Senior Copywriter

Publicis Groupe · Johannesburg

Company description

Publicis Groupe Africa is a leading marketing, communications, and business transformation network operating across 36 African countries, combining creativity, technology, and local insight to deliver integrated client solutions.

Publicis Groupe Africa is part of Publicis Groupe, the second-largest communications group globally, founded in 1926. The African network operates as a partnership of 44 communications agencies with offices spanning 36 countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, and many others

Its headquarters are in Johannesburg and Cape Town, providing a central hub for continental operations.

Telecommunications is one of the most dynamic categories in the market that sits at the intersection of technology, culture, connectivity, customer experience and everyday life. This role offers the opportunity to work with a leading telecommunications client and help shape the next generation of its agency partnership.

We are building a connected, future-fit model that brings together creativity, intelligence, data, technology, AI and world-class execution around the customer. It is an opportunity for ambitious creative talent to influence the work, the ways of working and the capabilities we build — creating a partnership designed not only for today's challenges, but for what comes next.

Overview

The Senior Copywriter is a senior hands-on creative responsible for developing distinctive, effective and culturally relevant ideas and copy across the client business.

The role translates strategy and creative direction into compelling concepts, narratives, messaging and executions that can work across channels, platforms and experiences.

Working as part of an integrated creative team, the Senior Copywriter combines strong conceptual and writing craft with digital-first thinking, culture, technology and emerging AI-enabled creative methods.

The role is accountable for idea quality, copy craft, proactive contribution, reliable delivery and strong collaboration.

Responsibilities

CREATIVE THINKING & COPY CRAFT

Develop strong, platform-neutral creative concepts in response to briefs and strategic direction.

Define and apply the tone of voice, messaging and narrative approach for campaigns and content.

Write clear, distinctive and engaging copy across multiple formats and lengths.

Generate ideas proactively and sell them into the creative team and, when required, clients.

Stay current with South African culture, language, social behaviour, media and creative trends.

CLIENT & BUSINESS UNDERSTANDING

Be part of the briefing process and interrogate briefs to get the answers needed before work begins.

Understand the client's business requirements, brand priorities and customer context.

Provide clear rationale for creative choices and be prepared to present work to clients.

Develop ideas that solve the business problem rather than simply completing deliverables.

INTEGRATED CREATIVE PRODUCT

Create across brand, retail, digital, social, content, out-of-home, activations and emerging formats.

Work closely with Art Directors and Designers to ensure words and visuals operate as one idea.

Consistently produce creative elements against agreed deliverables and deadlines.

Understand campaign rollout and how a central idea adapts across touchpoints.

Participate actively in brainstorms, pitches and proactive creative opportunities.

INTEGRATION & COLLABORATION

Work with Strategy, Media, Accounts, Developers, Production and other disciplines to ensure integration and alignment with broader business objectives.

Be a champion for innovative media solutions and platform-relevant creativity.

Collaborate early rather than handing work between disciplines sequentially.

Be a team player who can also take ownership and manage the creative process on assigned projects.

AI, TECHNOLOGY & FUTURE-FIT CREATIVITY

Use relevant AI tools responsibly to support ideation, research, writing exploration, content variation and prototyping.

Maintain practical prompting skills and understand where human judgement, originality and brand voice must lead.

Stay current with digital platforms and emerging content behaviours.

Use technology to expand creative possibility rather than simply automate output.

PRODUCTION & EXECUTIONAL EXCELLENCE

Compile strong creative presentations and continue developing client presentation skills.

Attend client briefings, recordings and shoots where required.

Protect copy quality, tone and idea integrity through production, adaptation and rollout.

Manage multiple projects while maintaining quality and attention to detail.

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT

Be extremely driven, proactive and committed to continuous growth in your craft.

Manage your own creative process and deadlines without needing to be chased.

Volunteer for brainstorms and share references and inspiration that raise the standard of the studio.

Support and guide more junior creative talent where appropriate.

Qualifications

OPERATIONAL KPI’S

Must have a minimum of 5-6 years’ experience

Good understanding of the latest digital platforms, use of Mobile, out-of-home, guerrilla, activations etc.

Present at least 2 unexpected ideas to your Creative Director monthly

Be comfortable with AI being a part of the everyday activities of the role.

BUSINESS KPI’S

Must be able to work on one sizable and two small size projects at any one time with oversight

Have the ability to attend every review on a project with 3 new ideas

THE PERSON

Must demonstrate strong conceptual ability (show at least 2 projects)

Provide proof of digital thinking (show at least 1 project)

Be agile

Great time management

Ability to work under pressure & meet tight deadlines

Adept problem-solving skills

Strong communication skills and clear articulation of ideas

Proactive, curious and willing to learn

Strong collaborator and team player

WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TOOLS

Microsoft Word

Keynote / PowerPoint

ChatGPT, Claude AI and similar generative AI tools

Working knowledge of AI prompting for ideation, copy exploration and content development

Additional information

Publicis Groupe Africa is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan.

All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to candidates from designated groups. Interested candidates must please submit a concise CV including a link to your portfolio if necessary. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks after submitting your application, please consider your application as unsuccessful.