Business Lead

Role: Business Lead 

Location: South Africa - Remote

About the role: 

As the Business Lead, you will assume a pivotal leadership role, steering a dynamic team toward innovations and strategic collaborations to elevate client accounts and drive business growth across the group. A key focus will be managing one of IIG's leading AI content factory, to harness AI and automation tools for the efficient and scalable production of assets across global markets, including APAC, EMEA, and North America. Your proven history of expanding portfolios and securing new business will be instrumental in crafting bespoke talent and production solutions geared to meet our clients' unique needs. It is essential that you exude confidence and gravitas in all your dealings. 

This position encompasses a comprehensive strategic role that includes guiding market-specific digital design, creative development, and production oversight. Within IIG's bespoke business model, you will need to adeptly navigate the complexities of working closely with clients, both on-site and remotely, tailoring solutions that integrate seamlessly with their marketing and advertising ambitions on a global scale. 

Deep familiarity and passion for producing captivating, business-driven creative content and digital advertising across a fully integrated channel mix is imperative. Your agency background will bolster your credentials as a strategic visionary, working alongside clients and agency partners as an integral long-term business ally, shaping brand and marketing strategies while fostering high-level relationships globally. 

Harnessing commercial acumen and a keen understanding of AI and automation, you will oversee the expansion of the factory, driving collective growth with strong command over financial forecasting, profit monitoring, and net revenue enhancement. Your success in this role will be underpinned by your capability to align commercial objectives with a strategic vision, powered by AI innovations. 

Possessing exceptional management skills, you will lead with cultural sensitivity and regional awareness, supporting senior leadership in identifying and harnessing growth opportunities worldwide. As an inspirational communicator, you will empower your team to leverage AI technologies and automation, recognize potential, and maintain the high level of energy and positivity that builds a cohesive team spirit. 

In this role, you are expected to be a diligent executor with meticulous attention to detail, establishing yourself as a reliable leader who ensures that no detail is overlooked. Your position is of strategic importance both to our clients and to IIG, as we continually refine our digital and content strategy within a complex global landscape. We seek a creative and commercially-minded leader who can drive transformative digital marketing efforts that yield tangible business impacts and expand our influence within clients' marketing budgets worldwide. 

This is an opportunity to work at the heart of an ever-evolving industry, making a real difference in how digital marketing is perceived and leveraged for business success. If you are ready to partner with clients in navigating this dynamic environment, we expect you to lead with vision and vigor. 

What you will be doing: 

• Accountable for, and owning customer/partnership relationships and revenue growth across global markets, including APAC, EMEA, and North America 

• Leading the team, focusing on leveraging AI, automation, and brandtech tools for scalable global content production 

• Partnering with senior clients/partners internationally to drive opportunities for growth, ensuring satisfaction and maintaining strong partnerships 

• Developing strong, respected relationships at a senior level globally, confidently interacting with clients and challenging them when necessary, while maintaining a positive relationship 

• Acting as the escalation point for partners in any region for issues with your teams, taking a problem-solving attitude and approach 

• Working closely with Heads of Departments globally to regularly review ways of working and drive the capabilities in efficiency and/or implementing new or adapted processes to continue driving account excellence 

• Identifying and collaborating with the business' capabilities/verticals in global markets to convert business development and new business opportunities 

• Identifying and farming opportunities with bespoke creative briefs, working in collaboration with project management and creative teams worldwide to deliver first-class responses 

• Building the integration and adoption of OLIVER+ engagement models, capabilities & offerings into the onsite teams/central teams as well as driving the strategic framework globally 

• Working closely with regional leadership in APAC, EMEA, and North America to support team development, inspire, and spot potential, leading by example, to motivate and inspire 

• Quarterly reporting to the business on your global account plans, presenting financial, strategic, and growth forecasts 

• Working alongside finance, ops & regional partners to manage dedicated staff utilization, account P&L’s, reporting operational income, managing budgets & forecasting to the business on a quarterly basis, and maintaining a target-based GP across accounts aligned to KPI’s 

• Ensuring financial and contractual controls are in place for all accounts globally in accordance with global processes 

What you will need: 

• Strong gravitas and the ability to build relationships with senior & c-suite clients and customers in multiple regions, building trust in the accounts offering 

• A team player with a client-centric focus and the ability to build strong and effective working relationships with your global teams and colleagues 

• Past experience in managing large numbers of stakeholders across different regions 

• A love of great creative and an appreciation of the craft it takes to deliver it well 

• Meticulous attention to detail, establishing yourself as a safe pair of hands ensuring nothing falls through the cracks in day-to-day management of global accounts 

• The ability to manage expectations well, being clear, accountable, and transparent with all agency, client, and internal stakeholders involved 

• Capability to think on your feet, happy to challenge and question areas that could improve and to push back when necessary 

• Good commercial acumen and financial management skills with experience in multiple international markets 

• Experience in managing an account that has gone through a business transformation on a global scale 

• Competence in managing teams in complex international environments 

• Knowledge in AI and automation technologies and an understanding of how to apply them to support content factory operations 

We are looking for people who want to work closer with customers, clients, and brands, who are entrepreneurial and relish the opportunity to be a part of something new and dynamic on a global stage. 

If this sounds like you, and you’d like to work for IIG, the fastest-growing agency network, please get in touch.