Marketing Manager: Brand

Are you a creative thinker with a passion for building and elevating brands? 

We’re seeking a dynamic Marketing Manager to join our team and lead our Brand initiatives. If you are a resilient, efficient, and confident individual with a creative flair, this could be the role for you! 

As the Marketing Manager: Brand at Ackermans, you will be instrumental in shaping and enhancing the brand's identity and perception across South Africa. You will lead the development and execution of the brand strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and driving awareness, engagement, and loyalty among our target audience. In addition to overseeing content development and studio management, you will manage sponsorships, events, and influencer partnerships, as well as agency relationships and third-party providers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Brand Strategy Development: Lead the development of a comprehensive brand strategy aligned with the company's objectives, ensuring consistency and relevance across all touchpoints.
• Content Development and Studio Management: Oversee the development of content for all marketing collateral, including the website, social media channels, direct marketing materials, in-store point of sale and e-commerce platforms. Manage the content team, design team, and photography studio team to ensure high-quality, on-brand content creation.
• PR, Sponsorships and Events: You will play a pivotal role in managing Ackermans' public relations efforts. This includes developing and implementing PR strategies to enhance the brand's reputation, manage crisis communication, and cultivate positive relationships with media outlets and key stakeholders. You will work closely with PR partners and team to identify media opportunities, coordinate press releases and media interviews, and monitor media coverage to ensure accurate and favorable representation of the brand. By effectively leveraging PR initiatives, you will contribute to building trust and credibility for Ackermans among consumers and industry stakeholders. You will also identify and evaluate potential sponsorship opportunities and events that align with Ackermans' brand values and objectives. Negotiate and manage sponsorships and event partnerships to maximize brand exposure and engagement.
• Influencer Management: Develop and implement influencer marketing strategies to amplify brand messaging and reach new audiences. Identify and cultivate relationships with influencers and brand ambassadors, managing campaigns and partnerships to drive brand advocacy and awareness.
• Agency Management: Oversee relationships with external agencies and third-party providers, including advertising agencies, PR firms, and marketing agencies. Provide strategic direction and guidance to agencies, ensuring that their work aligns with brand objectives and delivers measurable results.
• Trend Analysis: Conduct trend research through Pepkor resources and analysis to understand consumer trends, competitor activities, and market dynamics. Use insights to refine brand strategies and identify opportunities for growth and differentiation.
• Integrated Marketing Communication: Develop and implement integrated marketing communication plans to drive brand awareness and engagement across various channels, leveraging sponsorships, events, and influencer partnerships effectively.
• Performance Monitoring: Establish KPIs to measure the effectiveness of brand initiatives and campaigns, monitoring performance metrics regularly and optimizing strategies based on data-driven insights.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with internal teams, including marketing, merchandising, retail operations, and customer service, to ensure alignment and consistency in brand execution.
• Budget Management: Develop and manage the brand budget effectively, allocating resources to initiatives that deliver the highest ROI and impact on brand equity and perception.

JOB RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

Knowledge:

• Understanding of brand positioning, differentiation, and competitive analysis to develop effective brand strategies that align with the target audience and support business objectives.
• Knowledge of marketing principles and concepts, consumer behaviour, market segmentation, and marketing research methods.
• Understanding of consumer psychology and behaviour to anticipate and respond to evolving consumer preferences, motivations, and trends.
• Awareness of industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscape to identify opportunities for the brand.
• Deep understanding of brand identity elements (such as brand values, personality, voice, and visual identity) and brand architecture to maintain brand consistency and coherence.
• Knowledge of effective communication strategies and messaging techniques to convey the brand's story, values, and value proposition across various channels and touchpoints.
• Awareness of relevant legal and regulatory requirements related to branding, advertising, intellectual property, and consumer protection laws to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.
• Sensitivity to cultural nuances, diversity considerations, and global market dynamics to develop inclusive brand strategies and resonate with diverse audiences.
• Understanding of crisis management principles and practices to anticipate and mitigate potential brand crises, as well as to respond effectively in the event of a crisis to protect the brand's reputation.

Skills:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Strategic thinking and analytical abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt quickly to changing priorities and market conditions.
• Strong leadership skills to inspire and guide the brand team, fostering cross functional collaboration and driving results,
• A creative mindset to develop innovative and impactful brand campaigns that resonate with the target audience.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with other departments such as marketing, product development, and sales to ensure brand alignment and integration.

• Given the dynamic nature of markets and consumer preferences, a senior Brand Marketing Manager should be adaptable and able to pivot strategies as needed.
• Experience in managing brand budgets effectively, allocating resources to maximize ROI while ensuring brand integrity.
• Continuously seeking opportunities for brand innovation and differentiation in the market to maintain a competitive edge.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field.

EXPERIENCE:

Essential:

• Proven experience (15 years) in a brand management or marketing role, with expertise in sponsorships, events, and influencer management.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with experience leading cross-functional teams and external partners.
• 5 years at a Senior Leadership role managing departments in excess of 10 staff members

Preferred

• Previous experience managing a studio would be advantageous