI).
• Championing the role of learning and training as a measurable driver of operational excellence and enhanced customer satisfaction.

What They're Looking For

To excel in this role, candidates will require a substantial background in learning and development, with a specific focus on customer service and contact centre environments. Key qualifications and experience include:

• A Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Education, Learning & Development, Training Management, or a closely related field.
• A postgraduate qualification in Learning & Development, Training Management, or Contact Center Operations is highly preferred.
• Registered Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) certification, with demonstrable experience in customer service or contact centre training.
• A Contact Centre Manager qualification (NQF Level 5) or a Training and Development certification would be advantageous.
• Professional certifications in Learning & Development (e.g., CIPD, ATD) or Training Management are preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Learning & Development or Training Management, with a significant portion dedicated to customer service or contact centre settings.
• At least 5 years in a senior training leadership position within large-scale contact centre, customer service, or customer experience operations.
• A proven track record of delivering measurable learning outcomes and demonstrating training effectiveness directly linked to customer service performance improvements.
• Substantial experience in designing and implementing customer service training strategies and developing comprehensive learning programmes.
• A strong history of leading learning transformation within contact centres and establishing robust training delivery governance across customer-facing operations.
• Experience in successfully integrating customer service training with performance management, quality assurance processes, and overall workforce development strategies.
• Demonstrated expertise in South African skills development legislation and Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) requirements relevant to training and service industries.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of customer service training within one of South Africa's leading e-commerce businesses. Given the scope and strategic importance, this position would typically command a competitive salary, reflective of extensive experience and proven leadership in the field. The Takealot Group, as a major employer, offers significant opportunities for professional growth and development.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Education, Learning & Development, Training Management, or related field.
• Post-graduate qualification in Learning & Development, Training Management, or Contact Center Operations preferred.
• Registered Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) certification with customer service or contact center training experience.
• Contact Centre Manager qualification (NQF Level 5) or Training and Development certification advantageous.
• Professional certification in Learning & Development (CIPD, ATD) or Training Management preferred.
• 10+ years progressive experience in Learning & Development or Training Management with focus on customer service or contact centre environments.
• 5+ years in senior training leadership within scaled contact centre, customer service, or customer experience operations.
• Proven delivery of measurable learning outcomes and training effectiveness linked to customer service performance.
• Experience designing and implementing customer service training strategies and learning program development.
• Strong track record in contact centre learning transformation and training delivery governance across customer-facing operations.
• Experience integrating customer service training with performance management, quality assurance, and workforce development.
• Demonstrated expertise in South African skills development legislation and SETA requirements within training and service industries.