takealot.com, South Africa's leading online retailer, is looking for a highly accomplished Head: Public Policy to join our Corporate Affairs team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us. We offer a market-related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Group Executive: Public Policy & External Affairs

Role Purpose

The Regulatory Economist and Data Lead is responsible for transforming Takealot Group’s extensive operational and commercial data into credible policy evidence. The role ensures that all public policy positions are underpinned by robust quantitative analysis, allowing the Group to strengthen its proof points in engagements with government, regulators, Parliamentarian, and the media.

This role sits at the intersection of data science, economics, and public policy, converting internal “big data” into externally persuasive narratives that withstand scrutiny from regulators, economists, and civil society.

Strategic Accountabilities

Economic Impact Modelling & Quantification

Design, build, and maintain dynamic economic impact models that quantify Takealot Group’s contribution, but not limited, to:

• SME growth and marketplace seller revenues.
• Driver and courier earnings, cost structures, and net take-home pay.
• Regional and last-mile logistics infrastructure investment.
• Tax contributions, including VAT, customs duties, and indirect fiscal impacts

Ensure models are:

• Methodologically sound and replicable.
• Regularly updated with live or near-real-time data.
• Able to produce scenario analysis for policy “what-if” questions.

Translate outputs into regulator-ready metrics that align with government policy priorities (jobs, inclusion, growth, industrialisation).

Horizon Scanning, Monitoring & Early Warning

Conduct daily monitoring of:

• Government Gazette notices and draft regulations.
• Hansard (Parliamentary debates, questions, committee discussions).
• Political and economic commentary relevant to digital markets, labour, logistics, and trade.

Deploy AI-enabled monitoring tools to systematically flag emerging references to:

• E-commerce and digital platforms
• Gig and platform work
• Postal services, logistics, and last-mile delivery
• Digital taxation, customs, and cross-border trade

Synthesize signals into Early Warning Alerts, highlighting:

• Direction of regulatory intent
• Likely policy timelines
• Data gaps that need urgent modelling or research

Competitive & Comparative Policy Intelligence

• Track and analyse regulatory and policy developments affecting the platform economy, in South Africa or comparable markets.
• Monitor international regulatory frameworks and case law (e.g. EU Digital Markets Act, platform labour rulings, OECD digital tax discussions).
• Identify global precedents and data points that can be adapted to strengthen Takealot’s local policy positions.
• Provide comparative benchmarking to support submissions, briefing notes, and stakeholder engagements.

Fact-Sheet & Evidence Pack Production

Build and maintain a central Policy Statistics Library, consisting of:

• Pre-approved data points
• Executive-ready charts and infographics
• One-page “leave-behind” factsheets for Ministerial, Parliamentary, and media engagements

Ensure all outputs are:

• Internally consistent and quality-assured.
• Clearly sourced and methodologically transparent.
• Tailored to non-technical audiences without loss of credibility.

Refresh core factsheets regularly to reflect updated data and evolving policy narratives.

Targeted Research & Deep-Dive Analysis

Conduct structured research on specific policy questions as required, such as:

• The impact of fuel levy increases on gig worker earnings
• Employment elasticity under different regulatory scenarios
• Cost-pass-through effects of customs or VAT changes on consumer prices

Support the division in preparing:

• Regulatory submissions.
• Parliamentary briefing notes.
• External consultant terms of reference.

Where appropriate, collaborate with external economists and research institutions to validate assumptions or methodologies.

Data Governance, Credibility & Risk Management

Ensure that all externally used data is:

• Accurate, up to date, and internally auditable
• Cleared for public use in coordination with Legal and Risk

Maintain documentation of assumptions, methodologies, and data sources to defend against challenge or rebuttal.

Act as the department’s first line of defence against reputational risk arising from data misuse or misinterpretation.

Requirements:

• Honour’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Data Science, or related quantitative field
• Masters qualification in Economics or Public Policy (advantageous)

Experience:

• 3–5 years’ experience in:
• Economic consulting.
• Data analytics in a policy-relevant environment.
• Research units within banks, think tanks, or regulatory institutions.
•  Exposure to South African public policy or regulatory processes is highly desirable.

Technical Skills

• Advanced SQL and Excel modelling
• Data visualisation (Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent)
• Strong grounding in South African macroeconomic and fiscal frameworks
• Ability to work with large, imperfect datasets

Behavioural & Professional Attributes

• High analytical curiosity and attention to detail
• Comfortable working under time pressure and ambiguity
• Strong ethical judgment and respect for data integrity
• Ability to translate complex analysis into simple, persuasive insights

The Environment:

• We laugh hard, work harder, and take full ownership of our wins (and learning moments!)
• Teamwork makes the dream work – we're solution-seekers who thrive on collaboration
• Got feedback? Bring it on! We're always hungry for fresh ideas and honest input 🔄
• Ego? We checked that at the door. Results? Now we're talking!

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us!

Takealot Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities, to apply.

takealot.com, South Africa's leading online retailer, is looking for a highly accomplished Head: Public Policy to join our Corporate Affairs team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us. We offer a market-related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Group Executive: Public Policy & External Affairs

Purpose of the role:

The Head: Public Policy is the technical architect and custodian of Takealot Group’s policy positions. The role exists to ensure that, for every material legislative or regulatory threat or opportunity, the Group maintains a Defensible Strategic Narrative—one that is legally sound, economically credible, and commercially aligned.

This role translates complex and evolving regulatory frameworks into clear, proactive policy positions that protect and advance the Group’s long-term operating model across eCommerce, logistics, and platform businesses. It is both deeply technical and strategically influential, underpinning Takealot’s external advocacy with intellectual rigor and internal coherence.

Strategic Accountabilities

Policy Design & Thought Leadership

Serve as the Group’s primary authority on public policy and regulatory interpretation across the South African market.

Design and maintain Group-wide policy frameworks for high-impact regulatory areas, including but not limited to:

• Platform work and labour regulation.
• Competition and platform regulation.
• Develop policy positions that balance legal defensibility, economic impact, and reputational considerations, ensuring consistency across all public-facing engagements.
• Act as the internal lead on policy interpretation where legal ambiguity or regulatory discretion exists.

Submission Leadership & Regulatory Engagement

Draft and quality-assure all material formal submissions, including:

• Government Gazette notices
• Parliamentary Portfolio Committee submissions
• Regulatory consultation papers
• Market inquiries and statutory investigations (e.g. Competition Commission)

Ensure submissions are:

• Technically precise and clause-specific
• Supported by evidence, precedent, and economic reasoning
• Framed to resonate with policymakers’ stated objectives

Maintain a central submissions calendar and ensure 100% compliance with statutory timelines.

Technical Advocacy Enablement

Produce comprehensive Technical Briefing Packs to support external engagement led by the Head of Stakeholder Relations.

• Each pack must include:
• Clause-by-clause legislative analysis
• Identification of unintended consequences and enforcement risks
• Clear “red lines” versus negotiable positions
• Proposed alternative wording that is legally viable and politically realistic

Translate highly technical regulatory detail into decision-ready insights for Exco and Board consumption.

Cross-Functional Regulatory Governance

Co-ordinate the monthly Internal Regulatory Workgroup, bringing together:

• Legal
• Risk & Compliance
• Business Unit CEOs (Takealot.com, Mr D, Takealot Financial Services)

Ensure:

• Policy positions are aligned with current and future commercial roadmaps
• No contradiction exists between advocacy positions and operational practices
• Regulatory risk is identified early and escalated appropriately

Act as the bridge between policy theory and business reality, resolving tension where necessary.

Strategic Foresight & Risk Anticipation

Produce a quarterly Regulatory Horizon Report identifying:

• Emerging legislative and regulatory risks (12–24 months out).
• Early signals from government, regulators, and political economy trends.
• Potential impact scenarios across Group businesses.
• Develop and execute a Group-wide stakeholder engagement strategy aligned to long-term business and societal outcomes.
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with priority stakeholders across public, private, and civil society sectors.
• Lead Takealot Group's stakeholder engagement to contribute to modern, balanced policy and forward regulation for the digital economy.
• Design and manage multi-stakeholder partnerships and coalitions that support inclusive growth, innovation, and responsible platform business.
• Drive thought leadership and stakeholder education initiatives that deepen understanding of digital commerce, logistics, and the future of work.
• Maintain a forward-looking political and regulatory radar, producing scenarios and strategies that strengthen business preparedness.
• Advise internal leadership on external developments and their strategic implications.
• Build scalable engagement systems and mentor a high-performing stakeholder relations capability.

Minimum Required Qualification:

• A relevant Honors degree (Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Economics, International Relations, Business, or similar).
• Postgraduate qualification is advantageous.

Minimum Required Experience:

• LLB (required) 
• Master’s degree in Public Policy, Economics, or related field (strongly preferred)
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in public policy, regulatory affairs, or legal practice
• Exposure to Big Tech, Fintech, platform businesses, or top-tier law firms highly advantageous
• Demonstrated experience engaging with South African legislative and regulatory institutions.

Core Skills & Competencies

• Core Skills & Competencies
• Mastery of the South African legislative and regulatory process
• Exceptional legal and policy drafting capability
• Strong economic and impact-assessment literacy
• Ability to distil complex regulatory issues into clear executive narratives
• High personal credibility with senior executives and external experts

Leadership & Behavioural Attributes

• Intellectually rigorous and detail-obsessed, without losing strategic perspective
• Calm, authoritative presence in high-stakes regulatory situations
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and political complexity
• Principled, ethical, and defensible in judgment
• Strong systems.

The Environment:

• We laugh hard, work harder, and take full ownership of our wins (and learning moments!)
• Teamwork makes the dream work – we're solution-seekers who thrive on collaboration
• Got feedback? Bring it on! We're always hungry for fresh ideas and honest input 🔄
• Ego? We checked that at the door. Results? Now we're talking!

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us!

Takealot Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities, to apply.

takealot.com, South Africa's leading online retailer, is looking for a highly accomplished Head: Stakeholder Relations and Advocacy  to join our Corporate Affairs team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us. We offer a market related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Group Head of Corporate Affairs

Your responsibilities will include:

• Develop and execute a Group-wide stakeholder engagement strategy aligned to long-term business and societal outcomes.
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with priority stakeholders across public, private, and civil society sectors.
• Lead Takealot Group's stakeholder engagement to contribute to modern, balanced policy and forward regulation for the digital economy.
• Design and manage multi-stakeholder partnerships and coalitions that support inclusive growth, innovation, and responsible platform business.
• Drive thought leadership and stakeholder education initiatives that deepen understanding of digital commerce, logistics, and the future of work.
• Maintain a forward-looking political and regulatory radar, producing scenarios and strategies that strengthen business preparedness.
• Advise internal leadership on external developments and their strategic implications.
• Build scalable engagement systems and mentor a high-performing stakeholder relations capability.

Qualification & Experience:

• A relevant Honors degree (Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Economics, International Relations, Business, or similar). Postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
• 10+ years’ senior experience in public affairs, stakeholder relations, government/regulatory engagement, advocacy, or related fields.
• 5 years of which in senior management.

Attributes Required:

• A strong record of influencing policy and building partnerships in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Over 10 years’ experience in a stakeholder relationship management function.
• Deep understanding of South Africa’s political, regulatory, and socio-economic landscape.
• Proven ability to operate comfortably at executive and institutional levels.
• Experience building coalitions and delivering shared-value outcomes across diverse interests.
• Excellent strategic communication, briefing, and narrative-shaping skills.
• High-level negotiation and diplomacy capability, grounded in credibility and trust.
• Strong systems.

The Environment: 

• • We laugh hard, work harder, and take full ownership of our wins (and learning moments!)
  • Teamwork makes the dream work – we're solution-seekers who thrive on collaboration
  • Got feedback? Bring it on! We're always hungry for fresh ideas and honest input 🔄
  • Ego? We checked that at the door. Results? Now we're talking!

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us! 

Takealot Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities, to apply.