Head of Performance

1 week ago

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V Full time R2 000 000 - R2 500 000 per year
Overview

Role Overview

The Head of Performance will lead the central Performance Hub for Publicis Media Africa - a data-driven capability center designed to power client performance, conversion growth, and automation excellence across the region.

This role sits at the heart of Publicis Media's transformation, unifying people, platforms, and partners to deliver measurable outcomes for clients. The incumbent will drive regional scalability, cross-market consistency, and AI-led optimization, working through a hub-and-spoke model that supports agencies and local markets in achieving KPI excellence.

The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership, deep technical expertise, and strong commercial acumen - building a performance culture that integrates insight, automation, and creativity to push campaign performance beyond benchmarks.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities
  1. Strategic Leadership & Regional Vision
  • Lead and scale the Publicis Africa Performance Hub, serving as the central engine for campaign optimization, data analytics, and automation.
  • Define and execute the Performance Strategy for Africa, aligning with Groupe's global product roadmap (Epsilon, APEX, PMX Precision, Performics).
  • Build a hub-and-spoke operating model - providing central strategy, tools, and best practices while enabling local market autonomy and speed.
  • Serve as the strategic advisor to agency leads and client CMOs, driving KPI accountability and insight-led decision-making.
  • Ensure performance delivery aligns with Publicis' broader transformation framework, integrating profitability and operational efficiency.
  1. Capability Building & Hub Operations
  • Build, mentor, and lead a centralized team of performance specialists across Search, Social, Programmatic, and Conversion Optimization.
  • Partner with offshore delivery hubs (India, Poland, MEA) to scale setup, trafficking, and optimization support for efficiency.
  • Design workflows, governance models, and performance dashboards that enable real-time monitoring and optimization across clients.
  • Drive continuous upskilling of local market teams through Performance Academies, certifications, and shared learning initiatives.
  • Foster collaboration across media, data, and adops teams to ensure cohesive campaign delivery and optimization.
  1. Partner Ecosystem & Collaboration
  • Build and maintain strategic partnerships with platform partners (Google, Meta, TikTok, Xandr, Amazon Ads, The Trade Desk), tech enablers, and data providers to drive innovation and preferential access.
  • Collaborate closely with PMX (Publicis Media Exchange) to ensure buying efficiency and deal optimization.
  • Partner with Performics global network to align on frameworks, automation tools, and case study creation.
  • Engage with regional and local technology partners, including ad verification vendors, analytics platforms, and data clean room providers.
  • Develop joint business plans and co-investment agreements with key partners to accelerate automation and AI adoption in Africa.
  1. Performance Strategy, Optimization & Delivery
  • Create best-in-class optimization models for client campaigns - using AI, predictive algorithms, and automation to improve conversion rates and ROI.
  • Implement performance frameworks that drive business KPIs across diverse sectors (FMCG, Finance, Telco, Automotive, eCommerce).
  • Ensure seamless alignment between central hub performance strategy and local execution teams.
  • Partner with data teams to enable cross-channel measurement and attribution, connecting upper-funnel exposure with conversion and sales.
  • Drive conversion rate optimization (CRO) initiatives across all major clients, turning data insights into tangible growth.
  • Lead strategic performance reviews and present results directly to client CMOs and marketing heads.
  1. Data, Insights & Reporting
  • Develop integrated performance dashboards in Power BI / Looker Studio for real-time visibility into campaign KPIs.
  • Build standardized templates for reporting and insights to ensure data consistency and narrative quality across markets.
  • Showcase data-led case studies that demonstrate the impact of Publicis' performance media excellence.
  • Collaborate with analytics and strategy teams to turn data into client-facing stories that drive renewal, upsell, and retention.
  1. Commercial Leadership & Accountability
  • Define and manage P&L for the Performance Hub, ensuring profitable delivery models and resource utilization.
  • Create billing frameworks that connect performance value to commercial outcomes (efficiency, sales, CPA, LTV).
  • Support MDs and BUDs in pitching and packaging performance-led offerings under APEX .
  • Build strong internal collaboration with finance, HR, and operations to ensure scalable and compliant delivery.
Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or Data Analytics; postgraduate preferred.
  • 10+ years' experience in performance marketing, media, or digital transformation, with regional exposure.
  • Deep understanding of Africa's digital ecosystem, including platform penetration, data limitations, and infrastructure challenges.
  • Proven success in building centralized or regional delivery hubs with measurable efficiency and impact.
  • Expertise in Search, Social, Programmatic, and Commerce media, with fluency in optimization and attribution tools.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead multi-market performance operations with cross-functional teams (onshore/offshore).
  • Strong partner management experience with global platforms and local publishers.
  • Commercially sharp, data-literate, and client-facing - able to move seamlessly between technical detail and strategic conversation.
Additional information

Success Metrics
  • Launch and operationalization of the Publicis Africa Performance Hub across all major markets.
  • Measurable uplift in client campaign performance (conversion rates, ROAS, CPA efficiency).
  • Growth in performance-related billing and profitability for the Groupe.
  • Increased automation adoption and reduction in manual workflows.
  • Strong partner alignment and co-investment programs established.
  • Number of certified performance specialists trained under the hub model.
  • Client and internal recognition for innovation, excellence, and speed-to-impact.
Cultural Fit
  • Strategically visionary, operationally disciplined, and execution-driven.
  • Deep understanding of Africa's media and data realities.
  • Collaborative - unites central, local, and offshore teams toward a common performance goal.
  • Commercially and client-oriented - able to balance scale, innovation, and accountability.
  • Embodies the Publicis Power of One mindset - connecting platforms, partners, and people to deliver outcomes.

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