Managing Director: Sport

We have an exhilarating opportunity for an experienced and dynamic leader to fill the role of Managing Director at a highly awarded sport & entertainment communications agency based in Johannesburg. The agency, part of a renowned global agency group, is one of the most awarded agencies in the industry in recent years, working for some of the world’s biggest brands. As the Managing Director (MD), you will be responsible for the efficient day-to-day management and execution of accounts within the business. You will have a robust, integrated skillset and breadth of knowledge that extends into the wider marketing sphere, covering PR, partnerships, sponsorship, digital, experiential and influencer engagement. In partnership with the EXCO team you’ll remove obstacles (internally and externally) to ensure the agency produces world class work - both award winning and brand building for their clients and them.
You’ll be required to build relationships of trust, respect and partnership within a performance culture that allows people to feel safe, be their best and do their best. The ideal is to establish powerful and engaged partnerships with all agency clients so as to become indispensable to their business while continuing to grow the agency.

If you’re an MD with an entrepreneurial spirit, who drives innovative thinking and strategic direction that builds a solid business platform for future growth, delivering exceptional year-on-year growth, we definitely want to hear from you Get in touch today.

**Responsibilities**:
General
- Leading the day-to-day account and client teams.
- Immersing yourself in the client’s business and objectives
- Leading all budget management on the account including budget estimates, tracking / monitoring, and reconciliation.
- Assisting on campaigns from planning (with strategy and creative teams) to delivery with team members - you will also have a role to play in strategic planning and creative idea generation.

Client Delivery & Quality
- (Working with client leads) to support and deliver project management of all client activation and delivery requirements
- Budget origination and planning, project scoping and the project planning. Managing agency margins and OOS revenues
- Clear understanding of briefs and requirements to ensure accuracy of delivery exceeding client expectations
- Client relationships and health
- Managing term delivery
- On time on budget delivery
- Quality control and excellence.

Managing People & Account Management Teams
- Managing team performance standards and delivery
- Motivating teams to deliver best in class work.
- Managing discipline with staff in accordance with management team
- Mentoring and coaching
- Supporting a culture of teamwork and collaboration
- Lead internal meetings, assigning day-to-day account tasks and ensuring delivering to deadlines.
- Resource projects accordingly with clear roles and responsibilities without overservicing
- Ensure teams follow processes.

Creative & Strategic Quality | Campaign & Project Execution
- Working with the strategy and creative teams to drive excellence in the teams
- Required to make sure that the level of execution across leveraging elements is to the desired standard of these teams
- Leading on the delivery of effective campaigns through to activation and evaluation
- Ensuring campaign activations are delivered on time and within budget
- Ensuring campaigns are delivered best-in-class and stay true to strategy and creative
- Tracking and delivering activity and partnership to agreed KPIs.

New Business Development
- Required to drive new business targets Finance and P&L
- Achievement of budgets
- Achievement and contribution to new business and pitches
- Managing costs and key performance ratios
- Managing budget commitment to PLC and SA Group
- Accurate forecasting.

Finance, Billing & Administration
- Monthly WIP reconciliation with client teams
- Monthly billing reconciliations and updates with partners/directors and financial manager
- Managing billing workflow and deadlines on a monthly basis
- Manage upfront payments and job reconciliations
- Reporting and forecasting of OOS revenues.

**Requirements**:

- Relevant industry related Degree/Diploma
- Preferably from an agency background with experience across ATL/experiential/sponsorships in a client leadership role
- Solutions driven with an excellent understanding of the sponsorship, marketing and strategic communications industry
- Able to help make sure pitched ideas are landed with client and then ensure smooth running of all campaigns, leading client, rights-holder, and partner communications. You display strong skills in managing your teams from Business Unit Directors to Account Managers and Account Executives
- Owns the P&L. Leads on achievement of revenue targets, new business, managing staff cost ratios and operational expenditure
- Committed to achieving budget and performance targets
- Accountable for the client interactions