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Job Details

JOHANNESBURG OR DURBAN BASED ROLE

Our Brand Domain team is looking for a passionate Account Manager to join us in delivering excellence to our clients. We ultimately aim to grow our clients’ businesses, through developing a deep understanding of their brands, unpacking the impact of their marketing activities against their strategies and identifying potential growth opportunities for their brands.  In this role you will be responsible for the research design, planning and execution of projects within agreed timelines, scope and budgets. Leadership responsibility would be line management, team and cross-team responsibility.

The role entails managing a portfolio of large national and international clients (e.g. Coke/Nestle/Unilever/Clover/Edward Snell amongst others), and a small team of researchers. Inspiring confidence and motivating your team to excel, along with developing quality research skills would be key focus areas. You will suit this role if you are passionate about marketing, brands, and research in general, manage your time well, have strong attention-to-detail, are passionate, confident and able to grasp new concepts quickly.

Key Outcomes

Management of studies and resources using research principles and Kantar systems:

Client Management and Growth:

Build strong partnerships and deliver business impact for clientsTakes accountability for client satisfaction on overall project deliveryService clients and interact independently with clients on an on-going basis. This includes regular communication regarding current projects, as well as relationship building to promote client retention, enhancement and growthCreate and drive execution of business planManage and build relationships with lead client stakeholdersTake accountability for client satisfaction on overall project deliveryHandle more complex client enquiries regarding research inputs and outputsHave a deep understanding of the client business, industry, strategy and business issuesDeliver thought leadership to client, drawing on expertise across Kantar to deliver client impactDeliver insights in a storytelling way, through strong analysis, presentation and workshopping skills Is recognised by clients as an expert in an area of deliveryDemonstrate research & marketing expertise to inspire clients and team

Team and Project Management:

Mentor, coach and train team (on the job and formal)Build cooperative relationships within team and across functional teamsPerformance management, through objective setting and ongoing performance evaluationIdentifying development areas and assist and support to ensure team member’s flourishManage team capacity and resourcingRecruit, develop, and retain high quality people through succession planning and performance managementManage and supervise research projects. This includes delivering to agreed timelines, completing all the necessary administrative procedures and liaising with service departments to ensure process is effectively executedTake responsibility for the data and research quality and quality delivery of a project including all documents such as questionnaires and instructionsAccountable for final questionnaire design, flow and wordingOversee supplier relationships ICs, external charting) to ensure quality of deliverables

Commercial Management: Contributing to financial performance and business profitability

Accountable for team financial targetsAccountable for client revenue targetsNew business development within existing clientsClient proposals and costingsA major contribution to and responsibility for the growth and profitability of clientsProvide solutions to company barriers that are holding back profitability and growthEmploys own knowledge of to initiate suitable process improvements that enhance overall serviceApplies understanding of commercial and financial principles to costing recommendations on more complex projects

Leadership:

Apply research knowledge to ensure the best (most cost and time effective and efficient) delivery of researchBe involved in complex / high profile studies to support managers towards the best (most effective and efficient) possible deliveryDemonstrate excellence in technical research and marketing expertise to inspire both clients and team membersActively transfer learning to othersProvide energy and drive to identify and exploit opportunities for new and innovative ways to answer clients’ needsProactively responsible for own learning and developmentPromote team spiritMaintain personal well-being and balanceLead by example and live the company’s values

Brand interest and expertise:

Brand domain knowledge (Brand guidance, brand strategy, equity model, key brand concepts, philosophies and point of views)Constant curiosity and self-learning to know more about brand and keep abreast of trends, philosophies and POVsAbility to recognise opportunities for brand domain applications and solutions in client conversations

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

Relevant tertiary education (B.Com /Business Admin, B Bus Sc Marketing B. Bus Sci Marketing, Project Management / relevant degree pref)Good marketing (research) knowledge – at least 3-5 years’ experienceProven ability as a team managerConfident sales/ negotiation/ persuasion skillsHigh level of business/client understanding and insightMust have a very good working and practical knowledge of the research process and marketing researchExcellent client relationship development skillsNurture/develop team members through coaching and performance management

Location

Johannesburg, BryanstonSouth Africa

Kantar Rewards Statement

At Kantar we have an integrated way of rewarding our people based around a simple, clear and consistent set of principles. Our approach helps to ensure we are market competitive and also to support a pay for performance culture, where your reward and career progression opportunities are linked to what you deliver. 

 

We go beyond the obvious, using intelligence, passion and creativity to inspire new thinking and shape the world we live in. Apply for a career that’s out of the ordinary and join us. 

 

We want to create an equality of opportunity in a fair and supportive working environment where people feel included, accepted and are allowed to flourish in a space where their mental health and well being is taken into consideration. 

 

We want to create a more diverse community to expand our talent pool, be locally representative, drive diversity of thinking and better commercial outcomes. 

Kantar is the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company. We understand more about how people think, feel, shop, share, vote and view than anyone else. Combining our expertise in human understanding with advanced technologies, Kantar’s 30,000 people help the world’s leading organisations succeed and grow.