Marketing Director
Central Africa

Our client is investing heavily in the African Mobile Telecoms market and aims to offer a truly converged service. Currently setting up operations in Central Africa, a Marketing Director is required for a new start-up which presents an exciting and challenging opportunity. The Marketing Director will take responsibility for the overall strategic and tactical direction of all marketing activities in the company. The Marketing Director will report the CEO – this is a very competitive market so requires a confident and creative Marketing Director. You will be responsible for managing the following 6 key areas: Market research and analysis, product management, promotions and events, distribution channels marketing support, market communications and brand management.

Responsibilities
• Establishing and developing the marketing function to encompass, but not limited to, advertising, brand management, product management, promotions, special events, market research, product and service pricing, competitive analysis, etc…
• Responsible for defining and proposing marketing strategies and tactics to ensure commercial objectives are achieved.
• Responsible for developing, initiating and following up qualitative and quantitative market research campaigns.
• Recommends promotional cost budgets and ensures that promotional activities do not exceed approved budgets.
• Responsible for measuring the efficiency of specific marketing campaigns from a quantitative and qualitative aspect.
• Develop methods to establish, develop and improve customer interface and consumer product marketing.
• Responsible for forecasting potential sales per segment through research of client purchasing power, identifying customer needs and taking into account the competitive environment.
• Responsible for researching price elasticity for all products and services proposed and recommending pricing and discounts for all products and services.
• Developing and maintaining optimal product / services mix keeping in mind segmentation, brand value / positioning and commercial objectives.
• Management of product / services portfolio, tracking the global telecom market for new products and services and development of new products and services.
• Ensure training material for all new products / services are available and delivered to target audiences (services Centres; distributor executives and distributors; corporate accounts).
• Developing and managing relationships with external suppliers to ensure product / service objectives are met.
• Organise and attend seminars, exhibitions and other special events with commercial nature.
• Define, recommend, implement and maintain adequate above and below the line advertising though the media, outdoor advertising, radio, television, etc.
• Responsible for defining and implementing customer acquisition and customer retention programs.
• Responsible for ensuring all marketing activities are compliant with applicable laws.

Functional requirements:
• BSc Marketing studies or equivalent experience (MSc Marketing Management or MBA Marketing or equivalent preferred).
• Professional membership CIMA, Inst of Marketing, AMA or equivalent preferred.
• 5 years of marketing experience including fast moving consumer goods, marketing of services, channel and retail marketing, fixed and wireless telecom industry being a distinct advantage.

• Experience with market research / analysis and marketing support.
• Excellent analytical skills
• Strong customer focus.
• African market experience preferred.
• Team player, able to work with various functions through relationships.
• Multi-lingual English, French AND Spanish essential