Product Manager (Retail Media)

The Takealot Group is actively expanding its digital ecosystem and is seeking a motivated Product Manager to lead their Retail Media initiatives. Based at their headquarters in Cape Town, this position is designed for a strategic thinker who is comfortable operating within a hyper-growth environment. As a key member of the team, you will be instrumental in shaping how advertising integrates with one of South Africa’s most prominent e-commerce platforms across web, iOS, and Android interfaces.

About the role

This position sits at the intersection of product development and advertising technology. The core objective is to drive the growth and evolution of the retail media portfolio. You will be the central point of contact for the end-to-end product lifecycle—from conceptualising features to executing their rollout. Success in this role requires an ability to balance technical requirements with business goals, ensuring that advertising tools remain effective for stakeholders while maintaining a seamless experience for the end consumer.

The role demands a high level of cross-functional collaboration. You will serve as the bridge between engineering, design, and business units, translating complex market needs into actionable specifications that the development team can implement. You will also be responsible for defining the long-term vision for retail media, ensuring that the product roadmap stays competitive in the local market.

Your daily responsibilities will be focused on both high-level strategy and granular execution. You will need to be hands-on with the following tasks:

• Define and manage the retail media roadmap, ensuring prioritisation aligns with the broader goals of the Takealot Group.
• Draft comprehensive product requirement documents (PRDs) that clearly communicate features to engineering and design teams.
• Lead the execution and successful launch of new features across mobile and web platforms.
• Identify opportunities for improvement by analysing customer data and market trends.
• Collaborate closely with the UX team to validate new feature ideas and solve customer pain points.
• Manage and maintain robust reporting systems to track project performance and identify areas for optimisation.
• Navigate trade-offs and resolve conflicting priorities between internal stakeholders to keep the project timeline on track.

What they're looking for

The ideal candidate will be a results-oriented professional with a strong technical background. Takealot expects a balance of analytical prowess and project management experience.

• **Professional Experience:** A minimum of 3 to 5 years in product management, ideally within a tech-focused or mobile application environment.
• **Education:** A tertiary degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or Information Systems is preferred, though relevant industry experience will be considered.
• **Technical Literacy:** A proven ability to use product analytics tools such as Firebase, Google Analytics, or Amplitude is essential for success in this role.
• **Analytical Skills:** You should possess a deep understanding of conversion rate optimisation and the ability to conduct sophisticated funnel analysis.
• **Execution Focus:** A demonstrated history of taking products from the planning stage through to successful market implementation is critical.

In the South African tech landscape, roles of this nature within major e-commerce groups are highly sought after, often acting as a gateway to senior product leadership or technical management tracks. Professionals in retail media product roles can expect to work with complex advertising stacks, which is a highly transferable skill as the digital advertising market in South Africa continues to mature. Candidates should expect a fast-paced, iterative work culture where data-backed decision-making is the primary currency.

• At least 3-5 years of experience as a Product Manager or similar role in a tech/mobile application company.
• Tertiary education degree in Engineering/Computer Science/Information Systems or relevant industry experience.
• Proven track record of execution and ability to formulate a detailed product roadmap.
• Excellent understanding of conversion rate optimization and funnel analysis.
• Experience with product analytics tools such as Firebase, Google Analytics, or Amplitude.