External Communications Manager Africa, with focus on Media Relations and Social at Cisco

What You’ll Do

• You play a key role in influencing a broad set of key audiences and perceptions, so our stakeholders recognise Cisco as an innovative technology leader and partner for digital transformation. You will work closely with the business leaders in key countries across the continent with a focus on South Africa, and including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and others, as well as with marketing and the EMEAR and Global communications teams to craft and drive outcome-based communications programs. You will be accountable for measurable results. You will work with key influencers including print, online, broadcast and social media; government representatives, subject matter experts, and others. The success of this job requires the ability to balance a number of priorities. It requires the ability to prioritise and focus on the areas where communications can have the biggest impact and demonstrate tangible results around influencing our audiences’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviours.

Some of your main responsibilities will be

• Translating business goals into communications objectives, understanding audience perceptions, and crafting and driving integrated communications programmes in support of Cisco’s global and regional business objectives.
• You scale, amplify and build stories in line with Cisco’s key business and technology narratives. You create and own the Cisco Africa narrative by engaging with stakeholders from different business entities, share and amplify that with key audiences.
• You drive regular planning and reporting meetings and provide communications counsel to relevant communications, marketing, and business colleagues.
• You track and report on communication success metrics and use the data to continually improve ongoing communications campaigns.
• You build and maintain strong working relationships across the EMEAR and Global Comms Organisation.
• You manage the PR agencies across key countries in Africa, with a focus on South Africa.
• You demonstrate a high degree of patience, integrity and take the initiative.

Who You Are

• You are a seasoned communications professional with 8-10 years of direct PR and communications experience.
• You have worked with and built trusted relationships with journalists and other key influencers in South Africa and on pan-African level, including national, business, technology and social media.
• You have excellent written communication skills and you develop meaningful and engaging content. This includes messaging documents, blogs, announcements, customer stories, bylines, media pitches, briefing documents, Q&As, video scripts, presentations, social media content etc.
• You have strong interpersonal skills; intuitive ability to read people, influence where appropriate and execute. You have senior level experience in giving counsel and mentorship to executives; need to have credibility and presence with senior management.
• You are self-motivated with ability to handle areas of responsibility with minimum supervision and guidance.
• You have proven project management skills with the ability to meet milestones, tight deadlines, and balance concurrent projects.
• You have experience in tracking and reporting on communications outcome metrics and use the data to continually improve communications campaigns.
• You are a flexible and resilient problem solver with the ability to gain consensus among others and handle sensitive situations.
• You have a deep understanding of how communications and marketing should work together.
• You are able to work as part of a regional and global team.
• You are able to exercise discretion when presented with sensitive information or confidential issues.
• You are able to prioritize high-impact communications as well as pinpoint and discontinue low impact communications.

Who You'll Work With

Cisco (NASDAQ CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco is committed to support the digitization of Africa’s communities, businesses, and governments through several initiatives for skills and talent development, innovation and job creation. The EMEAR region is made up of 6 theatres covering 121 countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia (EMEAR). The role is focused on PR and media relations for Africa, including social media.
The Cisco EMEAR Communications Team is a world-class team of communicators. We connect and engage with media, analysts, and employees. We are in tune with everything that’s happening around us. We build connections and enable relevant conversations that influence measurable opinions and behaviours. WeAreCisco, where each person is unique, but we bring our talents to work as a team and make a difference powering an inclusive future for all. We embrace digital, and help our customers implement change in their digital businesses. Some may think we’re “old” (36 years strong) and only about hardware, but we’re also a software company. And a security company. We even invented an intuitive network that adapts, predicts, learns and protects. No other company can do what we do – you can’t put us in a box! But “Digital Transformation” is an empty buzz phrase without a culture that allows for innovation, creativity, and yes, even failure (if you learn from it.)