Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Sandton, Johannesburg

About the role

Our client is a fast‑growing creative production company in Johannesburg, delivering film, television, branded content, live events, post‑production and AI‑driven projects. They are seeking a senior operational leader to act as the CEO’s right‑hand (2IC), overseeing day‑to‑day operations, people, systems and business improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Own the smooth daily running of the business, driving accountability, priorities and performance across all teams.
• Manage resources, capacity and workloads, improving coordination between Sales, Production, Post‑production and Administration.
• Establish clear roles, KPIs and performance expectations, conduct reviews and handle under‑performance.
• Review and optimise workflows, SOPs and introduce AI‑driven automation and no‑code integrations.
• Consolidate data into dashboards and reports, using advanced Excel to analyse trends, costs and utilisation, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Monitor the sales pipeline, ensure opportunities are tracked and support profitability and turnaround‑time improvements.

Required profile

• 7+ years of management experience, including at least 3 years in senior operational leadership.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Business, Management, Finance or Operations (MBA advantageous).
• Proven track record of independent decision‑making, people and performance management.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with ability to turn data into business insight.
• Hands‑on experience with AI, automation, no‑code solutions and workflow integrations.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence managing difficult conversations.
• Experience in film, television, advertising, events or other fast‑paced project‑based environments is highly advantageous.

Required skills

• Advanced Excel (complex formulas, pivot tables, data cleaning, modelling).
• Proficiency with modern workflow platforms such as Monday.com.
• Practical experience with AI and automation tools, including no‑code integrations.

What we offer

• Competitive salary of R55,000 – R65,000 CTC per month, dependent on experience.
• Opportunity to work closely with the CEO in a dynamic, creative environment.
• Requirement to submit a short video introduction as part of the selection process.