Group Chief Technical Officer, Port Elizabeth

KFML Holdings— the group behind Spec-Savers South Africa and a portfolio of approximately 15 companies — is recruiting a Group Chief Technical Officer to lead one of the most commercially consequential technology reset opportunities in South African retail healthcare.

This is not a traditional CTO role.

This is not a‘keep the lights on’ environment, nor a pre-packaged digital transformation programme. This is a mandate to critically reassess a complex, established technology landscape and make clear, evidence-based decisions on what should be rebuilt, retained, replaced, outsourced, or retired.

The Challenge:

The successful candidate will inherit a large-scale franchise-driven ecosystem spanning:

450+ optometry locations

72 audiology stores

Distribution and warehouse technology environments

Ecommerce, loyalty, analytics, operational and customer platforms

Significant legacy investment and technical debt

A partially developed next-generation practice management platform requiring urgent strategic direction

Minimum Requirements

Relevant tertiary qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technology discipline.

Minimum 10 years’ experience within senior technology leadership roles, with exposure to complex, multi-system operational environments.

Proven experience conducting enterprise-wide technology or architectural assessments within established and complex business environments.

Demonstrated experience leading technology operating model resets, platform rationalisation initiatives, presenting technology strategy, investment recommendations, and operational risk considerations at Executive Committee, Board, or shareholder level.

Strong commercial and strategic technology acumen.

Demonstrated practical experience implementing AI-native tooling, AI-assisted development practices, or modern engineering workflows within a technology function.

Experience leading geographically distributed or functionally diverse technology and development teams across multiple systems, platforms, or operational areas.

Evidence of materially improving development velocity, delivery capability, engineering effectiveness, or operational performance through modern software delivery practices.

Duties and Responsibilities The measures of success:

Within the first 90 days, this leader will be expected to evaluate one of the business’s most important technology decisions: Continue, redirect, or replace the current core practice management ecosystem.

We are specifically looking for a commercially astute technology executive who:

Thinks clearly under ambiguity

Understands franchise and distributed operating environments

Can challenge sunk-cost thinking with credibility and evidence

Has personally embedded AI-native ways of working into technology delivery

Can materially improve development velocity and operating effectiveness

Is capable of influencing executive, board, and franchise stakeholders alike

If your experience is primarily vendor management, ERP administration, or high-level AI strategy presentations, this role is unlikely to be the right fit.

This role is for someone who can walk into complexity, make difficult calls, and lead a genuine operating model reset.

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