Zendesk Platform Software Engineer

Takealot.com, South Africa's leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Zendesk Platform Engineer to join the Engineering & Product team based in Cape Town, South Africa.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us!

Think you've been challenged before? Think again!

• Scale: 4 million happy shoppers shop online on takealot.com. Show them what you can do.
• Learn: We work with the best of the best, and then some. Code alongside industry leaders and up-skill in record time.
• Grow: Expand your career in the fast-growing Takealot Group: takealot.com, Mr D, and TFS. We like to promote from within: Here's your chance.

Purpose of Role

Take ownership of the technical health, configuration, governance, and continuous improvement of the Zendesk and SurveyMonkey platforms. You will act as the technical interface between business stakeholders, vendors, and engineering to ensure a scalable, compliant, and performant CX tech stack.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

• Administer, configure, and govern the Zendesk platform lifecycle, including upgrades, feature rollouts, and environment management
• Triage and coordinate advanced technical support escalations with Zendesk Support
• Design and implement integrations using REST APIs, Webhooks, and SDKs to connect Zendesk with internal and external systems
• Build and maintain data solutions leveraging Google BigQuery and Looker for reporting and analytics
• Liaise with third-party vendors (e.g., 1Stream) and collaborate with internal engineering and product teams
• Evaluate new Zendesk features and releases, recommending adoption strategies aligned with business needs
• Conduct regular compliance audits (POPIA/GDPR), API token reviews, and configuration assessments to ensure security and governance
• Lead technical planning, estimation, and project coordination for CX platform initiatives
• Perform equivalent administration, support, integration, data pipeline, and compliance responsibilities for SurveyMonkey

Attributes required

• Ability to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Technical consulting and engineering mindset with the ability to lead planning sessions and champion best practices

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or a related field. In the absence of a Bachelor’s Degree or an Advanced Diploma, an equivalent experience requirement must be met.
• 2–4 years of hands-on experience in Zendesk administration and configuration
• Proven experience with REST APIs, Webhooks, and SDKs in a SaaS environment
• Proficiency with Google BigQuery and Looker for data analytics and reporting
• Understanding of POPIA or equivalent data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR)
• Experience conducting technical audits, including API tokens, configurations, and access controls
• Background in e-commerce or high-volume customer service environments
• Experience in the following will be advantageous:
  • Zendesk Administrator Certification
  • Experience with SurveyMonkey Private App configuration
  • Exposure to CX integrations such as 1Stream or CTI solutions
  • Familiarity with Jira and Confluence
  • Basic scripting skills in Python or JavaScript

Let's talk about life @ Takealot Group

• No doors: We aren't fans of stuffy offices or siloed work environments. See someone you like? High five, collab, and make something great.
• Remote working: Love water cooler chats and working from home? Takealot.com offers a remote and hybrid working model for the best of both worlds.
• Mentorship programme: We aren't kidding when we say the people with the best people win. Now's your chance to be one of the best by learning from the best.
• Naspers Tech Community & Online Learning: Share ideas and grow with global industry leaders who are all just a Slack message away. Love to learn? Upskill with free access to courses on MyAcademy, Udacity, Coursera, and more.
• Good times: Get to know the other extraordinary minds at takealot.com during regular social events and out-of-office activities (think hikes, think mini golf, think good times)
• Staff discount: Millions of products across 28 departments. What more could you ask for?
• Birthday leave: Cake Day all the way. Enjoy your day off you deserve it.
• Help when you need it most: Confidential counselling, legal support, and financial guidance, for free, anytime, anywhere.
• Tech stack (for days): ReactJS, Python, Scala, Kotlin, Swift, Google Cloud, Kafka, Redis, Kubernetes, and all things machine learning. If you build it, they will come.
• Free parking: No more 5km fun runs to your desk (unless you want to).

Like what you see? If you meet the above, you are an Extraordinary Mind. Apply today!!

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference.

View all current vacancies at takealot.com →

1. Read the full job description and requirements on this page carefully before applying — tailor your application to what the employer actually asks for.
2. Update your CV and save it as a PDF. Make sure your contact details, most recent experience and qualifications are easy to find.
3. Click the apply button on this page to complete your application on takealot.com's own careers site. The employer manages the shortlisting process directly.
4. Have certified copies of your ID and qualifications ready. Many South African employers request them once you are shortlisted.
5. Applications close on 19 August 2026. Submit well before the deadline — late applications are normally not considered.
6. Keep a record of what you submitted and when. If you have not heard back within a few weeks of the closing date, it is acceptable to follow up politely.

If takealot.com shortlists you for the Zendesk Platform Software Engineer position, preparation makes the difference. Work through these steps:

• Research takealot.com before the interview — look for their official website, social profiles and any recent news. Interviewers expect you to know why you want to work there specifically.
• Go through the job description above and prepare a specific example from your own experience for each of the main duties. Most interview questions will be drawn from what the advert emphasises.
• Structure your answers with the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action, Result. Concrete stories with measurable outcomes are far stronger than general claims about your abilities.
• Prepare two or three thoughtful questions to ask the panel — about the team, how success is measured in the role, or growth opportunities. It signals genuine interest.
• Plan your logistics early. Confirm whether the interview is in person in Cape Town or online, and arrive or log in at least ten minutes early.