Head of Strategy: National Integrated

We have an incredible opportunity for an experienced Head of Strategy at a dynamic and fast paced, high performing, integrated strategic Communications agency, part of a national agency Group, in Johannesburg. Truly integrated, this Communications consultancy works across the PR, Digital & Content Marketing fields.

The Head of Strategy is a key member of the agency’s leadership team and is very much the leader of thinking that champions the quality of their strategic delivery. This role calls for an exceptional people manager; you will manage a team of 5 and be a key enabler of excellence and measurable impact across and in and across the agency’s teams, and with their clients. The role reports to the Partner & Managing Director and is part of the EXCO.

Although you will be a Head of Department, this is a very hands-on role in a very fast-paced, exciting environment working across a variety of clients from financial to e-commerce to health, etc. in a mix of corporate and consumer portfolios.

The Head of Strategy owns and leads the charge on thinking, insight, planning, data & analytics and measurement. This person demonstrates both personal and team leadership, being equally comfortable guiding boards, leaders in the C-suite and the most junior staff to high quality actions because of their strategic counsel. We’re also looking for someone who has experience working with a creative team.

While you will be working in the PR//Content Marketing and Digital Communications space, you can be a Strategist with a Traditional or Digital agency background. The agency will consider experienced Strategists who don’t possess PR experience as long as you are interested in the Communications sector.

**Responsibilities**:
Include but are not limited to:
Managing & Leading the Strategic Charge
- (Working with Client Leads) to support and deliver quality strategic thinking in all client delivery
- Clearly understands briefs and strategic asks and how this delivers deep thinking and quality
- Works with and across teams to train and grow the depth of strategic thinking across the business
- On time delivery of work that cuts through clutter and is measurable
- Owns measurement and effectives, builds and crafts frameworks and models that allow the agency to own this.

Managing Growth
- Works with the Partner & Managing Director as well as executive team to support current and future growth strategies
- Is accountable for the new business activities as an agency, and actively leads and champions pitches.

Managing People & Capacity for Self and Teams
- Manages workflow for the broader strategy team in conjunction with the Head of Operations
- Looks around corners and anticipates problems, solving them before they become problems
- Champions quality of thinking for the strategy team and the creative/client facing teams - driving broad based ownership of smarts as an agency
- Works with creative team and ECD to translate insight into creative cut through work
- Works with client teams and CSD to ensure teams are busy delivering on strategy and not just busy being busy
- Manages team performance and commitment to delivering on the agency’s quality standards. Builds and delivers growth plans for key high performing talent.

Managing & Leading the Data & Analytics Hub
- Managing and growing talent, skill, and capacity in this team
- Managing a depth of partners and providers that allow the agency to connect the dots. Knows the tools and what they do and why they are needed
- Managing strategy team workflows
- Manages clear KPIs across all clients. Do we have them, are we measuring the right things - can we claim to be truly effective?
- Manages client scope (and out of scope) opportunities from a strategy, reporting and tools point of view
- Manages the agency’s tools
- Ensures training on tools and that the tools are being actively used in the agency’s work for clients.

Building & Crafting the Strategic Proposition
- Thinks deeply about the future of the agency’s work
- Creates and crafts strategic models and intellectual property / tools that set the agency apart and brings their strategic value proposition (Powerful Conversations) to life
- Drives intellectual property and develops and takes these tools to market in an effective way
- Owns the thought leadership agenda and how PR agencies champion real business thinking and impact.

Managing Partnership & Integration with Group Strategy Teams
- Collaboration and partnership with group production teams across Johannesburg and Cape Town
- Teamwork and assistance on projects as required as a proactive positive representative of the agency in the Group
- Ensuring understanding, implementation and work using the group’s strategy tools and processes (embeds themselves in Brutal Simplicity of Thought).

Finance, Billing, & Administration
- Managing OOS strategy fees and opportunities
- Time reporting.

**Requirements**:

- Relevant tertiary qualification
- At lea