Product Manager (Machine Learning)

Takealot, South Africa's premier online retail giant, is actively seeking a skilled Product Manager with a specialisation in Machine Learning to enhance its Cape Town-based team. This is an opportunity to join a rapidly expanding, forward-thinking organisation that thrives on innovation and attracts driven individuals committed to excellence. If you're seeking a role that pushes boundaries and demands creative problem-solving, this position offers a unique challenge.

About the Role

The core of this role revolves around shaping and executing the Machine Learning roadmap for critical areas within the Takealot Group. This includes the Merchants division, encompassing both Retail and Marketplace operations, as well as the Supply Chain and Logistics functions. You will be instrumental in identifying opportunities where Machine Learning can drive significant business improvements and working closely with various business units to translate these opportunities into tangible solutions. A key aspect of your responsibilities will involve prioritising projects for the roadmap, collaborating with stakeholders to ensure alignment and buy-in.

You will also work hand-in-hand with a dedicated team of Machine Learning engineers, guiding them to deliver projects according to the established timelines. A strong emphasis will be placed on using both quantitative and qualitative data to inform product requirements, ensuring that development efforts are data-driven and strategically sound. Defining and meticulously tracking the success metrics for each project will be crucial for demonstrating the impact of your work. Ultimately, your goal will be to consistently advance the primary performance indicator, or "North Star" metric, for your designated business vertical through the successful implementation of Machine Learning initiatives.

• **Shape the ML Vision:** Develop and champion the Machine Learning roadmap, focusing on key strategic areas within Takealot's merchant and operational domains.
• **Identify and Prioritise Opportunities:** Collaborate with business stakeholders to pinpoint areas where ML can deliver substantial value, and prioritise these initiatives for inclusion in the product roadmap.
• **Guide ML Development:** Work closely with a team of Machine Learning engineers to ensure reliable and timely delivery of ML projects against roadmap objectives.
• **Data-Driven Product Management:** Utilise both quantitative and qualitative data to define precise product requirements and inform decision-making.
• **Measure and Report Success:** Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and rigorously report on the success metrics of all delivered ML projects.
• **Drive Business Impact:** Focus on improving the core "North Star" metric of your assigned vertical through effective execution of ML strategies.
• **Evangelise ML:** Act as a key advocate for Machine Learning within your business unit, educating stakeholders on its capabilities, potential benefits, and inherent limitations.
• **Iterative Development:** Break down complex problems into manageable, iterative improvements that directly address stakeholder and customer needs.
• **Strategic Balance:** Effectively balance long-term product vision and strategic goals with the need to achieve short-term, impactful wins.

What They're Looking For

To excel in this role, you'll need a robust foundation in product management, ideally with a proven track record in the Machine Learning space. Candidates should possess at least seven years of relevant, transferable experience, or a minimum of three years specifically in product management. Experience leading and executing cross-functional projects, particularly within high-traffic digital environments, is highly valued. A deep familiarity and practical proficiency with agile methodologies and associated tools are essential.

You must demonstrate a high degree of accountability, consistently meeting deadlines and project delivery dates. Prior experience in delivering data products or Machine Learning solutions, including defining AI/ML problems and building Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), is crucial. A solid grasp of fundamental AI/ML concepts is expected.

Technical proficiency is also key. You should be adept at using advanced functions in tools like Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Experience with database management systems such as MySQL or PostgreSQL, and familiarity with BigQuery in high-load environments, are important. While not mandatory, experience with programming languages like Python or R/RStudio would be a distinct advantage. Ideally, candidates will hold a Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as Management Science, Statistics, Data Science, or Computer Science.

In the South African context, a Product Manager role with a focus on Machine Learning in a large e-commerce environment like Takealot is often associated with competitive remuneration, typically ranging significantly based on experience and specific responsibilities. Such positions are highly sought after, and a career path in this area can lead to senior product leadership roles or specialisation in AI strategy and development within growing tech companies.

• 7+ years of related and transferable experience or 3+ years of product management experience.
• Experience leading and executing cross-functional projects, preferably in high-traffic environments.
• Familiarity and proficiency with agile methods and tools.
• High accountability in meeting deadlines and ship dates.
• Experience delivering machine learning and/or data products, defining AI/ML problems, and building ML MVPs.
• A solid understanding of AI/ML fundamentals.
• Experience with Google Sheets and/or Microsoft Excel at an advanced level.
• Experience with MySQL or PostgreSQL, and BigQuery in high-load environments.
• Preferable: Experience with Python or R/RStudio.
• Preferably, a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Science, Statistics, Data Science, or Computer Science.