Senior Content & Communications Specialist

Publicis Groupe · Cape Town

Apply on the company website

Machine_ is a creative solutions agency represented across Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, and is home to over 75 adventurous minds. At Machine_ we don’t believe that intuition and gut feel are enough. That’s why everything we do starts with an insight.

Our team of experts uses these insights to create impactful and accountable solutions that touch consumers at every point in their connected world. Machine_ is part of Publicis Groupe, one of the fastest-growing global networks. Machine’s mantra, Never Afraid, underpins our values of; doing the right thing, being curious, solution orientated and at its core ‘giving a s**t!’.

Living this mantra daily helps grow our Clients’ businesses and these are the values we look for when recruiting new talent. The right personality is just as important as the right experience. We’re here to work hard and have fun while doing it.

At Machine_ we’re driven by an experienced team of individuals who are passionate about producing relevant and engaging specialist content, communications and creative work and experiences, whilst at the same time building solid, long-term relationships with our clients.

We’re looking to build something awesome here; for that to happen we need the right people. In fact the right personality is just as important as the right experience. We’re here to work hard and have fun.

We’re looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Content & Communications Specialist to work across some of our biggest clients. This is a full-time position that requires a senior person with a strong editorial and communications background, and a wealth of experience in corporate and internal communications and storytelling, strategy and client-facing engagement and relationship management. Additional experience in B2B would be advantageous.

Machine_ operates a hybrid working environment, whereby staff are expected to be in-office 3-4 days a week. You will be required to attend client meetings in-person throughout the week. Please note that Publicis may change in-office working requirements as this policy evolves.

Machine_ operates a hybrid working environment, whereby staff are expected to be in-office 3-4 days a week. You will be required to attend client meetings in-person throughout the week. Please note that Publicis may change in-office working requirements as this policy evolves.

This is a BBEEE-preference position, reporting into the Head of Specialist Content & Communication. The position is based in our Cape Town office and is full-time.

• Craft content strategies and communication plans for clients, understanding our client’s business 
  needs deeply while pushing them to innovate and be creative in line with their KPIs and target 
  audiences
•  Understand content channels, user journeys, formats and key success metrics and craft engaging 
  content with these in mind
• Lead content planning, commissioning, editing and writing for key B2B, B2C, CRM and internal 
  communications clients
• Research and create content for clients across all channels and across genres, from long-form 
  researched print articles to short, compelling social media captions and advertising copy writing. 
• Proofread and copy edit content, ensuring content is punchy, thoroughly researched, in line with brand 
  style guides and 100% error-free 
• Take briefs and create briefs for content and the studio (design team) 
  Self-manage time and deadlines, find solutions /delegate accordingly 
• Ensure all content is original, accurate, suited to client tone and style, and of the highest possible 
  quality 
• Ensure content is created optimally for its intended objectives, channels and audience  
• Review work from start to finish, including testing of digital assets as needed 
• Lead reporting on content performance, with a good understanding of insight-led, results-driven 
  content – including optimising client strategies regularly to ensure content is insights-led and 
  performance-focused. 
• Brief work into the design studio, manage delivery, and guide the creative look and feel. 
• Manage content budgets and timelines, with support from the client service team. 
• Support pitches with strategic content input for a range of clients, plus proactively bring forward 
  small/big content and strategy/new business opportunities for existing and potential clients. 
• Advise clients and internal teams on content marketing and digital content best practice. 
  Build trust-based client relationships that deliver on business needs. 
  Own day-to-day client management and keep the client at the centre of the work. 
• Spot new business opportunities and build relationships with key stakeholders to support growth. 
• Build strong working relationships across the agency and within your team. 
• Be invested in the growth of your peers, line reports and the business, to doing good work, improving 
  processes, and increasing revenue opportunities with both existing and new clients.

• Strong editorial and communications background across multiple platforms – minimum 3 years as a lead communications strategist or editor-in-chief, or similar, ideally with internal communications experience
• Experience in creating omni-channel communication and content marketing strategies for clients that are primarily digital
• Ability to multitask and plan across a range of projects.
• Solid time management skills are essential.
• Ability to work independently and make things happen.
• Ability to bring creative thinking to a range of different marketing and content opportunities. Need to think out of the box!
• Very strong English language writing and editing skills.
• Ability to be firm in one’s beliefs on what makes great content.
• People person, with good problem-solving skills and the ability to represent the agency in front of clients.
• Be a strong leadership figure.
• Confident reporting and presenting to key clients.
• Comfortable tackling a range of content pillars, including content for clients in: financial services, telecoms, healthcare, FMCG, alcohol and more.
• Skilled across B2C, B2B and internal communications disciplines.
• Strategic, diplomatic and astute in front of C-suite level clients and forums; ability to represent the agency and the work well in these spaces regularly.
• Well-versed in digital content best-practice and strategy, from social media channels and websites to digital magazines, WhatsApp and more. Excellent understanding of LinkedIn best-practice, community management and reporting, as well as internal communications platforms like email CRM, Viva Engage and SharePoint.
• Strong journalistic network of content writers, creators and producers for commissioning work.
• Be fundamentally passionate about the power of content and content marketing, be excited by delivering great work to clients, and be willing to go above and beyond, outside of the 9-to-5.
• Strong understanding of the corporate communication environment, including company reports and results sessions.
• Comfortable working on B2B/expert content (examples: tech, mining, healthcare, FSP institutional/intermediated brands). Network of specialist writers and content creators qualified to support in expert healthcare content aimed at doctors and pharmacists.
• Creatively-minded and able to assist with creative direction and partner closely with creative directors and creative studio.
• Experienced at giving feedback and reviewing work across other team members; skilled at crafting feedback to be clear, honest and constructive. Equally receptive to feedback on your own work by clients and colleagues alike.

• Craft content strategies and communication plans for clients, understanding our client’s business 
  needs deeply while pushing them to innovate and be creative in line with their KPIs and target 
  audiences
•  Understand content channels, user journeys, formats and key success metrics and craft engaging 
  content with these in mind
• Lead content planning, commissioning, editing and writing for key B2B, B2C, CRM and internal 
  communications clients
• Research and create content for clients across all channels and across genres, from long-form 
  researched print articles to short, compelling social media captions and advertising copy writing. 
• Proofread and copy edit content, ensuring content is punchy, thoroughly researched, in line with brand 
  style guides and 100% error-free 
• Take briefs and create briefs for content and the studio (design team) 
  Self-manage time and deadlines, find solutions /delegate accordingly 
• Ensure all content is original, accurate, suited to client tone and style, and of the highest possible 
  quality 
• Ensure content is created optimally for its intended objectives, channels and audience  
• Review work from start to finish, including testing of digital assets as needed 
• Lead reporting on content performance, with a good understanding of insight-led, results-driven 
  content – including optimising client strategies regularly to ensure content is insights-led and 
  performance-focused. 
• Brief work into the design studio, manage delivery, and guide the creative look and feel. 
• Manage content budgets and timelines, with support from the client service team. 
• Support pitches with strategic content input for a range of clients, plus proactively bring forward 
  small/big content and strategy/new business opportunities for existing and potential clients. 
• Advise clients and internal teams on content marketing and digital content best practice. 
  Build trust-based client relationships that deliver on business needs. 
  Own day-to-day client management and keep the client at the centre of the work. 
• Spot new business opportunities and build relationships with key stakeholders to support growth. 
• Build strong working relationships across the agency and within your team. 
• Be invested in the growth of your peers, line reports and the business, to doing good work, improving 
  processes, and increasing revenue opportunities with both existing and new clients.

• Strong editorial and communications background across multiple platforms – minimum 3 years as a lead communications strategist or editor-in-chief, or similar, ideally with internal communications experience
• Experience in creating omni-channel communication and content marketing strategies for clients that are primarily digital
• Ability to multitask and plan across a range of projects.
• Solid time management skills are essential.
• Ability to work independently and make things happen.
• Ability to bring creative thinking to a range of different marketing and content opportunities. Need to think out of the box!
• Very strong English language writing and editing skills.
• Ability to be firm in one’s beliefs on what makes great content.
• People person, with good problem-solving skills and the ability to represent the agency in front of clients.
• Be a strong leadership figure.
• Confident reporting and presenting to key clients.
• Comfortable tackling a range of content pillars, including content for clients in: financial services, telecoms, healthcare, FMCG, alcohol and more.
• Skilled across B2C, B2B and internal communications disciplines.
• Strategic, diplomatic and astute in front of C-suite level clients and forums; ability to represent the agency and the work well in these spaces regularly.
• Well-versed in digital content best-practice and strategy, from social media channels and websites to digital magazines, WhatsApp and more. Excellent understanding of LinkedIn best-practice, community management and reporting, as well as internal communications platforms like email CRM, Viva Engage and SharePoint.
• Strong journalistic network of content writers, creators and producers for commissioning work.
• Be fundamentally passionate about the power of content and content marketing, be excited by delivering great work to clients, and be willing to go above and beyond, outside of the 9-to-5.
• Strong understanding of the corporate communication environment, including company reports and results sessions.
• Comfortable working on B2B/expert content (examples: tech, mining, healthcare, FSP institutional/intermediated brands). Network of specialist writers and content creators qualified to support in expert healthcare content aimed at doctors and pharmacists.
• Creatively-minded and able to assist with creative direction and partner closely with creative directors and creative studio.
• Experienced at giving feedback and reviewing work across other team members; skilled at crafting feedback to be clear, honest and constructive. Equally receptive to feedback on your own work by clients and colleagues alike.

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