Managing Director (Public Relations & Communication)

Our Client is an ambitious international diversified communications services company operating from Nigeria and the United Kingdom, with affiliates and footprints in the United States of America, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania to help organisation leaders in business and government and brands communicate for impact.

We are seeking a proven business leader to direct, promote, and coordinate the operations of the business in a manner that will accelerate its market share and reputation, improve the organisation's efficiency, help achieve the founder’s mission and goals, and deliver outstanding customer service and shareholder value.

The candidate must be a passionate business leader and experienced builder with a track record of driving growth, managing complex, layered stakeholder relationships, thriving across geographies and jurisdictions, delivering value for customers and shareholders, and leading a high-performing team.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Market Analysis

● Driving commercial strategy, new market development, customer service optimisation, financial planning, budgeting, cash flow management, investment priorities, cost saving, and policy matters;

● Driving the company to achieve and surpass sales, profitability, commercial health and other identified business goals and objectives;

● Spearheading the development, communication and implementation of effective growth strategies and processes in the business, including in areas like product thinking, advocacy and government relations.

● Staying abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and the local and international competitive landscape;

● Conduct market analysis and develop strategies to position the company for growth and competitive advantage;

● Identify potential risks and challenges and develop contingency plans to mitigate them.

Sales and Business Development

● Identifying new business opportunities, including new markets, new clients, new partnerships or new products and services;

● Creating strategies to reach new business opportunities successfully;

● Pitching sales and products to new and existing clients;

● Attending conferences and networking events to build relationships with industry partners and staying up to date with trends;

● Creating sales forecasts and actively working towards reaching them;

● Developing a strong understanding of the company's products and services, the competition in the industry and brand positioning;

● Managing and training a business development team;

● Identifying opportunities for new product and service development and leading go-to-market execution to achieve competitive advantage and long-term growth.

Client Relationship Management

● Nurturing and developing mutually beneficial relationships with new and existing clients;

● Understanding and gauging client needs, identifying opportunities for service expansion, developing proposals to maximise revenue and ensure client satisfaction;

● Maintaining strong relationships with key clients, serving as the main point of contact for strategic partnerships;

● Collaborating with the global team to deliver integrated solutions and exceed client expectations.

Operational Management

● Overseeing day-to-day operations of the business and keeping the CEO apprised of all significant events;

● Providing timely, accurate and complete reports on the operating condition of the company.

● Identifying and leveraging new technologies to improve operational efficiency;

● Managing all teams in tracking, measuring and amplifying performance;

● Overseeing project management activities and recommending effective project spend;

● Overseeing inter-departmental collaboration to ensure optimum client satisfaction;

● Creating new methodologies, processes and solutions to improve the business structure;

● Act as lead "client-care officer" through direct contact with clients and partners, establishing ongoing relationships with all stakeholders;

● Representing the company with clients, investors, and business partners;

● Ensuring consistent innovation and streamlining of business strategies to achieve value for the organisation and clients;

● Coordinating the implementation of policies and processes;

● Fostering employee alignment with corporate goals;

Financial Management

● Managing the financial performance of our multi-country operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control.

● Monitoring financial KPIs and implementing strategies to achieve revenue and profitability targets;

● Ensuring compliance with financial policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Team Development/Leadership

● Providing day-to-day leadership and management to the various teams, including corporate services, finance, PR, admin, talent management, etc., ensuring they mirror the company's adopted mission and core values. Bottom line: to build a beautiful company that puts people before profit.

● Motivating and leading a high-performance management team; attracting, recruiting and retaining key talent not currently in place; providing mentorship as a cornerstone to the management career development programme;

● Assisting, as required, in raising capital at appropriate valuations to enable the company to meet sales, growth, and market share objectives;

● Fostering a success-oriented, accountable environment within the company.

Requirements

Tertiary education (e.g., Higher Diploma or Bachelor's) in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, or a related field (required).

● Postgraduate degree in relevant business, consulting or communications field preferred.

● Professional certifications in Public Relations, Management and Marketing are mandatory (i.e., NIPR, CIPR, ARCON, CIM).

● 10+ years of progressive experience in the media, public relations and Communications industry: PR Account Management/Client Services, Marketing Management, and/or Brand Management, with at least 7 years in a senior management role. Pan-Africa experience preferred.

Skills/Competencies

● Strong business acumen and strategic thinking, with a track record of driving business growth and achieving targets;

● Knowledge of the marketing communications, media and PR industry with strong work experience within the same field in Nigeria and West Africa;

● Media and industry relationships and strong networks

● Strong financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis;

● Proven track record in developing and executing successful business development strategies;

● Sound decision-making and problem-solving abilities, focusing on innovation and continuous improvement.

● Demonstrable project management-related experience;

● Business development, sales and marketing skills;

● Confident negotiator, and the ability to 'close the deal';

● Strong stakeholder management skills;

● Capable of hands-on problem-solving, with the ability to generate ideas and solutions;

● Excellent leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a diverse team;

● A positive and determined approach to researching and analysing new business opportunities;

● Ability to use own initiative and pay close attention to detail;

● Ability to cope with competing demands, prioritise tasks and work independently;

● Ability to work effectively under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.

● Exceptional communication skills in all forms, including written, oral, email, telephone, and presentation;

● Excellent organisational and time management skills;

● A positive attitude to dealing with people;

● Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to work with diverse teams and clients.

● Proficiency and familiarity with social and new media tools and techniques, including search engine optimisation, LLM optimisation, Gen AI, Agentic AI, and others.

Benefits

We offer:

● Competitive pay

● Premium group life insurance

● Premium Healthcare Insurance

● Executive Coaching

● Performance-based bonus

● Stock Options