Marketing Manager

Job Description

The role will position RMB as a leading African Corporate and Investment Bank and a compelling partner for investing and doing business in Africa, while building awareness, consideration, relevance, usage and loyalty among priority clients, investors, employees and stakeholders.

Core accountabilities

· Drive the International business strategy by providing marketing expertise and translating business objectives into relevant brand, communications, digital, content, sponsorship, events, client-engagement and employee-marketing initiatives.

· Develop and execute integrated, market-relevant marketing plans across priority international geographies, ensuring consistency of the RMB brand while allowing for local market nuance, regulation and cultural context.

· Build RMB brand equity and mental availability by positioning the brand, talent, capabilities, solutions, thought leadership and proof points in a distinctive, consistent and memorable way.

· Partner with country and business leadership, product and sector teams, Marketing and Communications centres of excellence, agencies and other stakeholders to deliver an aligned international marketing programme.

· Manage the integration of multiple initiatives across markets and channels to ensure a balanced portfolio of brand building, expertise and solutions marketing, client engagement, employee marketing and reputation activity.

· Use research, client insight, market intelligence and competitor analysis to inform priorities, channel choices, messaging, campaign optimisation and investment decisions.

· Plan, manage and report on marketing budgets, project delivery, performance outcomes and progress against strategy, taking corrective action where required.

· Promote and apply RMB and FirstRand brand, governance, risk, procurement and marketing standards across all activity.

· Document and share key insights and lessons from campaigns and initiatives to strengthen continuous improvement, efficiency and marketing effectiveness.

· Continuously assess own performance, seek timely feedback and pursue development opportunities.

More about the role and the ideal candidate

We are seeking a dynamic, commercially minded and hands-on marketing professional to support RMB’s international growth agenda. The role requires close collaboration across geographies and time zones, with country teams, senior business stakeholders, specialist marketing teams and external agencies. The ideal candidate will:

· Be highly collaborative while able to work independently, take ownership and maintain momentum in a fast-paced environment.

· Combine strategic thinking with strong execution discipline and sound commercial judgement.

· Have excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex propositions and develop compelling, emotive stories.

· Bring a sharp eye for detail and an ability to connect activity across complex systems, identify inefficiencies and close operational gaps.

· Demonstrate strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capability.

· Be organised, resilient and composed under pressure, with the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines.

· Show cultural awareness and the ability to adapt approaches for different international markets and stakeholder groups.

· Be curious, innovative and eager to learn, with a strong commitment to measurable business and brand impact.

Key responsibilities

Strategy development and market planning

· Translate the International business strategy into an integrated annual marketing and communications strategy, market plans, priorities, budgets and delivery roadmaps.

· Co-create tailored plans with local teams for priority markets, balancing the international portfolio strategy with local business objectives and market opportunities.

· Maintain a clear view of target audiences, client journeys, business pipelines, priority sectors, solutions, corridors and proof points.

Brand, reputation and positioning

· Build awareness and consideration of RMB as a leading African Corporate and Investment Bank and partner of choice for business and investment into Africa.

· Apply a challenger-brand approach to differentiate RMB in competitive international markets.

· Develop distinctive, relevant messaging and adaptable frameworks that enable consistent execution across regions while supporting local adaptation.

· Position RMB’s Africa expertise, talent, capabilities, deals, awards, research and thought leadership through paid, earned, shared and owned channels.

Integrated campaigns and content

· Lead the planning and delivery of integrated campaigns across digital, social, PR, content, direct marketing, advertising and experiential channels.

· Coordinate expertise and solutions marketing across priority themes, sectors and offerings in partnership with business and product stakeholders.

· Develop campaign and content toolkits that reduce duplication, shorten lead times and improve execution quality across markets.

· Ensure campaigns are audience-led, measurable, compliant and optimised using performance data and market feedback.

Client engagement, sponsorships and events

· Design and deliver differentiated client-engagement programmes across one-to-one, one-to-few and one-to-many formats.

· Manage RMB-owned events, industry sponsorships, partnerships and conference participation to maximise brand visibility, thought-leadership positioning, client relevance and commercial value.

· Work with business teams to align event and sponsorship activity to priority client opportunities and ensure disciplined pre-event, on-site and post-event activation.

· Measure outcomes and return on sponsorship and investment, and recommend improvements or future investment choices.

Stakeholder, agency and delivery management

· Build trusted partnerships with international country leadership, coverage and product teams, Marketing and Communications centres of excellence, FirstRand stakeholders and external partners.

· Brief, manage and coordinate agencies and specialist suppliers to deliver high-quality work on time, within budget and in line with brand and governance requirements.

· Provide clear status reporting, identify dependencies and risks early, and drive decisions required to maintain delivery momentum.

Measurement, insight and operational excellence

· Define appropriate objectives, KPIs and measurement plans across brand, campaign, content, digital, client-engagement and employee-marketing activity.

· Monitor performance, budgets and delivery against agreed plans; convert data and feedback into clear insights and actions.

· Identify opportunities to improve effectiveness, reuse assets across markets, streamline processes and achieve greater value from available investment.

Employee marketing and communications

· Partner with country leadership and internal communications teams to strengthen employee understanding of the strategy, build brand affinity and support an inclusive RMB culture.

· Deliver relevant employee experiences and communications around business priorities, brand moments, cultural intersections and key milestones.

Qualifications and experience

· Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications or a related field.

· At least eight years of experience in marketing, advertising, communications, media or an integrated marketing role, ideally within financial or professional services.

· Proven experience in developing and executing integrated marketing and communications initiatives.

· Experience managing brands, campaigns or stakeholder programmes across multiple geographies or culturally diverse markets.

· Experience working with advertising, media, digital, PR, content, events and other specialist agencies.

· Working knowledge of brand management, business communications, public relations, digital marketing, client engagement, sponsorship and events.

· Demonstrated ability to manage complex cross-functional projects, budgets, timelines, governance and multiple stakeholders.

· Strong analytical and strategic-thinking capability, supported by excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.

· Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performing and team-oriented environment.

Key competencies

· Strategic and commercial orientation

· Integrated marketing planning and execution

· Brand and reputation management

· Client-centricity and market insight

· Stakeholder influencing and collaboration

· Project, budget and agency management

· Creativity, storytelling and communication

· Analytical thinking and marketing effectiveness

· Adaptability, resilience and delivery discipline

· Cross-cultural awareness and sound judgement

We are looking for a proactive marketer who can embrace complexity, convert strategy into action and make a meaningful contribution to RMB’s international growth agenda.

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Important Closing Date Note

Take note that applications will not be accepted on the below date and onwards, kindly submit applications ahead of the closing date indicated below.

All appointments will be made in line with FirstRand Group’s Employment Equity plan. The Bank supports the recruitment and advancement of individuals with disabilities. In order for us to fulfill this purpose, candidates can disclose their disability information on a voluntary basis. The Bank will keep this information confidential unless we are required by law to disclose this information to other parties.