Communication Specialist (Marketing / Cape Town / Journalism / Communications / Financial Services) at CA Global

Job Description
 
Role Overview:
Manage key communications and marketing projects from start to finish, liaising with, and supporting, internal stakeholders, to translate their requirements into marketing communication objectives. The individual will need to manage resources in order to direct and deliver high quality communication materials on time and in line with the overall marketing and communication projects and to meet the business requirements. Contributes in the development and creation of content for all online and offline material as well as for other kinds of brand collateral and marketing communications material required such as brochures, annual reports, fund information sheets and newsletters amongst others and to ensure quality and safeguarding the integrity of the brand.
 
Duties & Responsibilities:

• Communicate with key internal stakeholders to ensure that all their marketing requirements are understood, documented and delivered within the prescribed timelines.
• Coordinate and attend project/editorial meetings and represent the marketing department on specified committees.
• Track and report progress on all key projects. This includes regularly updating projects plans, critical paths and priority lists to ensure all projects align with prescribed timelines.
• Contribute to the creation of communication content for advertising and marketing communication which includes developing print advertisements, radio and TV scripts and marketing literature to ensure consistency and quality.
• Write project briefs for team members and where necessary liaise with external vendors such as advertising agencies, audio/video production companies and photographers and oversee the creation, development and production of advertising and marketing communication materials.
• Coordinate all aspects of Marketing and communication including: meeting deadlines, time management; contingency planning; approval channels and procedures; budgeting; campaign analysis; monitoring procedures and internal processes.
• Quality assurance of content produced which includes proofreading and checking content for accuracy and clarity, ensuring compliance to prescribed marketing communications guidelines.
• Interpret and understand business and marketing objectives and effectively communicate the objectives in written form.
• Management of all communication projects such as development of advertising campaigns for the brand, product launches/ profiles, advertising, photography, production of radio and TV commercials, television shows and videos.
• Contribute to the strategic development of marketing material including new media to ensure differentiation in a competitive market.
• Ensure campaigns are within approved costs, quality and timelines and contribute to the evaluation and complete reporting on the effectiveness of each campaign
• Manage risk on time and report incidents
• Work with Compliance to ensure all marketing activities are compliant with regulatory frameworks and oversee contractual agreements and terms issued to suppliers.
• Maintain partnerships with Suppliers and ensure negotiated best prices/rates with marketing service providers.
• Manage team for effectiveness and delivery of objectives. Develop high performing team - by determining development and ensuring training needs (rotating, on-the-job-learning) are accounted for
• Create work force plans for the area to ensure current and future business requirements are met
• Prepare annual plans and leave schedules

Education & Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably post graduate, in Journalism, Marketing and/or Communications.
• Minimum of 8-10 years’ relevant communications related experience in a corporate firm of which at least 2-3 years needs to have included exposure within a financial services company.
• Substantial experience in written media, copy editing and publishing.
• Previous management experience is essential.
• Excellent communicator that is results driven and can motivate the team to go further and push boundaries.
• Significant exposure to all elements of the communications value chain.
• Experience in managing a number of communications projects in parallel.
• Excellent writing, editing and communication skills – requires an excellent grasp of language and a sound grasp of terminology used within the financial services industry.
• Strong negotiation and networking skills – required to network and negotiate with all levels of internal/external communications stakeholders to ensure an integrated and consistent communications message.
• Demonstrated management, project management and team-building skills; takes direction well and clearly possesses the ability to translate strategy into tactical deliverables.
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to approach tasks systematically and prioritise and complete concurrent projects with minimal supervision.
• High energy level and flexibility. Must be resourceful and creative.
• The working environment is collaborative and fairly structured. It is the incumbent’s responsibility to implement structure within the function.
• Ability to operate in a multi-functional team structure and across multiple teams.
• Must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of key communications drivers and media channels, as well as the relationship between media and the business.
• Requires an up to date knowledge of new online media tools, best practices and how the top performing organisations are using these communication tools.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of target audience profiles and how best to adapt writing, layout and graphic design to capture audience interest without compromising consistency of message and brand image.
• The ability to synthesize information into salient facts, presenting content in a professional and clear manner.
• The ability to handle time-sensitive requests and to generate quality work in a fast-paced environment. This includes the ability to multi-task, prioritise and handle pressure with the focus of delivering on time.
• Familiarity with standard word processing, presentation, spread sheet and database applications (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel), design and media production processes as well as a variety of on-line information resources.
• Attentive to detail - methodical, organised, precise, accurate and neat.

Competencies (Attribute & proficiencies, soft-skills)

• Excellent interpersonal skills - must present a confident, professional manner that will come across easily and effectively with the firm's senior executives.
• Punctuality.
• Honesty & Integrity towards work.
• Exhibits sense of responsibility.
• Openness to learn and adapt to new challenges.
• Exhibits clarity of thought.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to adhere to rules and procedures.
• Self-disciplined and well-organised.
• Logical, methodical and systematic.
• Motivational skills.
• Ability to multitask.