Product Communication Specialist at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa

Job Description
Job Purpose 

• Build the image of the Ford products and primary brand by developing and implementing a comprehensive product-related communication strategy. Drive aspirational demand by showcasing Ford vehicles as the ultimate, reliable enablers of the resilient South African lifestyle.

Role summary

• This role leads Ford South Africa's product and lifestyle communications strategy, driving the "From the Road" content programme through media, influencer and lifestyle engagement to achieve adoption, usage and rich content delivery targets. It owns end-to-end media management for new product launches (from pre-launch through sustainment) crafting lifestyle-driven storytelling that reinforces Ford's brand relationship with South Africa while extending campaigns through influencer communities and platforms.
• The position sustains ongoing earned-media momentum via releases, editorial and multimedia content, building strong relationships across motoring, lifestyle and consumer media, tracking favourability, sentiment, share of voice and brand health and expanding presence into podcasts, forums, Reddit, Substack and dedicated consumer club communities (e.g., Ranger Clubs).
• It integrates closely with marketing and product teams to deliver earned and influence-based outcomes for major campaigns, partnering with creative agencies on earned-first ideas, while also executing business defence strategies in collaboration with corporate communications.
• The role oversees the communications test/fleet vehicle programme (long-termers, weekly tests, ROI on earned media, influencer and lifestyle usage and utilisation targets) and ensures robust measurement and reporting through partnership with the Data and Insights team, delivering regular performance metrics, maintaining data tool proficiency, and conducting ongoing competitor and landscape analysis.

Responsibilities

• Development of customer lead content strategy and approach to support "From the Road first" communications
• Motoring, lifestyle and influence engagement and relationship programme. Achievement of From the        Road adoption and usage targets among target 'media'
• Briefing, management and budgeting of rich content support requirements to enable FTR delivery
• New product launches to media through pre-launch, launch and sustainment campaigns. Ongoing lifestyle and consumer positioning for product and product related features
• Impactful exposure of the new product to media and all stakeholders, resulting in various metrics being met and sustainable exposure realised.
• Extension of launch programmes beyond launch with a focus on lifestyle media, influencer community and From the Road as a platform
• Storytelling supporting the Ford brand in SAF. Delivery of messaging related targets about Ford's relationship with South Africa and the benefits it creates for consumers when it relates to product and lifestyle
• Ongoing product coverage in the media through releases, editorial and multimedia - along with relationship building with both motoring and lifestyle and consumer media / queries
• Ongoing execution of product comms strat to ensure earned-media flow is steady and messaging is constantly telling the product story
• Favourabilty, sentiment, share of voice, brand health, reputation reporting all need to show that our messaging is landing with media
• Development and role out of platform strategy targeting podcasts, online forums and platforms such as Reddit and Substack, and online communities
• Develop and entrench relationship with consumer clubs and communities on social media (such as Ranger Clubs) to promote Ford related product content and narratives
• Integration with marketing and product teams to deliver earned and influence based outcomes for key marketing related campaigns and initiatives  
• Delivery of annual integrated campaigns (launches, specific campaigns such as "commercial" or "Ford Family Promise")
• Partnership with creative agency to support earned first creative ideas
• Delivery of key business defence strategy and consumer facing programmes for "business critical" focus areas for Ford in SAF and how it relates to its customer community
• Issues based media responses as they relate to product and customer experience
• Integration of "Chinese" defence strategies into all product and customer facing programmes. Collaboration with corporate communications team on overall Chinese defence plan
• Development and role of our ongoing quality and customer experience communications campaigns and programmes
• Vehicle / test fleet management
• Full scope and oversight of test car fleet, including long-termers, weekly tests, traffic fines, and most-importantly ROI in terms of earned-media
• Develop and implement approach for use of fleet with influencer community, key opinion leaders and key stakeholder communities. Agree advocacy ROI metrics
• Develop and implement approach for use in lifestyle spaces and with lifestyle and consumer media
• Measurement and reporting
• Partnership with IMG Data and Insights team on ongoing reporting and measurement
• Delivery of monthly, quarterly and annual bowler metrics
• Ensure ongoing knowledge and competence on data tools and resources
• Ongoing competitor reporting and landscape reviews        

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Marketing or Communications
• Five years of Communications experience
• Automotive experience is an advantage but not essential if the successful applicant can demonstrate a proven track record in media relations/communications, and a real interest in the automotive industry
• Crisis management experience
• Project Management Experience
• Proven ability to create and execute a PR strategy or program
• Budget responsibility