Business Unit Manager - Influencer

Own the overall success of assigned client accounts within the Influencer practice, including strategy direction, client relationship management, team leadership and commercial performance. Ensure alignment between brand objectives, cultural relevance and campaign execution while driving growth, retention and high standards across all outputs.
The Unit Manager is the direct line manager for all Culture & Influencer Lead-tier team members (both Client Delivery and Strategy tracks) within the unit. Decision-making authority is high within the approved scope, covering talent budget management, hiring input and creator casting sign-off. Scoping and commercial sign-off sit with the Client Service Director and Chief Culture Officer & MD; the Unit Manager's role commences on PO, resourcing the job card and running the unit. Process ownership covers delivery governance within the unit and the operation of the CSA 9-step Creator Selection & Onboarding Framework. The Unit Manager monitors account profitability, run rates and cross-sell opportunities at portfolio level, flags scope changes and margin risk to the Client Service Director / Chief Culture Officer & MD, and approves strategy, talent direction and partnership fit against brand and commercial objectives

Job Description:

We hire for mindset and develop for skill. These are the non-negotiable behaviours at this level.

• Strategically minded. You connect day-to-day delivery to the account's broader growth and retention story, and approve campaign direction to ensure creator, content and platform ecosystems align with brand strategy.

• Commercially fluent. You manage talent budgets and margin health within the approved scope, monitor account profitability, run rates and cross-sell opportunities, and raise scope changes to the Client Service Director / Chief Culture Officer & MD early.

• People-focused. You directly line-manage Lead-tier team members across both tracks, mentor them, set KPIs and create the conditions for them to do their best work.

• Client-trusted. You lead senior relationships, manage escalations calmly and identify growth opportunities.

• Culturally credible. You bring an informed point of view on the South African creator landscape to strategy and pitch conversations and hold final sign-off on creator casting and commercial fit.

• Accountable. You own account health end to end and do not let issues sit unresolved. Readiness for the next level is demonstrated by stepping into market-wide leadership, driving national strategy or running multi-account clusters.

• Demonstrate Dentsu leadership attributes through the eight ways model

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Account Leadership

• Set and approve account direction across both Lead tracks, ensuring influencer strategy aligns with client business objectives and broader brand strategy.

• Hold final sign-off on creator casting and commercial fit, following casting proposals from the Strategy Lead and execution by the Client Delivery Lead.

• Set engagement standards, escalation protocols and audience interaction frameworks for community management across the unit.

• Lead major client meetings, senior relationship management, escalations and growth conversations.

• Sign off on reporting narratives, strategic recommendations and client-facing conclusions across the account.

• Identify and pursue upsell and new business opportunities within existing accounts.

Team Leadership

• Directly line-manage all Lead-tier team members (Client Delivery and Strategy tracks), including performance reviews, development planning and addressing performance gaps early.

• Set operating standards, processes and accountability frameworks across the unit, ensuring all influencer delivery runs through the CSA 9-step Creator Selection & Onboarding Framework.

• Monitor workload health across Leads, Executives and Associates and escalate resourcing risks to the Chief Culture Officer & MD.

• Coach and develop Lead-tier team members, identifying and actively developing at least 1 successor per year.

Commercial & Operational

• Manage talent budgets and margin health across the account within the approved scope, owning delivery governance within the unit and escalating scope changes and commercial decisions to the Client Service Director / Chief Culture Officer & MD for sign-off.

• Approve campaign direction and ensure creator, content and platform ecosystems align with broader brand strategy.

• Ensure all team members comply with PO protocol, scope sign-off and timesheet requirements.

• Report on account performance, retention risk and growth opportunities to the Client Service Director and Chief Culture Officer & MD, including at the weekly operating sync.

Qualifications 

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Media or related field. Postgraduate qualification advantageous. 

Experience 

5-8 years in influencer marketing, social media or digital account management, including at least 2 years in a team leadership or account ownership role within an agency or brand environment. 

Key Tools 

Influencer management platforms (Upfluence, Aspire, Grin or equivalent), social platform analytics suites, audience research platforms (GWI, Brandmapp), MS Office Suite, agency management systems (Magnetic, Asana). 

B-BBEE / EE 

Preference will be given to candidates from designated groups in line with Dentsu's Employment Equity Plan. 

Location:

Cape Town

Brand:

Dentsu Creative

Time Type:

Full time

Contract Type:

Permanent