Commercial Operations Coordinator

Commercial Operations Coordinator

Company: Innovative Vending Solutions
Location: Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Job type: Full-time, office-based with occasional client visits, exhibitions and project work
Salary: R20,000 – R25,000 per month, depending on experience and capability
Incentives: Performance and sales incentives with meaningful upside, depending on initiative, sales contribution and company growth (R5k - R20k+ pm)
Application email: jc@innovativeretailingsolutions.co.za

About Innovative Vending Solutions
https://innovativevendingsolutions.co.za/
https://vendbot.co.za/

Innovative Vending Solutions is a fast-growing South African unattended retail company based in Stellenbosch.

We sell, rent, install and support vending machines, cashless vending systems, smart coolers and custom unattended retail solutions for businesses across South Africa. We work with corporate clients, gyms, offices, factories, schools, hospitality groups and unique brands looking for practical, modern vending solutions.

We are not just a traditional vending machine reseller. We are building toward becoming one of Africa’s leading unattended retail technology companies.

Our team is actively involved in:

• Vending machine sales and rentals
• Cashless payment solutions
• Smart cooler technology
• VendBot app and platform development
• Custom branded vending projects
• New product development
• Importing and sourcing new machines
• Coffee machines, protein vending, smart fridges and other unattended retail concepts
• Building the first locally developed vending and unattended retail platform in South Africa
• Working toward AI-enabled smart cooler solutions for the African market

This is a high-growth environment where the right person will be exposed to many parts of the business and will work directly with the founder.

About the role

We are looking for a highly capable, ambitious and organised Commercial Operations Coordinator to join the IVS team.

This is not a boring admin role.

This person will become a key link between sales, clients, operations, technical support and new technology projects. The role will involve office-based coordination, client communication, sales follow-up, support triage, quote management, basic operational coordination and involvement in exciting new technology projects such as VendBot, smart coolers and custom vending solutions.

The right person will be someone who can wear many hats, learn quickly, communicate exceptionally well and take ownership without needing to be micromanaged.

Over time, the role can grow into a Commercial Manager, Operations Manager or another leadership path depending on the person’s strengths.

Key responsibilities

Sales and commercial coordination

You will assist with and eventually take ownership of:

• Responding quickly to inbound sales enquiries
• Calling new leads and qualifying opportunities
• Understanding whether clients want to rent or buy vending equipment
• Explaining IVS products and services clearly
• Preparing draft quotes and proposals
• Following up on open quotes
• Helping convert leads into paying clients
• Managing sales opportunities and next actions
• Assisting with outbound sales and business development
• Working with the founder on larger or more strategic deals
• Helping maintain a professional and friendly sales experience

Client communication and support

You will act as a first line of communication for many clients.

This includes:

• Answering phone calls professionally
• Responding to client emails and WhatsApps
• Logging client requests clearly
• Helping clients with basic support questions
• Escalating technical issues to the technical team
• Following up to make sure clients are helped
• Communicating ETAs and updates
• Assisting with client onboarding
• Following up with rental clients to ensure they are happy
• Helping request Google reviews from happy clients

You do not need to be a technician, but you must be willing to learn how the products work well enough to communicate confidently with clients.

Operations coordination

You will assist with day-to-day coordination between the office, clients and technical team.

This may include:

• Scheduling installations and handovers
• Coordinating client site visits
• Helping with courier arrangements
• Making sure machines, parts or devices are sent to the right place
• Communicating with technicians about job requirements
• Keeping track of outstanding client actions
• Making sure nothing falls through the cracks
• Assisting with practical tasks when needed

Most of the role is office-based, but this is a hands-on SME environment. At times, you may need to visit clients, attend exhibitions, assist with project coordination or help the team practically when required.

VendBot, smart coolers and technology projects

One of the exciting parts of this role is involvement in our technology growth.

You may assist with:

• VendBot client onboarding
• Setting up cashless vending devices
• Testing user flows and app features
• Giving feedback to the app development team
• Helping document product issues and improvements
• Assisting with smart cooler projects
• Helping organise product information and client feedback
• Supporting new unattended retail technology projects

You do not need to be a software developer or coder.

However, you must be comfortable learning new technology, using AI tools, following technical instructions and helping bridge the gap between clients, operations and development.

Any software, app, electronics, data or technical background will be advantageous.

Admin, finance and debtor follow-up

This is not primarily an admin role, but some commercial admin will be required.

This may include:

• Following up on unpaid invoices
• Assisting with client account queries
• Helping gather client details for onboarding
• Assisting with basic supplier or vendor paperwork
• Keeping client records organised
• Helping with documentation and internal processes
• Using Xero or other business tools where appropriate

You will not be responsible for sensitive financial decisions, banking approvals or strategic finance decisions.

AI tools and systems

We use AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude to work faster and smarter.

You must be comfortable learning to use AI tools for:

• Drafting client replies
• Improving emails
• Preparing quote wording
• Summarising client information
• Creating checklists
• Drafting internal SOPs
• Organising sales and support workflows
• Helping build repeatable systems

We are looking for someone who is excited by modern tools and willing to learn quickly.

What success looks like

A successful person in this role will:

• Respond quickly and professionally to new leads
• Reduce the founder’s day-to-day operational load
• Make sure clients feel properly looked after
• Keep sales opportunities organised and followed up
• Escalate technical issues clearly to the technical team
• Help convert more enquiries into paying customers
• Take ownership of problems instead of waiting to be told everything
• Communicate well with clients and the internal team
• Learn the products and systems quickly
• Help IVS become more structured, scalable and professional

Who we are looking for

We are looking for someone with strong character, energy and ambition.

You may be a good fit if you are:

• An exceptional communicator
• Confident on the phone
• Friendly and professional with clients
• Highly organised
• Calm under pressure
• Commercially minded
• A natural problem-solver
• Comfortable taking initiative
• Practical and hands-on when needed
• Excited by technology and business growth
• Willing to learn fast
• Interested in sales, operations and client relationships
• Looking for a long-term growth opportunity, not just a job

This role suits someone who wants to grow with a company and become part of building something m