Being a part of the Hollywood Group Team is an opportunity to become a part of one of South Africa’s biggest success stories. From humble beginnings in Durban, The Hollywood Group has grown into a powerhouse operating across Africa, Mozambique and the United Kingdom. Our talented Team is on a mission to increase our global footprint, ready to take on any challenge because at Hollywood, not even the sky is the limit. Join our Team and let’s reach for the stars.

We have an amazing opportunity for an Acting Chief Operating Officer – Race Coast KZN to be based at Greyville Racecourse. Do you think you have what it takes to be our newest Star? The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the organization, ensuring the efficient execution of strategic initiatives, and enhancing the commercial and operational performance of the organization. This includes oversight of the Racing, HR, Betting Operations, IT, Marketing, Commercial, Broadcast, Events, Security, Facilities, and Projects divisions. The role covers venue operations, live and hospitality events, race days, betting operations, commercial ventures, and enterprise services. The role reports directly to the Hollywood Group Management Team and serves as a key executive leadership Team Member, the Acting COO will drive the operational strategy and execution across cross-functional teams, ensuring strategic alignment, innovation, sustainable commercial growth, and exceptional customer experiences.

The Acting COO will be able to combine experience and execution with a pragmatic mindset, avoiding overly theoretical or impractical approaches, they will have the ability to deliver measurable outcomes, show financial impact (“money in the bank”) and drive results that stick — not just ideas that look good on paper.  A key element for success in this role will be the ability to understand, adapt to and demonstrate the Hollywood Group culture, this is crucial for ensuring alignment with our Team and business.

With Race Coast You Will:

Innovate and create as part of a like-minded, authentic Team eager to achieve goals.

Embrace challenges and the thrill of working in a vibrant and fast-paced industry.

Grow with our development plans and culture that allows you to further your career.

You Bring:

• Experience in Business, Operations, or related field, or credible, demonstrable practical experience in those fields.
• 10+ years in senior operations leadership within events, hospitality, entertainment, or regulated industries like betting/gaming.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex operations, driving cross-functional performance, and leading strategic initiatives.
• Strong understanding of compliance frameworks, digital ecosystems, and customer-centric delivery models.
• Durban based full-time office-based role with a presence on race days and the ability to travel.
• Need to have a strong track record of making sound, commercially effective decisions — be able to demonstrate how you have directly contributed to increased revenue, cost savings, and improved business performance.

A Bonus To Have:

• Preferable for the candidate to have experience in the horse racing industry.

What You’ll Do For The Brand:

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of integrated operational strategies that align with the organization’s long-term vision and support the broader group objectives.
• Drive performance excellence across departments through robust planning, scalable, agile processes, and strategic KPAs.
• Lead the capex project management team in planning, executing, and monitoring capital expenditure projects. Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. Engage with key stakeholders to ensure alignment on project objectives and deliverable.

Venue Operations and Events Portfolio Oversight

• Ensure sustainable growth of the events portfolio, ensuring the monetisation and commercialisation of the venue and facilities to drive revenue through strategic pipeline management, forecasting, execution, and ROI analysis.
• Analyse financial performance against projections and refine quoting accuracy and operational learnings post-event.
• Provide executive leadership to the facilities management team, ensuring company facilities are safe, functional, and compliant with relevant regulations. Oversee the development and implementation of maintenance schedules and procedures and ensure that all venues are fit for purpose.
• Ensure facilities management is aligned with operational readiness and safety standards.

Strategic Race Season Planning

• Lead the forward planning of race seasons, ensuring readiness across infrastructure, marketing, and resourcing.
• Monitor strategic milestones and budget adherence throughout the planning cycle

Race Day Operational Excellence

• Deliver race day experiences that exceed commercial and customer expectations.
• Oversee end-to-end operational planning and execution, including F&B, hospitality, owner and guest satisfaction, and overall event performance.
• Track key metrics: attendance, turnover, profitability, NPS, and qualitative customer feedback.

Commercial, Marketing & Media Strategy

• Oversee marketing, PR, and brand strategy execution, ensuring alignment with commercial goals and brand positioning and alignment to the larger group positioning.
• Drive commercial partnerships and revenue growth, with a focus on new opportunities, contract renewals, and accurate revenue forecasting. Oversee the delivery and optimization of media rights, betting partnerships, sponsorship, and licensing agreements.
• Enhance brand exposure and audience engagement through media rights, sponsorships, and digital platforms.

Strategic Oversight – Content & Audience Engagement

• Provide strategic leadership over content strategy to align with business goals and brand positioning.
• Ensure content is platform-appropriate, audience-focused, and reinforces brand identity.
• Guide cross-functional collaboration to deliver engaging, data-driven digital content.
• Oversee content planning to sustain audience growth, brand visibility, and fan engagement.

Strategic Oversight – Broadcast Operations & Distribution

• Direct broadcast strategy across regions, ensuring quality, consistency, and alignment with enterprise objectives.
• Oversee planning, resource allocation, and execution of race day production and ensure this meets or exceeds global standards.
• Lead innovation in broadcast technology, format, and distribution to enhance reach and viewer experience.
• Ensure compliance, operational efficiency, and monetization of broadcast assets through strategic partnerships.

Betting Operations Oversight

• Lead and optimize betting operations for profitability, innovation, and compliance.
• Partner with the betting division to enhance customer experiences and develop growth opportunities.

IT Software, Telebet and e-commerce operation

• Development of the Tote Betting Website in collaboration with BET Software, with strategic focus on customer journey, marketing, payments and product ecosystem.
• Customer service and contact centre - ensuring optimal customer service and customer journey or telephonic, email and digital customer support.
• Ensuring efficiencies in staffing, cost management and ROI for the telebet function.
• Driving strategic project management and scope across all IT Software projects through partnering with BET Software - projects including Tote Software, Tote Website, Self Service Betting Terminals, Retail Terminals. 

Strategic Projects and Innovation

• Provide executive leadership on transformational initiatives including broadcast expansion, and other projects such as Historical Horse Racing (HHR), and Sportainment innovations.
• Ensure milestone achievement, stakeholder alignment, and return on investment from key projects.

Compliance, Risk & Legal Governance

• Uphold regulatory compliance across betting, events, licensing, and health & safety.
• Lead risk assessments and maintain a robust risk management framework and oversee the implementation of effective mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity and enterprise governance.

Human Capital, Organisational Development & Stakeholder Management

• Lead talent strategy, including recruitment, succession planning, culture development, and performance management.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive, and agile organisational culture.
• Act as a point of contact and liaison for all key stakeholders and foster strong relationships to ensure all operational and strategic objectives are met.
• Ensure close collaboration and alignment with other entities within the group and with racing operations in the Western Cape (WC) to promote cohesion, optimise synergies, and drive unified growth and improvements across the organisation.

Digital, IT & Infrastructure Readiness

• Oversee the implementation of robust digital and IT infrastructure supporting ticketing, security, betting, and customer interaction.

What You’ll Bring To The Team:

• Executive leadership and cross-functional execution
• Operational & financial acumen and management
• Commercial strategy and media negotiation
• Digital transformation and IT governance
• Regulatory navigation and risk management
• Stakeholder engagement and communication
• Team leadership and organizational development