Senior Strategist

Introducing Prodigious South Africa, a content production solution designed for the marketing challenges of today. We are the agency-agnostic, production platform for Publicis Groupe Africa, supported by 60+ best-in-class talents across BDF (Central, East, West & Southern Africa) as well as OM (Pan Africa).

We bring specialist production expertise across all African channels and markets, together with consumer and performance data, to produce, adapt and deliver efficient and effective marketing content, helping brands win in the platform world.

Our team prides itself on the exceptionally high level of quality delivered, as well as the diverse variety of work produced across our African markets.

We use our comprehensive technology stack and streamlined, data-driven workflows to seamlessly connect our regional production campuses, on-site client studios and time zone-aligned offshore hubs deliver the perfect balance of efficiency and quality.

Senior Strategist

The Role:

This exciting role is for a senior strategist in our Johannesburg office. If you have the appetite to make work that works, lead established brands, and build a strategy team in your vision, this is the opportunity you have been waiting for. This is a senior and visible strategy position with exposure to client CMOs as well as working with well-respected industry leaders within the Publicis Groupe across multiple internal business units- from traditional creative, to digital and content strategy within the Publicis Power of One model.

Responsibilities

• Act as the strategic lead and brand custodian on the specific PO1 brand in partnership with the Managing Partner and Creative lead.
• Articulate and interrogate client needs based on the brand and business strategy, as well as ensure ongoing engagement with client around their business needs.
• Use research to create original and innovative insights and provide a high-quality interpretation of research findings.
• Understand commercial context of brand communication as well as the need to measure and track effectiveness.
• Understanding of ATL, BTL and digital channel strategy to enable end-to-end solutions for clients.
• Liaising with strategic counterparts at partner agencies to ensure alignment and understanding of the strategy, as well as ensuring the various disciplines remain on track.
• High-level understanding of digital transformation and marketing automation and being able to partner with specialists in this area.
• Working with and inspiring the team to produce a clear and directional strategy that is founded on commercial and consumer insights.
• Guide the team beyond the brief through an in-depth understanding of client business needs as well as consumer needs.
• Writing and collaborating on inspiring creative briefs, from a day-to-day business POV, as well as proactive.
• Develop, construct and present compelling strategies to clients.
• Provide relevant target market insights across various consumer categories, and beyond South Africa into broader Africa.
• Provide input into optimising the customer experience and ensuring brand consistency.
• Constantly monitor campaigns and projects to ensure they adherence to the set strategic direction.
• Constantly raise the standard of strategic output across all client accounts.
• Inspire a culture of strategic thinking and innovation throughout the strategy department and the wider agency.
• Lead and present the outcome of strategic work for new business pitches.
• Proactively monitor your clients’ brands and industries so that you are able to share with client and the team, positioning the agency as a thought leader and opening organic growth opportunities.
• Be able to problem-solve and be resourceful to tackle even the most unusual marketing briefs.
• Be able to exercise strategic principles and structured thinking to tackle business development projects assigned by client and/or non-marketing communication briefs.

Qualifications / Experience

• Marketing/brand/consulting communication experience of 10+ years.
• Relevant marketing/communications diploma/degree.
• Hands-on experience with online marketing tools and practices.
• Strong understanding of media strategy and planning.
• Experience in developing, managing and presenting solutions within a creative environment.
• Proven ability to create cross-channel and content strategies.
• FMCG experience.
• African Experience.

Personality

• Solution orientated.
• Curious.
• Comfortable in a high performance, fast-paced environment.
• Open and active team player.
• Great communicator.
• Trustworthy.

Additional Information

Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.