CIO - Chief Information Officer

The Clicks Group, South Africa's leading Health, Beauty and Wellness Retailer is home to brands such as Clicks Retailers, Sorbet, UPD, The Bodyshop and UniCare. With a strong national footprint and a growing digital presence, the Group is committed to innovation, customer centricity, and sustainable growth in an increasingly data driven and omnichannel environment.We are seeking an exceptional Chief Information Officer (CIO) to shape and lead our enterprise wide technology, digital, and data agenda at a pivotal moment in our evolution.

To lead the co creation and execution of the Group's technology, digital, and data strategy in direct alignment with Clicks Group's business ambition-anticipating current and future business requirements, and shaping the enterprise architecture and technology landscape required to enable scalable, resilient, and integrated omnichannel operating models across digital and physical retail environments.

The CIO ensures technology is a strategic enabler of growth, superior customer experience, operational excellence, data driven decision making, cybersecurity, and responsible innovation-positioning the Group for sustained competitiveness in a rapidly evolving retail, healthcare, and digital landscape.

Define and execute an integrated Group technology, digital, and data strategy aligned to growth, customer experience, operating model, and long term competitiveness.

Anticipate emerging technologies and industry shifts, ensuring proactive capability development.

Position technology as a core enabler of strategic differentiation.

Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO, Executive Committee, and Board.

Translate complex technical and data concepts into clear commercial insights to inform investment, risk, and strategic decisions.

Design, govern, and continuously evolve the Group's enterprise architecture and technology ecosystem.

Ensure scalability, resilience, interoperability, security, and sustainability across all business cycles.

Manage and reduce technical and data debt while enabling future readiness.

Leverage data, advanced analytics, AI, and predictive insights to drive competitive advantage.

Enable proactive decision making, improved customer understanding, operational optimisation, and innovation.

Ensure strong data governance, ethical AI practices, and responsible data stewardship.

Enable a seamless, integrated omnichannel operating model across digital, mobile, e commerce, and physical store environments.

Ensure consistency in customer, product, pricing, loyalty, fulfilment, and data experiences.

Ensure robust cybersecurity, data privacy, and technology risk management.

Safeguard customer, employee, and business information assets.

Ensure compliance with applicable legislation and governance frameworks, including POPIA.

Balance cost, risk, scalability, and performance trade offs.

Optimise technology investment to deliver long term value for money.

Oversee effective capital allocation and portfolio prioritisation.

Deliver reliable, secure, and high performing technology and data operations.

Ensure effective programme delivery, service management, and business continuity.

Lead innovation initiatives aligned to customer and business value.

Enable controlled and ethical adoption of emerging technologies.

Establish and manage strategic vendor and partner relationships.

Drive strong commercial outcomes, innovation capability, and alignment with Group values.

Build and sustain a high performing, engaged, and future fit technology organisation.

Develop leadership depth and scarce skills.

Foster a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and performance excellence.

Integrate environmental sustainability into technology decision making.

Consider environmental impact across infrastructure, cloud usage, system design, and vendor partnerships in support of Group ESG objectives.

15 years senior IT leadership experience, including large scale enterprise environments and digital transformation.

Demonstrated leadership of digital transformation, data, analytics, and AI initiatives

Experience operating at EXCO/Board level, with formal presentation and governance committee exposure.

Track record of building and leading high performing, diverse technology teams.

Strong governance orientation with a balanced, risk aware approach to innovation.

Passion for customer centric technology and sustainable growth.

This is an opportunity to shape the digital and technology backbone of one of South Africa's most trusted retail brands. As CIO, you will play a defining role in driving innovation, resilience, sustainability, and long term competitive advantage in a dynamic and fast evolving industry.

Honours degree (Computer Science, Commerce, Data Science or related)

Masters degree (MBA, Computer science, Commerce or related)

Relevant professional certifications (cloud, cybersecurity, data, or governance)