Agency Sales Director / Partnerships Manager (JHB Onsite) at Datafin Recruitment

ENVIRONMENT:

• A dynamic Creative Powerhouse seeks a senior & highly connected agency sales professional to be its next Agency Sales Director / Partnerships Manager whose primary mission will be to open, build, and monetise strategic relationships with South Africa’s leading advertising and media agencies.
• This is a Hunter-style role focused on proactively engaging agencies, unlocking briefs, positioning the business offering as a strategic channel, and driving revenue through agency-led campaigns.
• You will work closely with the Managing Director and senior leadership in shaping pitches, structuring proposals, and converting agency relationships into long-term revenue streams.
• The successful incumbent must have at least 5–8 years’ experience selling media, advertising, or marketing solutions into agencies, have strong existing relationships within South African advertising and media agencies with a proven track record of generating revenue through agency channels.

DUTIES:

• Proactively identify, engage, and build senior-level relationships within advertising and media agencies across South Africa.
• Leverage existing agency contacts while continuously opening new agency relationships.
• Secure meetings, opportunities, and campaign briefs from agencies.
• Lead agency-facing sales conversations, including in-person meetings, presentations, and commercial negotiations.
• Work closely with internal Creative, Operations, and Leadership teams to tailor compelling, agency-ready proposals.
• Collaborate with the Managing Director on key pitches, pricing strategies, and deal structures.
• Maintain a healthy, accurate pipeline of agency opportunities within the CRM.
• Attend industry events, agency functions, and networking opportunities to continuously expand relationships.
• Actively manage agency relationships to drive repeat briefs, renewals, and long-term partnerships.

KPIs & Success Metrics:

• Number of active agency relationships onboarded.
• Number of qualified briefs received from agencies.
• Pipeline value and revenue influenced through agency channels.
• Number of live campaigns launched via agency partners.
• Consistency of agency engagement and repeat business.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum 5–8 years’ experience selling media, advertising, or marketing solutions into agencies.
• Strong existing relationships within South African advertising and media agencies.
• Proven track record of generating revenue through agency channels.
• Deep understanding of agency structures, decision-making dynamics, and commercial pressures.
• Experience presenting to senior agency stakeholders including Business Directors, Client Service Directors, Strategy Directors, and Media Leads.
• Comfortable working in a consultative, solutions-based sales environment.
• Strong presentation and pitch skills.

ATTRIBUTES:

• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• Commercially astute with strong negotiation ability.
• Confident, polished communicator.
• Highly proactive, self-motivated, and performance-driven.
• Ability to think strategically while executing tactically.
• True go-getter with a Hunter mindset.
• Resilient, confident, and thick-skinned.
• Naturally relationship-oriented but commercially firm.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership.
• Comfortable operating with autonomy and accountability.