Head of Narrative, Reputation & Content
EY · Johannesburg
Head of Narrative, Reputation & Content
Role Overview
The Head of Narrative, Reputation & Content is responsible for shaping and activating EY Africa's strategic narrative, ensuring the firm is credible, distinctive, and discoverable across both human and AI-driven audiences. This includes defining narrative frameworks and standards while working in partnership with channel and Go-To-Market (GTM) teams who execute across campaigns, events, digital platforms, and media.
This role leads the development of integrated narrative frameworks, executive positioning, and reputation strategies, while overseeing the creation of scalable, high-quality content systems that support business priorities, go-to-market activity, and brand objectives.
The role brings together strategic communications, content, and influence, moving beyond traditional channel execution to deliver measurable impact through coordinated audience engagement and modern amplification models.
This position requires an individual skilled in developing and implementing strategic communications by enabling the input, customization, and integration of messages across appropriate channels within a fast-paced, agile environment. The role integrates external and digital communications and is responsible for managing vendors that support the execution of communications campaigns.
Role Detail
- Define and own EY Africa's overarching narrative framework, ensuring clear, compelling, and consistent positioning across markets, sectors, and audiences.
- Translate business strategy into distinct, repeatable storylines and points of view on priority topics (e.g., growth, AI, and sector themes).
- Act as a trusted strategic advisor to the Africa Leadership Team on messaging, positioning, and reputation.
- Lead the development of executive and leadership communications that influence internal alignment, external perception, and high-impact moments (e.g., results announcements and reputation issues).
- Ensure alignment and consistency across internal, external, and leadership communications.
- Design integrated influence strategies across earned, owned, and emerging channels, working with PR, digital, and campaign teams to activate them.
- Evolve traditional PR into a modern influence model spanning media, digital platforms, and ecosystem amplification.
- Define and enable an always-on content ecosystem, including editorial governance, content reuse models, and clearly defined roles across teams.
- Oversee the development of high-quality, modular, and reusable content frameworks that can be deployed across channels and formats.
- Provide editorial leadership across all major outputs (EY.com, social media, and thought leadership), ensuring content is insight-led and optimized for discoverability.
- Design audience-led engagement strategies, ensuring content is tailored to audience needs and drives meaningful interaction.
- Partner with Go-To-Market leadership to ensure narrative informs campaigns, content supports pipeline growth, and communications drive measurable engagement.
- Use audience insights, content performance data, and market signals to continuously refine messaging and optimize impact, establishing clear feedback loops with Analytics and GTM teams.
- Define governance models and decision rights for narrative, messaging, and content approval across the organization.
Communication Objectives
- Build and maintain a strong, differentiated EY Africa narrative in the market.
- Drive measurable improvement in:
- Leadership visibility
- Quality of engagement
- Content consumption and relevance
- Ensure consistency, clarity, and quality across all communication outputs.
- Strengthen EY's position as a trusted advisor on priority issues, supported by clearly defined KPIs and baselines aligned to business priorities.
Analytical / Decision-Making Responsibilities
- Manage and ensure the effectiveness of all communications processes, including identifying and mitigating strategic risks, and driving alignment of narrative and messaging decisions across teams.
- Contribute to budget planning, ensuring appropriate resources are allocated to achieve divisional objectives.
- Manage project demand and prioritize resources accordingly.
- Lead projects from inception to completion, including project management and stakeholder engagement.
- Balance competing priorities and multiple concurrent projects.
- Engage effectively with senior stakeholders who may have differing perspectives and priorities.
- Challenge the status quo with appropriate diplomacy and professional judgment.
Knowledge and Skill Requirements
- Strong strategic storytelling and narrative development capability, with the ability to translate complex concepts into clear, compelling messages.
- Excellent editorial judgment, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and impactful content across all platforms.
- Deep understanding of modern content ecosystems, including digital platforms, search optimization, and AI-driven discoverability.
- Proven ability to operate as a trusted advisor to senior executives and confidently influence leadership-level decision-making.
- Strong integration mindset, with the ability to collaborate effectively across Marketing, GTM, Business Development, and Leadership teams.
- Broad marketing and communications expertise, with experience across multiple channels and disciplines.
- Advanced written and verbal communication skills, ideally gained within a professional services environment.
- Strong leadership capability, with the ability to inspire, guide, and develop high-performing teams.
- Highly organized and results-driven, with the ability to prioritize effectively, manage complexity, and deliver in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong attention to detail combined with strategic thinking and commercial awareness.
Behavioural Requirements
- Build a reputation among internal and external stakeholders as a subject matter expert within your functional discipline and programme areas.
- Identify and share best practices by leveraging an understanding of leading practices and market developments, identifying gaps in current ways of working, and initiating improvements.
- Seek and value input from others in decision-making and problem-solving processes.
- Serve as a positive role model by demonstrating EY's values through words and actions.
- Support the development of a strong team culture and provide constructive feedback on strengths and development opportunities.
- Demonstrate the ability to adapt to diverse cultural and interpersonal styles.
- Translate complex ideas into simple, clear, and compelling messages.
- Effectively manage and resolve conflict.
- Work independently with minimal supervision.
- Demonstrate a collaborative, enthusiastic, and results-oriented mindset with a commitment to excellence.
- Display flexibility regarding working hours when required.
- Influence senior stakeholders and build strong, lasting working relationships.
- Adapt to changing business requirements while assimilating new information and applying sound judgment.
- Bring innovative thinking to content development opportunities.
- Take initiative and remain proactive in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.
- Quickly define problems, gather input, conduct assessments, draw conclusions, and implement solutions.
Education
- Recognized qualification in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field.
Experience
- 8-10 years of relevant experience, including:
- A minimum of 3 years at Senior Management level; or
- A minimum of 5 years at Management level.
- Professional services experience, or experience managing a communications function within a complex matrix organization, is preferred.
About the Role
The role is based in Sandton, South Africa, and forms part of the Africa Brand, Marketing & Communications (BMC) team, which is responsible for external brand and communications, design, digital communications, events, thought leadership, the alumni programme, and internal communications.
The Brand, Marketing & Communications team forms part of Accounts & Business Development (ABD) within Core Business Services.
The Africa Region operates as a single business across 33 countries and includes more than 260 partners and over 5,000 employees. It is one of EY's largest and most diverse regions and comprises four service lines:
- Assurance
- Consulting
- Tax
- Strategy and Transactions
Who We Are
At EY, we support you in achieving your unique potential, both personally and professionally. We provide stretching and rewarding experiences that keep you motivated while working in an environment built on integrity, collaboration, and innovation alongside some of the world's most successful organizations.
While we encourage you to take ownership of your career, we are committed to supporting your development every step of the way. You'll have the flexibility to focus on what matters most to you, both professionally and personally.
At EY, you can be yourself, express your perspective, bring your energy and enthusiasm, and make a meaningful impact wherever you are in the world.