Job Description

An Integrated Strategist at Starcom is expected to be data driven, insights lead and a creative thinker, who strives to make meaningful impact on the business of the client's they work on.

This role demands confidence, presence, and the skills to make a meaningful impact. Never just taking and executing orders, Starcom Integrated Strategists are expected to direct, inspire and add value at every turn.

A high level of collaboration, a willingness to teach others and a real desire to push the boundaries with the client and the team is what will be expected.

In addition, this role requires a high level of accountability and responsibility over the large offline and online media investments we are entrusted to manage.

Some working outside the standard working hours may be necessary.

The Job Purpose:

• To be accountable for the successful delivery of strategic media strategies, recommendations, evaluations and reports across online and offline channels.
• To deliver ongoing incremental media improvements, based on post campaign analyses, MMM and audit results, across for off-line and online media channels.
• To deeply understand the market, audiences and segments that will unlock market growth and opportunity on your portfolio.
• To demonstrate real passion and vision for the brands in your portfolio.
• To unearth and deliver the best media owner relationships, partnerships and JBP's that deliver business outcomes and creative media opportunities.
• To produce award-winning entries that demonstrate real impact and results for our clients - for internal and external awards.
• Together with the team, successfully meet the client's contracted KPI's and the commercial targets.
• To input, inform and report to the regional and global teams.
• To grow the strategic reputation of the agency by delivering world-class strategic excellence.
• To produce at least one thought-leadership article per annum.

What you can expect in an average week:

You will be involved with numerous brand managers, so it's important to develop a good understanding and identify specific business needs for each one.

Your average week may include:

• Attend key strategic briefings, status meetings, creative integration meeting.
• Produce and present media strategies.
• Prepare and deliver insights decks on consumer and media trends, digital landscape, COVID impact and eCommerce landscape, in partnership with the Research & Insights team and the Head of Digital for Publicis Media.
• Share pertinent and relevant insights reports, from anyone of our long list of resources.
• Be present, and on time, to all required meetings.
• Work collaboratively with our colleagues, global teams and creative agency partners.
• Review and direct all offline and online media outputs.
• Collaboratively work with and direct the digital media planner/s, campaign manager/s, DV360 and search specialists. Write briefs, monitor progress, direct optimisation changes, and add insight to campaign reports.
• Sign off all digital media billing packs relevant to your portfolio, to ensure alignment.
• Contribute to the internal monthly forecasting reports.
• Keep your Google & Facebook certifications up to date and participate in required training sessions.
• Ensure that your time sheets are kept up to date.

Qualifications

• Must have 7+ years of experience in offline media, with at least 5 years of experience as a strategy in a media agency. and online media strategist, having worked extensively within a media agency.
• Strong client facing experience.
• Experience working with brands across the African continent.
• A marketing / media / communications degree, diploma or certificate
• Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
• Google Analytics

Skills:

• Numerically strong and analytically able
• Strong communicator with effective interpersonal relationships across team and clients
• Advanced IT skills including Microsoft Word, best-in-class Power Point, Excel, Outlook and web-based applications.
• Must be able to cross tabulate data in Telmar / Ariana, TGI / GWI or other cross-tabulation software.
• The ability to synthesize and reduce different inputs to create a well-considered and accurate representative view.
• English fluency and language skills for effective business writing
• Strong presentation skills
• Solid data interpretation and analytics skills
• Be able to exercise strategic principles and structured thinking to tackle business development projects assigned by client.
• Be able to select appropriate frameworks, tools and approaches to use in solving client problems.
• Develop strategies that interpret cultural and social trends as well as data relevant to client business.

Additional Information

Interested candidates must please submit a concise CV. 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.

Publicis Groupe is proud to be 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

Publicis Groupe