Job Description

Chief Operating Officer - Candide



About Candide



The Candide team operates as a services company with the mandate of consolidating all technology and data services across our group of companies - Babylonstoren (Cape Winelands, South Africa), The Newt in Somerset (Somerset, United Kingdom), and other sister estates in Europe. The team's responsibilities include data management and warehousing, e-commerce platform and website development, app development, and hospitality technology.



The Candide team is currently based in Paarl (on-site at Babylonstoren, South Africa) and in Bristol (United Kingdom) and consists of approximately 20 people specialising in engineering, product, design, and data.



Key Purpose


Candide offers an exciting opportunity for someone who has a passion for data, analytics, AI and software development. In this role, you will lead the data and technology team and drive the group-wide global strategy.



You will also coordinate the integration of various software systems and collaborate with teams across business units and countries to enable data-driven solutions, improve business processes, and support informed decision-making.



Requirements


A degree in a relevant field of study, such as data science, statistics, engineering, or computer science

At least ten years' experience in relevant fields, including data, analytics, data science, software development, and/or engineering

Experience in people management and leadership

Familiarity with CRM software (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce)

Advanced understanding of BI and analytics tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Google Analytics)

Familiarity with data science tools and programming languages (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB, pandas) as well as database languages

Knowledge of data pipelines and data integrations

Proven experience in building a data strategy and executing projects, including data science and AI applications

Experience managing technology projects and product development

Ability to identify and communicate value-adding, data-driven insights to influence marketing, e-commerce, and broader business decisions

Strong communication skills across all levels of the organisation

Willingness to travel internationally

Availability to work on-site, five days per week

Knowledge of GDPR and POPIA, with experience implementing compliance measures across business operations

Experience in e-commerce

Proactive, creative, and able to take initiative


Working as part of a high-performance, service-driven group that prides itself on attracting the finest talent, you will find yourself in an environment buzzing with energy, where smart, motivated people collaborate to deliver the best data and technology solutions.