With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.
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Job Summary
To develop tactical strategy and delivery plans, formulate associated practice/s and to ensure operational implementation and adaption i.t.o. marketing and communication management methodology, governance and delivery objectives.
Job Description
Accountability: Strategy Development - 15%
- Through a business partnership approach, the role will provide best-practice, strategic marketing, communications, and citizenship support to the business, helping the organisation to execute against its business objectives.
- The role will support (country) and its divisions in meeting business goals through optimizing investments in brand & marketing, communications, and citizenship, including leadership, integration of and accountability for those respective functions.
- To drive awareness, preference, usage and loyalty to Absa with customer centric integrated marketing programs and initiatives.
- To drive the strategic alignment of the MCR Target Operating Model (TOM) within the relevant Africa Region, ensuring the effective and efficient implementation of all Marketing, Communications, Citizenship and Public Affairs objectives.
- To lead and manage the in-country Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) teams to ensure enhanced and quality service delivery.
- Ensure implementation of integrated internal and external communications strategies, incl. overseeing policy, guidelines and governance.
- Oversee the development of overarching communications objectives, programme, and execution plans, in alignment with the global messaging and strategy.
- Oversee the co-ordination of activities across internal and external platforms, ensuring balanced communication and collaborative communications campaign development.
- Ensure the strategic positioning of business and team activities and profiling of relevant executives to external audiences (media, stakeholders, public) through stakeholder engagements.
- Work with team and provide strategic guidance on comprehensive, integrated internal and external communication strategies for the business.
- Work with team to develop strategic messages/value propositions for the business and ensure alignment of messaging and themes with Absa Africa
- Provide strategic, issue and crisis communication support (reputation management) including formal and informal environmental scanning and issues identification and monitoring.
- Facilitate the active management and preparation of responses to stakeholder and community enquiries, together with the relevant business partners.
- Leverage platforms to maximize exposure for Absa Africa.
- Have a clear understanding of the business issues and using communication to help solve organisational problems and achieve organisational objectives.
- Demonstrate a good understanding of business strategy, targets and performance and use it to shape communication strategies, plans and materials.
- Anticipate future developments or issues.
- Challenge where asked to undertake activity with no clear business purpose, or which seems to work against stated business direction.
- Regularly spend time with core audiences to maintain audience understanding.
- Drive and maintain marketing partnerships for Absa Africa across the regions.
- Drive the Integrated Marketing function from brief to final output, working with all BUs and 3rd Party agencies.
- Drive and ensure all processes, governance and budgets are adhered to, driving successful delivery of all requirements.
- Build clear measurable targets into campaign plans, ensuring accurate reporting.
- Oversee the development of relevant programmes in support of brand or product activities.
- Oversee the delivery of data analysis to plan and implement targeted Direct Marketing activities.
- Oversee the design and implementation of customer loyalty initiatives. Work with the digital teams to incorporate eCommerce into the marketing plans.
- Drive the digital marketing, mobile marketing activities, focusing on user experience and user-centricity.
- Ensure consistency and relevance of website and microsite use in all marketing plans.
- Ensure that the social channels are integrated and drive customer dialogue.
- Identify appropriate data points for analysis and interpretation of all digital analytics.
- Implement and manage the Absa Global Citizenship agenda in country
- Provide understanding and insight to the business regarding the current citizenship agenda and issues.
- Advice and support on-the-ground engagements with policymakers and stakeholders who influence policy in key markets.
- Communicate the business value of corporate citizenship activity, creating awareness regarding its importance and impact.
- Collaborate with the MCR Citizenship teams to ensure alignment across the
- Africa region, overseeing the implementation of this strategy.
- Oversee the implementation of the Citizenship plan to support delivery of leading, monitoring, communications, governance, and reporting of all efforts.
- Direct and implement Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country)s Public
- Policy activities, including lobbying priorities, positions and strategies, aligned to those of Absa Africa
- Maintain clear structures for Absa Africas position on core issues.
- Ensure Absa Africa voice is at the forefront of relevant policy development, as required in country.
- In collaboration with the MCR Centre of Excellence, lead the Public Policy debate on issues of material impact to Absa on the basis of an agreed list of priorities for each business unit.
- Act as a spokesperson regarding public policy engagements, where and when necessary.
- Respond to external inquiries on policy issues including briefing policy makers
- Ensure effective and robust measurement processes and tools are in place to effectively evaluate and measure Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) activity, output and results.
- Evaluate effectiveness of Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) initiatives through the introduction of formal and on-going measurement tools within the team.
- Analyse effectiveness of processes and systems in use in the department and make recommendations for improvements.
- Oversee agreed and manage service offerings; scope of work and SLAs with third party suppliers
- Develop and maintain clear communication with channel owners, managing the message calendar and providing information to link with wider campaigns.
- Oversee the planning of the channel content and ensure clear consistent process to disseminate campaigns across various channels.
- Strategic management of team outputs with regards to delivery of relevant material and setting up of relevant engagements and action plans.
- Write in a variety of styles for a variety of formats in a way that is engaging, grammatically correct and appropriate including ghost-write for senior leaders in a way that captures their personality and spirit.
- Ensure that channels are always fit for purpose and identifies improvements where necessary.
- Build effective relationships with the MCR Centres of Excellence to obtain the most effective service required to drive briefs, campaigns, and communications programmes.
- Build lasting relationships with the countrys leadership and represent Absa Africa at strategic initiatives.
- Build a strong network and ability to influence others to make things happen
- Act as a trusted and respected advisor to senior leaders and work well with colleagues at all levels.
- Use influence successfully to shape the strategic Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) agenda for the business.
- Able to negotiate conflicting requirements from different stakeholders to build a coherent plan, which is accepted by all.
- Develop external relationships to enhance knowledge and bring best practice into the organisation.
- Maintain a good understanding of audience needs and issues, either through personal contact or through the Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) network.
- Earn the function a seat at the top table and be seen as having an important contributor to the achievement of business objectives
- Present business cases objectively and authoritatively.
- Provide exceptional stakeholder support that builds trust in the working relationship, confidence in our expertise, and a positive reputation for the wider
- Build effective relationships with the MCR Centres of Excellence to obtain the most effective service required to drive briefs, campaigns, and communications programmes.
- Build lasting relationships with the countrys leadership and represent Absa Africa at strategic initiatives.
- Recruit and develop a world-class Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country))
- Regional team, as required by business needs, uncompromising in its approach to delivery, output, excellence, and professionalism.
- Set clear development objectives based on business needs and peoples personal aspirations.
- Achieve effective business impact by working with managers to support and develop the team and talent, reviewing managers progress against the objectives on a monthly basis.
- Work collaboratively with Marketing and Corporate Relations colleagues to create a highly effective function, demonstrating one team behaviours and fostering a positive working environment.
- Work with the team to develop a better understanding of the business divisions and their priorities to tie in with team initiatives.
- Explore innovative ways of delivery, professional standards, accessing best practice and latest trends in the market to positively impact the business.
- Adhere to the performance management processes and timelines and guide managers on their performance and deliverables of their teams.
- Coach team members to enhance performance and build competence, giving constructive feedback as appropriate.
- Develop improvement plans to support team members where performance is below acceptable standards.
- Act as an advocate and role model in embedding Absa values and behaviours.
- Hold regular monthly team meetings and one-on-ones.
- Embed best practice programmatic Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) approach within team by cross working, cross integration and message alignment.
- Provide clear direction to team members on the Group and MCR strategic plans and key focus areas and ensure their understanding and buy-in.
- Review performance against balanced scorecard components as prescribed, discuss gaps and agree action plans to close gaps.
- Benchmark productivity of the department against industry standards and create measures to improve productivity.
- Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework and internal Absa Policies and Policy Standards.
- Understand and manage risks and risk events (incidents) relevant to the role.
- Ensure adherence to governance and compliance requirements.
- Monitor adherence to the Marketing and Corporate Relations, (country) and Group Marketing, Communications, Citizenship and Public Affairs Policies and ensure policies are embedded to ensure compliance.
- Ensure alignment of business division messages with MCR and Group messages and alignment of senior management profile activity in the business divisions with Group activity.
- Contribute to the development of business unit strategy.
- Manage departmental budgets including signing off of invoices and quotes within mandate.
- Escalate out of budgets items to the Managing Executive for approval.
Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Marketing (Required)
