Senior Manager: Brand for the West and Central Africa (WECA) Region at MTN

Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

To ensure the implementation of Group Brand Strategy in the West and Central Africa Region (WECA). The position will integrate with external partners, such as the Communication Agency and the Research & Insights Agencies. Internal stakeholders, including but not limited to Head Office Brand and Marcoms team members, other Head Office Functions, the WECA VP’s Regional Office and all operating companies in the region. The role must ensure that the perception of MTN amongst the target markets we serve (Consumer, Enterprise and Carriers), are congruent with the Brand’s core Belief, Vision, Values and Positioning.

Context (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission etc.)

MTN has stated its intent to be a Digital Operator, beyond the provision of telephony services, driven by a focus on the delivery of FinTech and Rich Media Services. The role of Group Brand and Marketing Communication is to ensure that relevant practices and principles are developed and deployed to the Opcos to help them make the transition from MTN being a telecoms company to MTN being a Digital Operator. Some of the key things that the Brand team must take into account to advance the delivery of the stated intent are:

• Define practices and routines that are critical towards the delivery of the Business and Brand strategies
• Define critical principles of what a Digital Brand should be and it should behave, these principles include but are not limited to: brand tonality
• Understand various market segments (Consumer and Enterprise and GlobalConnect) that MTN seeks to serve and draw insights on what specific needs MTN Brand can serve
• Define a messaging construct that considers MTN’s stated intent.
• Ensure that MTN’s is number one across in our WECA markets on key brand performance measures.
• Developing and implementing marketing strategy that aligns to MTN’s drive for growth in the digital, enterprise and other alternative revenue streams
• Implementing effective measurement tools to allow MTN to understand the impact of marketing, sponsorship, online and search campaigns

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)

The Senior Manager: Brand (Regional) will be accountable to achieve the following:

To develop and implement a framework to guide Opcos in the enhancement of MTN’s brand in the relevant markets, this would include but not limited to:

• The interpretation of data which is gathered from the Brand Health Tracking (BHT) study
• Drawing of insights to inform the business and brand strategies across the Opcos
• Define and monitor key performance areas that OpCos must focus on to grow MTN’s brand equity (relative to competitors) in their markets;
• Develop and implement a framework to ensure effective execution of the MTN Brand strategy across all Opco’s, this would include a plan on how to engage with MANCO stakeholders whose support in needed to drive Opco’s to align to the MTN Brand strategy;
• Develop and implement a framework that defines critical routines that must be implemented in the management of the brand, specifically the Brand and Creative Councils;
• Define and implement a plan to guide Opcos on the effective management of the Communication and Research agencies in their markets, this includes the implementation of agencies’ performance monitoring and evaluation mechanism;
• Socialise and evaluate all issued brand playbooks and updates aligned to the MTN Group Brand strategies and monitor the implementation of existing and amended Brand playbooks by the Opco’s;
• Design and maintain dashboards that will be used to track key brand and marcomms KPI’s per Opco within the region to provide insights;
• Develop frameworks and guiding principles to guide the Opcos with the development of brand and marcomms reporting and;
• Provide strategic support to are other Functions at MANCO, as shall be required by those Functions, these include, Group FinTech, Group Digital Services, Group Consumer and Group Enterprise. 

Job Requirements (Education, Experience and Competencies)

Education:

• Minimum of 4 - year Business/Commercial/Marketing Degree, or equivalent
• Post-graduate degree, an advantage

Experience:

• 7 - 11 years of brand management work experience in a global / multinational business environment (understanding of emerging markets advantageous)
• 3 - 5 years of experience in a supervisory / managerial role
• Experience in leading change / transformation (marketing) at an operational level advantageous
• Experience in continuous improvement through the implementation of best practices
• Experience in brand and sponsorships management

Competencies:

• Brand management, ideally in the ICT industry
• Development of brand management guidelines and toolkits
• Project management
• Ability to influence collaborate with key stakeholders (negotiation and bargaining)
• Command of English, verbal and written
• Customer research
• Analytical skills, translating business and research data into insights