Product Owner III (Platform – Data & CRM)

Role Purpose

Rainmaker Media is transforming into world-class Retail Media platform powered by first-party data, identity, Omni-channel engagement and CRM capabilities. 

We are looking for a Product Owner to own the Client & Sales Experience across our Data and CRM platform, enabling advertisers, agencies, internal sales teams and campaign managers to activate, measure, and optimize campaigns using retailer-grade data assets. 

Role Description 

Retail Media Data & CRM Platform Strategy 

• Define and evolve the platform vision for Data & CRM within Retail Media 

• Translate retail data assets (transactions, loyalty, behavioural signals) into scalable media products 

• Partner with Business leaders to align product strategy to revenue objectives 

You will deeply understand: 

• Retail Media Platform Ecosystems 

• First-party data monetization 

• CRM platforms and audience management 

Client & Sales Experience 

• Design intuitive tools and workflows for internal Sales and Campaign Manager teams and external clients 

• Reduce friction in audience creation, booking, reporting, and campaign optimization 

• Enable self-service where appropriate, without sacrificing control or compliance 

• Ensure seamless integration across activation channels experiences (in-store, digital , ePOS) 

This role requires strong empathy for: 

• Sales teams under commercial pressure 

• Media agencies managing multiple campaigns 

• Brand partners demanding measurable ROI 

Platform Integrity & System Thinking 

You will operate as a true Platform Product Owner, ensuring: 

• Clean data architecture across microservices 

• Clear data models and integration  

• Robust CRM business rules 

You will work closely with engineering, architecture, analytics, legal, and data science to ensure the conceptual and technical integrity of the platform through the development of Solution Intents, Feature management and Roadmap alignment. 

Empowered Product Ownership 

You will lead an agile product team and: 

• Own product discovery / continuous exploration (CE) 

• Facilitate workshops to uncover real problems (not just collect requirements) 

• Work closely with technical teams to drive solution design, integration alignment, and delivery execution. 

• Manage multiple concurrent workstreams across platform and delivery initiatives. 

• Define clear problem statements and success metrics 

• Prioritize using economic decision-making principles 

• Balance platform investments with commercial delivery pressures 

• Provide clear solution direction to the agile team. 

• Sequence user stories based on team PI objectives. 

• Ensure team backlog readiness for next PI (Program Interval). 

• Manage and lead backlog refinement. 

• Participate in ART level events: ART sync, Inspect and Adapt, PI Planning, daily stand-ups and system demos, but operate with a product mindset, focusing on why and what, not just delivery mechanics. 

Key Competencies and Work Ethic

A strong candidate: 

• Has deep experience in Retail Media, AdTech, and  Data Platforms 

• Prior experience with Salesforce (CRM / Marketing Cloud / CDP) or similar enterprise CRM platforms. 

• Strong understanding of monetising retail operational and first-party data into sellable, scalable Retail Media and advertising products 

• Exposure to leveraging Tableau (or similar BI tools) for reporting, insights, and commercial performance tracking. 

• Familiarity with cloud data warehouse technologies and modern data stack environments. 

• Has built or evolved CRM and audience segmentation 

• Can operate confidently with executives and commercial stakeholders 

• Balances strategic thinking with execution discipline 

• Has shipped complex, data-heavy platform products 

• Coaches and uplifts other Junior or Intermediate  Product Owners  

Qualifications and Experience  

• 6+ years in a Product Owner role within digital, data, or platform environments 

• Strong experience in Retail, Retail Media or AdTech 

• Proven success launching complex, high-visibility products 

• Experience working in agile product environments 

• Strong analytics and data fluency 

• Degree in Business, Technology, Engineering, or related field 

• Product certifications advantageous but not a substitute for product judgment 

Our Group and all its operating companies is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included. 

We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally. 

Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period. 

If you don’t hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.