Product Manager

Our client is a global sports betting and iGaming operator launching into the South African market and is seeking an experienced Product Manager to take ownership of the local product strategy, market localisation, and ongoing optimisation of their sportsbook and digital betting platforms.

This role requires demonstrable product management experience within iGaming or sports betting. Candidates without direct regulated betting product experience will not be considered.

As Product Manager – South Africa, you will be responsible for ensuring the product is fit for purpose in a local, regulated environment, while remaining aligned with global platform capabilities and roadmap priorities.

You will operate at the intersection of Product, Trading, Technology, Compliance, Payments, CRM, and Customer Support, translating local market needs into executable product requirements. This is a hands-on, commercially accountable role, not a theoretical product function.

Key Responsibilities:

Market Entry & Local Product Strategy

• Own the South African product strategy from pre-launch through post-launch scale.
• Define market-specific product requirements aligned to local player behaviour, betting preferences, and regulatory constraints.
• Support market-entry readiness including UAT, soft launches, and controlled rollouts.

Sportsbook & Betting Product Ownership

• Own the end-to-end sportsbook experience, including pre-match, in-play, bet settlement, promotions, and cash-out features.
• Work closely with Trading teams to ensure markets, odds presentation, and betting mechanics are optimised for South African customers.
• Ensure product functionality supports high-traffic events and peak betting periods.

Player Journey & UX Optimisation

• Map and continuously optimise the full player journey: registration, KYC, deposits, betting, withdrawals, and account management.
• Identify friction points and drop-offs across the funnel and implement data-driven improvements.
• Collaborate with UX/UI teams to ensure clarity, speed, and usability across web and mobile platforms.

Regulatory, Compliance & Responsible Gambling

• Ensure product features fully comply with South African gambling legislation and licensing conditions.
• Implement responsible gambling tools including limits, self-exclusion, and player protection controls.
• Partner with Compliance, Risk, and Legal teams to embed regulatory requirements into product design and functionality.

Payments, KYC & Integrations

• Work closely with Payments and Risk teams to support local payment methods, KYC flows, and fraud controls.
• Optimise deposit and withdrawal journeys to balance conversion, compliance, and risk.
• Support third-party integrations and platform enhancements required for local market operations.

Roadmap, Delivery & Stakeholder Management

• Define and prioritise local product backlog items in alignment with global roadmaps.
• Write detailed product requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
• Act as the primary local product stakeholder for engineering, design, and QA teams.
• Manage dependencies and trade-offs between speed, quality, and compliance.

Data, Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Track product KPIs including conversion rates, bet volumes, engagement, and retention.
• Use analytics, player feedback, and operational insights to drive iterative improvement.
• Provide structured reporting and product insights to local leadership and global HQ.

Key Skills & Experience:

• Proven Product Manager experience within iGaming or sports betting (non-negotiable).
• Strong understanding of sportsbook platforms, betting mechanics, and player lifecycles.
• Experience launching or scaling products in regulated or emerging markets.
• Comfortable working with distributed global teams and complex stakeholders.
• Highly analytical with a commercial mindset.
• Strong documentation, prioritisation, and execution skills.

Why Join?

• Play a central role in launching a global betting brand into South Africa.
• Own meaningful product decisions with direct commercial impact.
• Work closely with senior local and international stakeholders.
• Competitive salary aligned to senior product leadership.
• Cape Town–based role within a high-growth market entry operation.

If you have successfully launched or optimised betting products in regulated markets and want ownership, accountability, and real influence during a market-entry phase, this Product Manager role offers a rare and high-impact opportunity.