Marketing Manager

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.

Overview

ROLE PURPOSE
The Marketing Manager is responsible for building the visibility, reputation and consistency of Publicis Groupe Africa and its portfolio of brands, agencies, practices and divisions. The role turns the Groupe’s strategy, capabilities, culture, people and work into clear, compelling marketing that strengthens awareness among clients, talent, industry stakeholders and employees.

Working closely with CEO and leadership teams across the Groupe, the Marketing Manager will coordinate integrated marketing activity across owned, earned and internal channels, while enabling individual brands to retain their distinct positioning within a coherent Groupe narrative.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Groupe and portfolio brand marketing

Develop and maintain the annual Publicis Groupe Africa marketing plan, aligned to business priorities and the PR and communications strategy.
Act as a central marketing custodian for the Groupe while supporting the positioning and visibility needs of related brands, agencies, practices and divisions.
Translate leadership priorities, capabilities, client work, people stories and cultural initiatives into relevant marketing programmes and content.
Maintain consistent use of brand architecture, messaging, visual identity, tone and key credentials across Groupe-level materials.
Identify opportunities for cross-brand storytelling that demonstrate connected capabilities without diluting individual brand equity.

2. Content, channels and campaigns

Own the integrated content calendar across Publicis Groupe Africa channels, coordinating inputs and approvals from participating brands and teams.
Plan, brief, create, edit and publish high-quality content for websites, social channels, newsletters, presentations, credentials and internal platforms.
Oversee channel hygiene, content accuracy and timely website and profile updates.
Coordinate marketing campaigns that support priority themes such as creativity, media, data, digital transformation, technology, commerce, reputation and influence, content and production.
Adapt global and regional content for African markets, ensuring local relevance, cultural sensitivity and brand compliance.

3. PR and thought-leadership enablement

Partner with the PR team to identify stories, proof points and spokespeople that support the Groupe’s reputation agenda.
Prepare marketing materials that enable media relations, including backgrounders, biographies, credentials, case-study summaries, visual assets and briefing packs.
Support thought-leadership programmes, speaking opportunities, industry commentary and executive visibility through research, content development and coordination.
Maintain an organised library of approved corporate information, leadership profiles, images, boilerplates, case studies and supporting assets.
Ensure marketing and PR activity is mutually reinforcing, with aligned messaging and efficient approval processes.

4. Awards fame, events and industry presence

Drive creative fame. Support the social and PR announcements of award performance in conjunction with CCO.
Plan and deliver Groupe marketing requirements for conferences, client events, internal showcases, culture moments and employer-brand activity.
Coordinate sponsorship and partnership deliverables to ensure the Groupe receives the agreed visibility and value.

5. Stakeholder and network coordination

Build productive relationships with agency MDs, practice leads (SA, Ghana and Africa network), creative teams, strategy, talent, production, media, finance, legal and other shared services.
Create clear briefing, review and approval processes that make it easy for brands and divisions to participate in Groupe marketing.
Run regular marketing planning and status sessions, maintaining an action tracker, content pipeline and forward calendar.
Support African market teams with adaptable templates, guidance and content while respecting local market needs.
Source, manage and brief external suppliers where required, including designers, photographers, videographers, event partners and production teams.

6. Governance, budget and measurement

Manage approved marketing budgets, purchase requirements and supplier processes in partnership with finance and relevant business owners.
Ensure content and activity follow agreed legal, confidentiality, client-approval, intellectual-property and brand-governance requirements.
Establish practical measures for channel growth, content performance, share of voice, event outcomes, stakeholder participation and campaign delivery.
Provide concise monthly reporting, highlighting progress, outcomes, risks, upcoming moments and decisions required.
Use performance data and stakeholder feedback to improve the marketing plan and prioritise effort.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Relevant qualification in marketing, communications, brand management, public relations, journalism or a related discipline.
Approximately five or more years’ relevant experience in integrated marketing, agency marketing, corporate communications, brand management or a comparable environment.
Experience operating across multiple brands, business units or stakeholder groups in a matrixed organisation.
Demonstrated strength in content development, copywriting, editing, social media and campaign coordination.
Solid project-management experience, including concurrent workstreams, deadlines, budgets, suppliers and approvals.
Advertising, media, communications, consulting or broader professional-services experience is strongly preferred.
Experience supporting executive communications, awards, events, employer brand or thought leadership would be advantageous.

Core Capabilities

Excellent written and verbal communication, with the judgement to adapt tone for executive, client, employee, industry and social audiences.
Strong brand judgement and an eye for detail, craft, consistency and presentation quality.
Integrated marketing planning across owned, earned and internal channels.
Confident stakeholder management, including the ability to influence without direct authority.
Commercial and organisational awareness, with the ability to connect marketing activity to business priorities.
Strong briefing, editing, presentation and quality-control skills.
Practical measurement and reporting, with an ability to turn data into clear recommendations.
Proficiency in Microsoft 365, particularly PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Teams and SharePoint, plus working knowledge of Canva / Figma and social publishing or analytics tools.

Personal Attributes

Proactive, resourceful and comfortable creating structure in a fast-moving environment.
Collaborative and low-ego, with respect for the distinct identities and expertise across the Groupe.
Highly organised, dependable and calm under pressure.
Curious about the industry, African markets, culture, creativity, technology and emerging marketing practices.
Comfortable moving between strategic planning and hands-on delivery.
Discreet and trustworthy when handling confidential business, client and people information.
Positive, solutions-oriented and committed to high standards without losing momentum.

Success Measures

Quality, consistency and timeliness of Groupe and portfolio marketing outputs.
Delivery of the agreed marketing calendar, campaigns, events and priority initiatives.
Growth and engagement across priority owned channels.
Increased visibility of Groupe capabilities, work, leaders and talent across agreed audiences.
Participation and satisfaction of agency, practice and market stakeholders.
Effective budget management, governance and reporting.
Clear contribution to the reputation, culture, talent and business priorities of Publicis Groupe Africa.

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.