Head of Learning & Development- Online & Retail

Job Title

Head of Training & Development Online & Retail (Land?Based) Casino and Sportsbook

Department

People & Culture / Learning & Development (L&D)

Role Purpose

The Head of Training & Development is responsible for designing, delivering, and governing the end?to?end learning and development strategy across the organizations online platforms, land?based retail betting stores, and head?office functions.

The role ensures that all employees including retail staff (cash clerks, supervisors, managers, security, cleaners, IT and maintenance staff) and online teams are competent, compliant, audit?ready, and continuously developed, while ensuring alignment with South African Skills Development legislation, including Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs) and Annual Training Reports (ATRs).

Scope of Responsibility

This role spans training for:

• Online Casino & Sportsbook Operations
• Land?Based / Retail Betting Stores
• Corporate & Head?Office Functions
• Mandatory Regulatory and Compliance Training
• Skills Development, WSP & ATR Governance

Key Accountabilities

The Head of Training & Development is accountable for:

1. Enterprise Learning & Development Strategy
2. Regulatory, Compliance & Responsible Gambling Training
3. Retail (Land?Based) Operations Training
4. Online Operations & Call Centre Training
5. Skills Development, WSP & ATR Ownership
6. Learning Governance, Certification & Audit Readiness
7. Leadership & Management Development
8. Learning Platforms, Content & Delivery Effectiveness

Key Responsibilities

1) Enterprise Training & Development Strategy (Online + Retail)

• Define and own a group?wide Training & Development strategy aligned to business objectives, regulatory obligations, and workforce capability needs.
• Develop annual and multi?year learning roadmaps covering:
  • online operations
  • land?based retail stores
  • corporate and support functions
• Ensure training priorities are informed by:
  • operational risk
  • regulatory exposure
  • skills gaps identified through WSP processes
• Embed a culture of continuous learning and accountability.

2) Skills Development, WSP & ATR Management (South Africa)

• Own and govern the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR) processes.
• Ensure WSPs and ATRs:
  • accurately reflect training delivered across online and retail environments
  • align to strategic and operational skills requirements
  • are supported by complete, verifiable evidence
• Coordinate with HR, Finance, Operations, and external Skills Development Facilitators (SDFs) where applicable.
• Engage with relevant SETAs to ensure compliance and optimize skills development grants.
• Ensure all submissions are accurate, on time, and audit?ready.
• Use WSP and ATR insights to inform future training strategy, budgets, and workforce planning.

3) Regulatory, Compliance & Responsible Gambling Training

• Own all mandatory compliance training across online and land?based environments, including:
  • Responsible Gambling (RG)
  • AML / FICA
  • KYC and customer verification
  • POPIA and data protection
  • Licence conditions and shop?level regulatory rules
• Ensure retail and online staff understand:
  • RG red flags and escalation paths
  • self?exclusion enforcement
  • interaction requirements with vulnerable customers
• Maintain training records suitable for:
  • Provincial Gambling Board inspections
  • internal and external audits

4) Retail Operations Training (Land?Based Focus)

Design, deliver, and govern role?specific training for:

Frontline Retail Roles

• Cash Clerks
  • cash handling, reconciliations, float controls
  • customer interaction standards
  • RG and AML escalation procedures
• Head Clerks & Supervisors
  • shift oversight, reporting, compliance monitoring
• Sub?Managers & Store Managers
  • operational governance
  • people management and disciplinary processes
  • regulatory accountability and audit readiness

Support & Site Roles

• Security
  • incident handling, RG support, evidence preservation
• Cleaners
  • site access rules, incident reporting awareness
• IT Clerks
  • system usage, access protocols, POPIA awareness
• Maintenance Clerks
  • safety procedures and operational escalation

Ensure each role understands its regulatory and risk exposure, regardless of seniority.

5) Online Operations & Call Centre Training

• Own onboarding and continuous training for:
  • call center and customer operations teams
  • team leaders and managers
• Ensure training covers:
  • casino and sportsbook products
  • payments, withdrawals, bonuses
  • KPIs (ASA, AHT, FCR, CSAT)
  • complaints handling and escalations
• Ensure parity in customer protection standards between online and retail channels.

6) Technology, Systems & Change Enablement

• Lead training readiness for:
  • retail POS and betting terminals
  • online platforms and CRM systems
  • ERP, HRIS, audit, and reporting tools
  • AI?enabled tools (e.g. AI webchat, automation)
• Partner with Technology and IT Service Delivery to ensure training occurs before go?live.
• Embed training into formal change management initiatives.

7) Learning Governance, Certification & Audit Readiness

• Define mandatory vs role?specific training matrices.
• Establish refresher and re?certification cycles for:
  • cash handling
  • RG
  • compliance and safety
• Maintain centralized learning records with full audit trails.
• Address non?compliance through corrective action plans.

8) Leadership & Management Development

• Design leadership programmes for:
  • retail supervisors and managers
  • operational and support management
• Develop capability in:
  • people leadership
  • performance management
  • ethical and compliant decision?making
• Support succession planning and talent pipelines.

9) Learning Platforms & Delivery Models

• Own learning platforms (LMS and digital tools).
• Ensure training delivery caters for:
  • shift?based and non?desk retail staff
  • multi?location rollouts
• Use blended learning approaches:
  • classroom
  • e?learning
  • on?the?job coaching
  • tool?box talks

Key Stakeholders

• Executive Team
• Retail Operations & Regional Managers
• Compliance & Risk
• Customer Operations & Call Centre
• Technology & IT Service Delivery
• HR Business Partners
• Finance (Skills Levy & reporting)
• Internal Audit

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• On?time and accurate WSP & ATR submissions
• Mandatory training completion rates (online and retail)
• Audit findings related to training and competence
• Reduction in compliance, RG, and cash?handling incidents
• Time?to?competency for new retail and online hires
• Training effectiveness and satisfaction metrics

Required Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• 8+ years experience in Training & Development / L&D
• 35 years in a senior or Head of Department role
• Experience in regulated, high?risk environments (gambling, financial services, retail banking, call centers)
• Proven experience delivering training to large, distributed, shift?based workforces

Strong Advantage / Desirable

• Hands?on experience with:
  • Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs)
  • Annual Training Reports (ATRs)
• Experience working with SETAs and Skills Development Facilitators
• Exposure to BBBEE?aligned skills development reporting
• Experience training retail frontline and support staff

Skills & Competencies

• Strong instructional design and facilitation capability
• Deep regulatory and compliance awareness
• Ability to translate complex rules into practical training
• Strong governance, planning, and documentation discipline
• Stakeholder management across retail and corporate environments
• Data?driven approach to measuring training impact

Behavioral Attributes

• Highly ethical and compliance?focused
• Operationally practical and grounded
• Structured and proactive
• Comfortable working in both retail and office environments
• Strong influencer with senior leaders and frontline staff

Working Conditions

• Office-based role with occasional travel to retail locations
• Occasional afterhours or weekend availability for audits, rollouts, or regulatory deadlines