Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Overall Purpose of the Position:

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is a strategic executive role responsible for defining and executing TradeOn’s end-to-end digital transformation. This role will establish the company’s technology and data foundation, enabling automation, real-time decision-making, and scalable growth across all restaurants and the Restaurant Support Centre.

The CTO will act as the organisation’s central data and technology authority, owning architecture decisions, building internal capability, and translating business priorities into a modern, cloud-based digital ecosystem. This role is critical to transitioning to a fully integrated, data-driven organisation.

Key Performance Areas (KPAs) & Responsibilities include, but not limited to:

Digital Transformation Leadership

• Defining and executing a digital transformation roadmap aligned to business strategy
• Establishing a cloud-first architecture and eliminating reliance on manual Excel-based processes
• Prioritising and sequencing transformation initiatives (automation, BI, integrations)
• Driving organisational change and adoption of new systems and tools

Data Architecture & Analytics Enablement

• Designing and implementing a centralised data platform (single source of truth)
• Ensuring all primary systems (POS, finance, payroll, banking) feed into a unified cloud database
• Building internal business intelligence capability to unlock performance insights
• Enabling real-time dashboards and decision support at executive and operational levels

Systems Integration & Automation

• Leading integration of all core business systems into a seamless, automated data environment
• Replacing manual reconciliation and reporting processes with automated workflows
• Overseeing the development of internal tools for operational efficiency (e.g., reconciliation, reporting)

Technology Governance & Security

• Establishing and enforcing data governance, access control and security policies
• Ensuring compliance with POPIA, ISO standards, and franchisor requirements
• Implementing a disaster recovery, cloud security, and data backup frameworks
• Serving as custodian of all digital assets across the organisation

Technology Strategy & Vendor Management

• Evaluating and selecting technology platforms, cloud providers, and vendors
• Managing external technology partners, contractors, and service providers
• Overseeing IT budgets and ensure cost-effective, scalable solutions
• Making long-term architectural decisions aligned with growth strategy

Leadership & Capability Building

• Building and lead TradeOn’s internal technology function, including:

o Systems (Software / Data) Engineering

o Analytics / BI

o IT Operations

• Recruiting, developing, and mentoring a high-performing technology team
• Creating alignment across various departments through shared data visibility

Executive & Strategic Contribution

• Serving as a member of the executive leadership team (EXCO)
• Providing regular reporting on transformation progress, risks, and ROI
• Translating business challenges into scalable digital solutions
• Acting as a cross-functional leader driving alignment through data

Performance Indicators

• Cloud-based data infrastructure implemented and operational
• All stores reporting into a single live dashboard (balance scorecard)
• Automation of key manual processes (e.g., cash reconciliation)
• Real-time or near-real-time reporting capability established
• Critical systems uptime maintained at >99.5%
• Data governance and access controls fully implemented and audited

Ideal Requirements

• Essential: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering or related field
• 8+ years’ experience in technology leadership roles
• Proven experience leading digital transformation, cloud migration, and systems integration
• Essential: Demonstrated expertise in:

o Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure or GCP)

o Systems (data architecture and data) engineering (SQL, APIs, ETL processes)

o Business Intelligence tools (Power BI or similar)

• Experience managing cross-functional teams and external vendors
• Advantageous: Experience in multi-site retail, franchised operations, or high-volume environments

Key Personal Inherent Characteristics

• Commercially minded and business-oriented
• Resilient in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Collaborative and able to influence across functions
• Results-driven with a focus on impact
• High integrity and ownership of outcomes

Join Our Team at TradeOn!

Location: Kuilsriver, Cape Town

Contract Type: Permanent

Application Deadline: 27 July 2026

Please include the job title in your application and your CV.

If you do not receive feedback within one month of your application, please consider your application unsuccessful.

TradeOn reserves the right to withdraw this advertisement or not fill the vacancy at any stage of the recruitment process.

We are committed to achieving our employment equity goals, which will be considered throughout the recruitment process.

Application Question(s):

• Do you possess a formal tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering or related field?
• Demonstrated expertise in:

o Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure or GCP)
o Systems (data architecture and data) engineering (SQL, APIs, ETL processes)
o Business Intelligence tools (Power BI or similar)

• Which cloud platforms have you implemented in a production environment?
• Have you built or overseen a centralised data platform that integrates multiple systems?
• Give an example of a manual, Excel-driven or labour-intensive process you automated.
• What is your notice period?
• What is your current gross salary?
• What are your gross salary expectations before deductions?

Work Location: In person