Reports directly to: Chairman  Africa,

Gross Salary: Competitive,

Our client is an award-winning, strategic communications agency. They seek to hire a Partner, Head of East Africa Region to be responsible for business development and marketing across East Africa, to grow the business, with support from the Chairman. 

To guide team members in their successful management of teams and clients, ensuring both performance and quality standards are met. Start to understand the agency’s revenue targets and commercial goals and proactively contribute to broader company responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• To lead and direct assigned clients by developing strong relationships, understanding the clear commercial goals and responsibility of the agency, and strategic communications solutions that are value-added.
• Understand the agency’s revenue targets and commercial goals and proactively contribute to broader company responsibilities, working with colleagues to solve common issues.
• Develop and plan a targeted approach to New Business leads, identifying new business opportunities through networking and an actionable marketing plan.
• With the support of the Chairman, take a leading role in the pitch process, including drafting proposals and presentations – Motivate the team involved in the potential pitch – Draw on the experience of colleagues as needed.
• Generate ideas on wider marketing activities that could deliver leads or incremental revenues and encourage team members to do the same.

Oversee and, as necessary, proactively manage client campaigns:

• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of each client’s business and operations and its communications strategy together with a sound strategic understanding of all key drivers.
• Be able to critique or defend work and ideas in relation to the client’s strategy, both for yourself and your team – Inspire the Client teams to deliver exemplary delivery of all day-to-day activity.
• Set the standards, and drive quality control.
• Robust commercial approach to all Client accounts to ensure correct resources and cost-efficient output.

Build strong relationships with clients and the account teams you manage: 

• Deliver exemplary client service without the need for day-to-day intervention from Chairman, Africa.
• Be the first point of contact for clients at the Board/senior-level on most issues.
• Lead decision making but give feedback and information on progress to Partners/Chairman to avoid any communication void.
• Flag up and head off early warning of difficulties quickly.
• Be able to handle any difficult client situations, such as crisis management and M&A, etc (in terms of drafting documents and also dealing with press inquiries.

Team Development.

• Invest time to develop team members reporting to you or working with you to ensure consistent client delivery and strong relationship management both internally and externally.
• Lead by example, set the standards, and encourage those who work for and with you to achieve the same.
• Flag bad practice or behavior and take appropriate action 
• Highlight training needs.

Agency activity.

• Contribute to broader company responsibilities as directed and or/need – Be proactive
• Flag up any issues and work collaboratively to solve these.
• Be involved in recruitment and selection as needed across the agency.
• Join and contribute to monthly Partner meetings when invited to do so. 
• Be the face of the agency for senior clients and support Partners/Chairman in their efforts to build and develop the agency further.

Qualifications & Experience 

• MA / BSc degree in a business, Marketing, or communication field.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in a Marketing, Communication Agency.
• Must have prior experience working in an Advertising, Marketing, PR, or Digital Agency.
• Excellent knowledge of overall Agency business functions.
• Leadership, analytical, budget management & problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work with speed, and efficiently while meeting deadlines and observing timelines.
• Self-motivated with a positive attitude, and ability to work collaboratively as part of a dynamic, high-performing team, and adapt well under pressure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The capability of working independently, taking initiative, and being part of a team.

How to Apply

If you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualification and experience; please send your CV only quoting the job title on the email subject (Head of Business, East Africa – Agency) to [email protected] on or before 20th  June 2022.