Senior Media Strategist X 2 at The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)

JOB PURPOSE

• The purpose of this role is to provide advanced expertise in the design, execution, and evaluation of integrated media strategies across SABC’s TV, Radio/Audio, and Digital platforms to foster Sales enablement in advertising revenue generation. Sitting just below the Integrated Media Strategy Lead, the Senior Media Strategist is responsible for converting audience data, competitor intelligence, and market insights into actionable, client-ready media strategies that enable the Sales Division to meet revenue targets.
• This role plays a critical bridging function between strategy leadership and execution: ensuring that sales teams are empowered with sophisticated, insight-driven proposals and that campaigns are continuously evaluated for effectiveness, return on investment, and alignment to SABC’s commercial priorities.
• The Senior Media Strategist also contributes to innovation in media planning methodologies, tests and deploys new data-driven tools, and acts as a mentor to Media Strategists and Junior Media Strategists. By elevating the quality, accuracy, and competitiveness of SABC’s media solutions, this role ensures that SABC is positioned as a trusted and preferred media partner in a highly competitive advertising environment.

MAIN OBJECTIVES (KEY PERFORMANCE AREA)
JOB OUTPUTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS POSITION

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR

INTEGRATED MEDIA STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

• Develop comprehensive, data-driven omni-channel media packs that synthesise insights from various data sources on audience research, competitor intelligence, and sales priorities.
• Conduct client-specific gap analyses and opportunity assessments to tailor media solutions that maximise value and revenue.
• Tailor media strategies to client-specific needs, ensuring clear alignment with SABC’s commercial goals.
• Partner with Sales teams on high-value pitches, presentations, and negotiations, translating complex insights into client-friendly recommendations.
• Ensure proposals highlight cross-platform synergies (TV + Radio + Digital) and showcase SABC’s unique reach and impact.
• Provide strategic input into Sales’ quarterly and annual planning cycles, ensuring media strategies anticipate market shifts.
• Collaborate with other Sales functions to integrate product positioning into media recommendations.
• Support the Integrated Media Strategy Lead in thought leadership projects by contributing specialist insights into future media trends.
• Actively participate in the testing, rollout, and refinement of new strategy templates, tools, and planning frameworks.
• Manage and deliver thorough post-campaign analyses across TV, Radio, and digital channels validating SABC’s media plan effectiveness, measuring ROI, and informing continuous improvement.
• Continuously evaluate, innovate, and enhance media analysis and planning tools across TV, Radio, and digital channels, templates, and workflows to improve sales efficiency and effectiveness, accuracy, and client engagement outcomes ensuring seamless integration across platforms.
• Support the Integrated Media Strategy Lead to develop and implement media strategy solutions across TV, Radio, and digital channels, for use by Sales Teams in revenue generation, ensuring these media strategy solutions address identified gaps and client-specific needs.
• Keep abreast of sales product offerings and emerging opportunities to ensure the sales team is equipped with up-to-date, compelling integrated media solutions.
• Provide the necessary intelligence and insights to inform sales optimisation, commercial, revenue, pricing and other related strategies.
• Support all commercial and public service media focused teams, including Sales, Marketing, Innovation and Operations with the provision of relevant market related information and intelligence.
• Support the HOD by compiling media strategy insights in the quarterly reports for the executive team that anticipate and highlight shifts in the commercial / industry environment and provide potential opportunities / identify potential threats to SABCs competitive position and / or commercial success
• Provide support, input and analysis that will inform the development and implementation of Sales Division strategy.
• Contribute to the development of thought leadership and innovative commercial models to support sustained success.

MARKET, COMPETITIVE & MACRO ENVIRONMENT INTELLIGENCE

• Conduct regular competitor analyses, monitoring share of voice, pricing models, media spend, and campaign positioning.
• Conduct regular comprehensive competitor analysis across media spend, campaign activity, and strategic positioning to uncover exploitable advantages and increase market share.
• Monitor and report on competitive media and spending activity, distilling key insights that shape responsive media strategies.
• Analyse local and international media trends, audience behaviours, and advertising technologies to identify risks and opportunities.
• Analyse and interpret local and international macroeconomic, market, and media data and trends including political, economic, social, business, and technological factors to identify emerging market opportunities and risks for sales growth.
• Deliver actionable market reports to Sales leadership highlighting threats, gaps, and opportunities.
• Lead post-campaign evaluations for key accounts, measuring ROI, effectiveness, and lessons learned and future recommendations.
• Utilise post-campaign analytics and client feedback to continuously refine media strategies and sales enablement efforts.
• Provide recommendations for campaign optimisation based on analytics, client feedback, and audience data.
• Build forward-looking scenario plans for Sales, highlighting shifts in consumption patterns or advertising strategies.
• Deliver forward-looking, actionable reports to Sales leadership and Sales teams that anticipate market shifts, identify revenue opportunities, and flag competitive risks.
• Represent SABC in key industry forums and committees, including the Broadcast Research Council (BRC) Technical Committee, advocating for measurement integrity and the organisation’s commercial interests.
• Identify, scope out and commission relevant research projects, confirm the lessons / insights derived from such research and report / inform sales / commercial strategies accordingly.
• Gather market data and intelligence to inform benchmarking of the SABC against leading practice and competitors.
• Serve as the principal media strategy consultant and trusted advisor to frontline sales and leadership, empowering teams through tailored training, workshops, and one-on-one coaching to elevate media literacy and strategic selling capabilities.

SALES ENABLEMENT & CLIENT ENGAGEMENT

• Act as a strategic partner to Sales in contributing to compelling, insight-led client proposals, Sales packs, workshop decks or any other critical pieces of work.
• Provide quick-turnaround media strategy support for priority pitches, management and client requests.
• Participate in select client meetings or workshops, representing the Media Strategy function as needed.
• Ensure that sales collateral (packages, decks, case studies) are aligned with strategic insights.
• Provide timeous responses to requests for integrated media strategy related information from other functions and business units.
• Communicate with external and internal stakeholders, in order to ensure optimal delivery of commercial / Sales objectives.
• Collaborate and engage in effective cross functional communication and co-operation with other Divisions.
• Advance SABC’s interest in all negotiations with external stakeholders to maximise value creation and revenue optimisation.

DEVELOPMENT, MONITORING & OPTIMISATION OF MEDIA PACKAGES

• Design, test, and implement standardised “media classic packages” across TV, Radio, and Digital that Sales teams can take to market.
• Identify package gaps by benchmarking against competitor offerings, market needs, and client feedback.
• Develop new packages that reflect market demand and maximise SABC’s inventory utilisation.
• Monitor the sales and revenue performance of all packages on a monthly/quarterly basis.
• Analyse package uptake and profitability, recommending adjustments or discontinuation of underperforming packages.
• Collaborate with Pricing, Sales, and Trade Marketing to ensure packages are competitively positioned.
• Produce regular performance dashboards on package uptake, value contribution, and client adoption.

GOVERNANCE, RISK AND COMPLIANCE

• Ensure strict confidentiality of all commercially sensitive information.
• Monitor compliance with SABC’s governance and reporting frameworks.
• Support the Integrated Media Strategy Lead in preparing risk assessments related to media strategies.
• Contribute to compliance with PFMA and relevant Treasury regulations as they apply to Sales.
• Ensure all strategy outputs are audit-ready and compliant with internal SOPs.
• Maintain high levels of security and confidentiality over commercially sensitive and other market related information, intelligence, strategies and plans

MENTORSHIP, TEAM DEVELOPMENT & KNOWLEDGE SHARING

• Mentor and coach Media Strategists and Junior Media Strategists, ensuring consistency and quality across outputs.
• Provide on-the-job training, guidance, and feedback to develop technical and analytical capabilities.
• Support the integrated Media Strategy Lead in leading internal workshops on best practice in media planning, reporting, and storytelling.
• Support succession planning by preparing junior colleagues for progression.
• Document and share learnings from campaigns, competitor analyses, and industry events with the wider team.

INHERENT REQUIREMENT

FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Relevant Marketing, Media, or related field qualification (B Comm / Marketing / Media) - Post-Graduate recommended.

EXPERIENCE:

• 5-7 years experience in experience in integrated media strategy, planning, or advertising sales.
• Proven experience in omni-channel advertising, media sales, media strategy and planning
• Strong knowledge of media planning systems, audience measurement systems (e.g., Telmar, AdIntel, Mediahost, BRC, IAB etc), digital analytics, and emerging media technologies
• Experience working with BI and data visualization tools, and a clear understanding of AI applications in media intelligence is a plus.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience representing an organisation in industry forums or committees.
• Experience in market research and quantitative analysis
• Understanding of media sales processes and disciplines

KNOWLEDGE:

• Proven experience in integrated media strategy.
• Deep understanding of brand and performance media and the synergy required for effective cross-channel campaigns.
• Strong understanding of digital, social, and traditional media platforms.
• Expertise in data analysis, performance metrics, and reporting tools.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and collaboration skills.
• A data-driven mindset with a bias toward action.
• The ability to build trust, inspire collaboration, and navigate complex internal and client dynamics.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data, translate findings into actionable strategies, and creatively solve problems.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling abilities to articulate complex concepts and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strategic media planning and omni-channel advertising ecosystems
• Market, competitor, and audience research methodologies, including competitive benchmarking and macro environment analysis.
• Sales process understanding and sales enablement best practices.
• Advanced technical knowledge of media metrics pertaining to TAMS, RAMS, Digital
• Advanced PowerPoint user with proven ability to build high-impact client presentations.
• Proficiency in Canva (or similar design tools) to develop visually compelling sales decks, proposals, and collateral.
• Business intelligence platforms and reporting frameworks (Power BI, Tableau)
• Innovation in media analytics, including AI and machine learning applications.
• Leadership, coaching, and talent development
• Industry regulations, governance, and compliance relevant to broadcasting and advertising.
• PFMA and relevant national treasury regulations
• Strategy and scenario planning

Deadline:2nd July,2026