Manager Media & Communications at Sasol

Purpose of Job:

Protect, enhance and grow Sasol’s reputation through the development and implementation of a regional media communications strategy and tactical plan that supports Sasol’s business strategy for the country.  Collaborate with the wider communication and brand marketing subject matter experts to identify and leverage content and campaigns that can be repurposed and activated for targeted stakeholders in the region.

Ensure alignment with ROAS Community Affairs and Sasol Group on global and regional specific brand marketing development and implementation. Ensure that initiatives are governed by sound ethical, corporate governance, project management and legal principles/practices. Protect, enhance and grow Sasol’s reputation by developing and maintaining relationships with key journalists and media outlets both locally and internationally, through relevant regional and agency support.

Qualifications:

• University Bacherlor's Degree

Recruitment Description / Key Accountabilities

Strategy
 

• Deliver a Regional communication strategy and tactical plan that supports the overall Sasol's business strategy as well as the overall Energy Operations strategy and objectives.
• Support the development, placement and management of content for the media, in full alignment with the Head of Group Media Relations, Group Content Manager and the VP Group Communication and Brand Management.
• Proactively manage and position Sasol's public relations and marketing efforts in close collaboration with the Head of Group Media Relations and Manager: Group Content
• Actively develop public relations and publicity strategies in support of Sasol's sponsorship assets and marketing platforms for the region.
• Provide media intelligence to Head of Group Media Relations as part of crisis communications planning
• Maintain strong and supportive relationships with relevant Sasol functions and business units, including Regional Operating Hubs in Southern Africa
• Relationship with media, existing media relationships within SA and an ability to provide informed advice on messaging for media
• Manage the initiation, design, implementation, and facilitation the Communications initiatives in line with identified stakeholders requirements and business drivers, ensuring that projects/programmes communication solutions are governed by company ethical, governance, project management and legal principles/practices after in-depth needs and media/environmental scans and compliance with due approval processes;
• Manage the development of communication tools, channels and content ensuring that messaging is aligned with the Sasol Group, is sustained, promotes understanding and is of a high quality and enhances Sasol’s reputation with its internal and external audiences both locally and internationally.
• Extend Sasol's media relations programme through its public relations and marketing strategy
• Manage service providers in developing public relations strategies to drive and complement Sasol's proactive publicity and marketing strategy.
• Advice and counsel senior leaders in the business and functions on communication requirements and regional specific protocol as well as support the execution of those requirements through communication planning, content development and implementation
• Provide the necessary support where communication management resources are not included in the regions or business unit structures (typically functional support at a group level, e.g. HR, SHE, Procurement etc).
• Put mechanisms in place to monitor and measure the effectiveness of communications programmes and constantly looks at ways improve message reach, consistency, quality and tone.
• Development of communications marketing plans to be utilized in the positioning of the Energy operations business in South Africa, Sasol, in host local government as well as for industry development.
• Produce the communications plan that offers benchmarks and relevant usage for stakeholder engagement purposes.
• Determine the impact of industry and global trends on business and develop Group communication solutions / channels, where appropriate.
• Research, establish and implement communication best practices to motivate and engage with stakeholders

Communication Channels

• Guide the development and implementation of communications channels targeted at key regional stakeholders to facilitate the seamless delivery of messaging and content, ensuring the appropriate governance and protocols are in place
• Plan, lead and execute  crisis communication, conferences, sponsorships and events as part of the communication tactical plan
• Maintain and evolve communication channels for long term and real-time (immediate) communication strategies and tactics, including campaign driven messaging.
• Develop programmes to build the competence of senior leaders to become more effective communicators, to enhance leadership communication in Sasol and increase two-way dialogue

Message sourcing, collation and development

• Working knowledge of brand requirements to ensure collateral and content is brand aligned and if any activation is required, consistency is applied in terms of messaging and look and feel.
• Develop implementation plans for Sasol that will ensure internal and external stakeholders feel engaged and informed about the business and current environment.
• Facilitate alignment across all stakeholder groups in terms of message formulation and consistency.
• Manage supporting agencies, processes, contracts and content development.

Cross function support

• Maintain strong and supportive relationships with relevant Sasol functions and business units, including Regional Operating Hubs in Southern Africa
• Provide media support to Regional Operating Hubs in Southern Africa on local media engagement and relations, including proactive engagement
• Contribute in message development and functional media content for seamless Sasol messaging across the Corporate Branding and Communication space
• Providing frequent media support to SA Regional Operating Hubs, but not limited to Community Affairs and including Stakeholder Relations.
• Provide writing support where there are strategic media requirements, as well as for SVP and Snr Management, as and when required.

Project Management

• Develop and maintain tactical plans including scheduling, budgeting and resourcing where specific content is being developed.
• Manage multi-disciplinary project teams of up to about 5 people or more.

Management and development of others

• Implement and manage performance agreements (including individual KPIs)
• Manage the Regional Internal and External  Communication team.
• Implement and manage performance agreements
• Provide and assist with career management and personal development.
• Quality of relationships with direct reports