## Job Post Title (Upwork) Fractional E-commerce Operations Lead (Remote | 4–6 hrs/week) ## Overview We’re a growing South African e-commerce business importing and selling consumer electronics and robotic home products through Takealot and other marketplaces. The owner is based overseas and we need a commercially sharp operations lead to bring structure, prioritisation, and accountability to a small team. This is a remote, independent contractor engagement focused on outputs and commercial results (revenue, margin, execution). You’ll work primarily via Slack with access to key dashboards. ## Scope & Outcomes (What you’ll deliver) You will own a weekly operating rhythm and deliver the following: • *1) Weekly priority plan (written) • A clear 5–8 item weekly plan for the team with owners, deadlines, and expected outcome • Priorities must tie to revenue/margin impact (not “busy work”) • *2) Accountability & follow-through • Track last week’s priorities: what was done, what wasn’t, why, and the corrective action • Keep tasks moving and prevent important items from slipping • *3) Commercial ops oversight • Review key SKU performance weekly (sales trends, margin, stock cover, returns) • Flag risks and opportunities: pricing, listing quality, ad spend efficiency, slow movers • Recommend actions with reasoning (what to change + expected impact) • *4) Owner reporting • One concise written update after your weekly review: • Wins / misses • Decisions needed from the owner • Risks to revenue/margin • Next week priorities • *5) Systems & clarity (light process, high impact) • Create/maintain simple checklists/templates so execution is consistent (e.g., pricing review checklist, listing QA checklist, weekly KPI snapshot) ## Tools / Access • Slack (primary communication) • Takealot Seller Portal (and/or similar marketplace dashboards) • Shopify / basic store dashboards (where relevant) • Shared docs for task tracking (Notion/Sheets/ClickUp—simple is fine) ## Time Commitment • 4–6 hours per week to start (first 4–8 weeks) • Thereafter 2–4 hours per week depending on performance and stability • Includes one weekly structured check-in (video/Slack huddle) + async follow-ups ## What we’re looking for • *Experience • 8–10+ years in operations management, general management, or running a small business • Strong background in e-commerce / retail / FMCG / distribution / import-export • Experience running weekly operating rhythms and holding teams accountable to outputs • Comfortable with numbers: margin, stock cover, sell-through, return rates, basic P&L thinking • *Skills & attributes • Commercially minded: prioritises what moves revenue and profit • Direct, pragmatic communicator (firm but fair) • Strong judgment: can spot what matters vs noise • Structured: turns chaos into a simple plan people can execute • Reliable: follows through and closes loops • Comfortable working async and independently • Familiar with marketplaces (Takealot/Amazon/eBay/Walmart/etc.) is a plus • Familiar with AI tools/workflows is a bonus (not required) ## What this is NOT • Not a full-time role • Not a coaching/mentoring engagement • Not a “build big frameworks” consultancy • You will not have access to bank accounts or financial signing authority ## Compensation Hourly rate: R1,200 – R2,000/hour (or USD equivalent on Upwork), depending on experience. Monthly invoicing via Upwork. ## Trial / Fit We’ll start with a 4-week trial to ensure the weekly rhythm works and priorities translate into execution. ## To apply (please keep it short) Include: 1. A 5–10 line summary of relevant experience (e-commerce/ops/GM) 2. One example of how you’d run a weekly ops rhythm (bullet points are fine) 3. Your hourly rate and weekly availability 4. Any marketplace experience (Takealot or similar) and the tools you’ve used Apply tot his job