Loyalty Partnership Relations Manager

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Role Purpose/Business Unit:

About Group Loyalty Program

• Our Group Loyalty Platform brings Vodacom's unified value proposition to life through VodaBucks, a universal loyalty currency spanning across International Business markets. The programme is built to deliver tangible, relevant benefits across the full socio-economic spectrum of our customer base, and to recognise the loyalty of every Vodacom customer we serve.
• Our programme is dynamic and continues to scale pan-continentally. We invest in purpose-driven individuals who are energised by ambiguity, comfortable operating at pace across multiple markets, and who bring an innovative, ecosystem-first mindset to an ever-evolving loyalty landscape. The VodaBucks Program is built for disruptors who thrive on turning partnership and commercial complexity into sustained customer and shareholder value.

Role purpose:

• Sourcing, negotiating and actively managing a dynamic network of new and existing partners across the VodaBucks ecosystem — spanning retail, fintech, lifestyle and digital categories — while continuously identifying emerging market opportunities;
• Championing the custodianship of partner benefits for new strategic initiatives, exploiting commercial opportunities to optimise profitability for the specific portfolio in question;
• Supporting the Loyalty Lead in analysing commercial opportunities that safeguard the long-term sustainability and relevance of the programme within their specific portfolio;
• Driving new, insight-led approaches to pro-actively sourcing and renegotiating commercial terms — keeping the VodaBucks program commercially resilient, competitive and future-fit across all markets it operates in.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead the go-to-market process for new partner products and categories, negotiating complex strategic partner deals underpinned by robust financial models;
• Work collaboratively across Business Units within the market (e.g. M-Pesa) and across operating companies to scale partnership value;
• Proactively develop relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to secure co-operation on financial optimisation;
• Enforce compliance and adherence to SLAs, both internally and externally;
• Resolve contractual and commercial escalations;
• Act as the commercial custodian for partner management on behalf of the VodaBucks Program and Vodacom Group (respective market);
• Manage risk by ensuring all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements and the Group-wide Risk and Compliance Framework;
• Own commercial performance review and evaluation of partners.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• A relevant 3-year tertiary qualification (BCom / CA / MBA), with a commercial bias.
• A minimum of 5 to 8 years' proven track record in negotiation, working across multiple external partners, with commercial and legal savvy in a multi-market environment.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

• Market awareness (locally and internationally), including technology and ecosystem evolution;
• Relationship-building and excellent negotiation skills;
• Persuasiveness and influence;
• Integrity and strong financial acumen;
• Analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to work independently, with strong problem-solving instincts;
• Comfortable with ambiguity, working in fluid, fast-changing, multi-market environments under pressure;
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, able to inspire, influence and update delivery teams and senior executives;
• Excellent facilitation and organisational skills, helping the team manage conflict and challenges, escalating only once team processes have failed.

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We make an impact by offering:

• Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
• Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
• Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

Closing date for Applications: 14 August 2026.

The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus.

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply. Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.