Junior AI Graduate - Johannesburg (On-Site)

Introduction

If you are a technically sharp, action-oriented graduate who has actually built something with AI - not just used ChatGPT to write an email - this role is worth your full attention.

A leading fintech and consumer rewards business headquartered in Sandton is looking for a junior Head of AI and Technical Operations to become the technical backbone of a fast-scaling, AI-first organisation. You will not be maintaining someone else's legacy systems or waiting years for a seat at the table. From day one, you will own real infrastructure, ship working solutions, and have a direct line to the CEO. The growth path into senior leadership and international operations is genuine and clearly defined.

This is a role for someone who is hungry, curious, and wired to build.  This is a fully onsite office role in Sandton

Duties & Responsibilities

• Identifying high-impact opportunities for AI and automation across operations, reporting, customer support, and decision-making, then building and executing a prioritised implementation roadmap.

• Building and deploying AI-powered tools and workflows using large language models (ChatGPT, Claude), AI agents, and prompt engineering.

• Piloting, testing, and scaling AI use-cases across the business, measuring impact against defined KPIs.

• Monitoring the AI landscape continuously and introducing new tools and techniques ahead of the curve.

• Building and maintaining Power BI reporting infrastructure enhanced with AI-driven insights and forecasting.

• Transforming raw, multi-source datasets into clean, AI-augmented analysis that drives faster business decisions.

• Designing data structures and validation logic to keep operational data clean, trustworthy, and audit-ready.

• Architecting and maintaining automation systems using tools such as Zapier, Make, Google Apps Script, MessageBird, and ActiveCampaign.

• Debugging and root-causing workflow failures, and maintaining clear technical documentation and architecture diagrams.

• Running user acceptance testing and technical testing for new product features and integrations, and tracking bugs through to resolution.

• Championing AI adoption across all teams through training, tooling guidance, and best-practice documentation.

• Translating business requirements into precise technical specifications and AI-enabled system designs.

Desired Experience & Qualification

You must have

• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering (any discipline), Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Information Systems, Actuarial Science, or Data Science. Other technical or analytical degrees will be considered only where strong demonstrated ability is clearly evident.

• Genuine, hands-on experience building, configuring, or deploying an AI tool or workflow. Casual use of AI tools does not qualify. You must be able to describe a concrete example of something you personally built or configured - a workflow, an agent, a prompt-engineered system, or a similar output. If you cannot give that example, this role is not for you.

• Practical experience working with data analysis tools such as Google Sheets, Excel, Power BI, or Looker Studio.

• Demonstrated experience designing or building at least one automated system or workflow, with the ability to explain the architecture and tools used.

Nice to Have (Advantageous, Not Essential)

• Postgraduate qualification in a technical or data-focused discipline.

• Formal certification in AI, machine learning, data engineering, or business intelligence (for example Google Data Analytics Certificate or Microsoft Power BI certification).

• SQL proficiency or formal certification.

• Certification or hands-on experience with automation platforms such as Zapier, Make, or Google Apps Script.

• Exposure to APIs, system integrations, and automated data flows.

• Experience in a fintech, consumer technology, or high-growth startup environment.

Package & Remuneration

Salary: R20,000 to R25,000 gross per month, commensurate with experience.

What's on Offer?

• Real ownership of systems, architecture, and the AI roadmap from day one - this is not a support role.

• A direct reporting line to the Operations Manager with direct access to the CEO, meaning your work is seen and your input matters.

• A clear and defined growth path into a senior leadership position owning AI strategy across the full business, including international markets.

• Exposure to global operations, including expansion into the United States.

• Hands-on learning and development in cutting-edge AI tools, Power BI, SQL, and automation engineering, with training provided where needed.

• The opportunity to eventually build and lead a dedicated AI and technical operations team.

• A fast-moving, output-driven culture that values results, reliability, and curiosity - not hours clocked.