Senior Social Digital Strategist

VML

Department: Strategy

Expertise: Studios

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Requisition ID: 8152

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. 

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences.  Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work. 

In what has been called the “the biggest advertising pitch in history,” WPP was chosen to redefine the marketing and advertising model as we’ve known it. In partnership with TCCC, we are building a new open approach that will connect our talent, skills and client partners in a truly borderless way aimed at multiplying the power of creativity for one of the world’s largest and most beloved brands.

We call our partnership approach “OpenX” – it is the transformation-based marriage of WPP, the #1 global network and largest communications holding company in the world, with the iconic Fortune 100 company, Coca Cola, valued at 71 billion dollars, operating in more countries than the UN and comprised of a diverse portfolio of iconic brands such as Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta, and Powerade among others.

Within Open X sits “Studio X”. Studio X unites a suite of marketing capabilities into one fully integrated team of experts.​ Studio X uses data and technology to make our work more insightful, effective and efficient. Creativity is a proven engine of business growth, but creativity must keep pace with the new marketing landscape – which demands it is more intelligent, agile and adaptable.​ Studio X is our answer to this marketing challenge.​ Studio X is fueled by intelligent, actionable data-signals and real-time insights.​

Our teams are populated by a blend of brand, content and social experts: strategists & analysts, creatives & designers, producers & distributors, all committed to making the most of every media moment.​ We specialise in matching the right content to the right audience at the right moment; supported by ​best-in-class automation tools to deploy tailored assets at scale.​ Everything we do is purpose-built for the new marketing landscape: it’s addressable and flexible, designed to reach data-informed target audiences and to evolve based on their response.

Who we're looking for:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Social / Digital Strategist to join our Africa OU to coordinate the integrated delivery of ground-breaking work.

As a Senior Social Strategist for Studio X, you will help define how social shows up strategically for the Coca Cola Company brands you represent across Africa. This will be a role that sits at the strategic heart of our Africa level campaigns.

Social and Digital sits at the forefront of Studio X in Africa, and you will play a pivotal role in translating our client’s business challenges and objectives into fully integrated social strategies and executions.

What you'll be doing:

  • Be the voice of social strategy for the Coca Cola brands you represent for continental Africa, supporting the Studio X leadership team, End-to-End teams and client services in delivering groundbreaking and effective social strategy for our clients.
  • Hold a deep understanding of the various platforms available to reach our audiences and help shape our clients’ social ecosystems.
  • Help clients meaningfully connect with their communities by identifying key insights (audience, brand, culture, platform) and developing subsequent strategies.
  • Partner with integrators and broader capability teams to proactively identify opportunities and ensure a joined-up approaches to delivering effectively against client business objectives.
  • Assemble strategy into presentation materials and be comfortable presenting for senior level clients
  • Conduct on site and remote workshops for Coca Cola category clients to optimise their social strategy
  • Flexibility in strategic approach, covering the following core competencies:
    • Social Strategy
    • Content/ Platform Strategy
    • Creative Strategy
    • Influencer strategy
  • Work with the end-to-end and insights teams to better understand audiences and brand activities on social media from a data perspective as well as add a strategic layer to monthly reports for key clients.
  • Inform KPIs and define measurement solutions to clients.
  • Work with client services and creative teams to inspire and guide ideation and to make sure the creative deliveries are in line with approved strategy.
  • Work with the broader social team across the continent to ensure strategies are implementable, unearth additional insights, and optimise where required.
  • Demonstrate what ‘good’ looks like for social strategy, ensuring we have a solid range of strategy frameworks and learning to drive our work and defining best practices and best in class case studies

What you'll need:

  • 5+ years of Proven 4+ strategy experience in a social media agency, integrated agency, or for a well-known platform or brand.
  • Experience working for top draw brands and with senior stakeholder or in a senior client facing role.
  • Strong experience working alongside other teams delivering fully integrated marketing solutions,
  • A passion for Social with fully up-to-date knowledge of social networks, social tools and social media trends
  • Solid experience with quantitative and qualitative performance metrics and insights.

#LI-EMEA #LI-HYBRID

At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization—creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers—who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction. 

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. 

When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.

When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.