Head of Digital and Social Media (Johannesburg)

Job description

Position Overview

The Head of Digital and Social Media is a leadership role at Penquin, responsible for shaping and executing our agency’s digital-first vision. This leader will drive innovation, oversee digital and social media strategies for clients, and integrate digital thinking across campaigns to deliver measurable ROI. We are seeking a visionary strategist, creative powerhouse, and influential leader with a proven track record of delivering high-impact, results-driven campaigns in a fast-paced agency environment.

This role forms part of Penquin’s Leadership Team, contributing to agency growth, client success, and positioning Penquin as a thought leader in digital innovation.

Key Responsibilities1. Digital Strategy Leadership

• Spearhead the development and execution of comprehensive digital marketing strategies aligned with client objectives and industry trends.
• Drive innovation by identifying new opportunities, emerging technologies, and creative approaches to enhance client campaigns.
• Provide thought leadership and strategic counsel, representing Penquin at industry forums, events, and client workshops.

2. Social Media Management

• Lead the development of social media strategies, content planning, and platform selection.
• Oversee content creation, ensuring brand alignment and creative excellence.
• Manage community engagement with oversight of the Community Management team.

3.  Digital Advertising and SEO

• Plan, execute, and optimise campaigns across PPC, display, programmatic, and social media advertising.
• Manage budgets to maximise campaign performance and ROI.
• Implement SEO strategies (on-page and off-page) and stay up-to-date with algorithm changes.

4. Client Engagement and Growth

• Collaborate with clients to understand their business objectives and develop tailored digital solutions.
• Act as senior digital partner, building long-term trusted relationships.
• Contribute to new business pitches and identify opportunities to grow client accounts.

5. Team Leadership and Development

• Lead and inspire a high-performing team of strategists, analysts, community managers, and content creators.
• Foster a collaborative, innovative culture with emphasis on continuous learning and upskilling.
• Mentor and empower team members with career growth opportunities and training.

6.  Campaign Development and Execution

• Oversee the development and rollout of integrated digital campaigns that drive client objectives.
• Ensure social-first creative thinking is embedded in all campaigns.
• Champion best-in-class digital storytelling across platforms.

7.  Emerging Trends and Innovation

• Stay ahead of digital, social, and tech trends, positioning Penquin as a digital thought leader.
• Identify opportunities for innovation in content formats, platforms, influencer strategies, and performance marketing.
• Share insights internally and externally to strengthen Penquin’s competitive advantage.

8.  Performance, Analytics and Optimisation

• Drive a culture of data-driven decision-making.
• Oversee analytics, measurement, and testing frameworks.
• Provide actionable insights and transparent reporting to clients and internal stakeholders.

9.  Budget and Resource Management

• Develop and manage campaign budgets effectively.
• Ensure efficient allocation of resources and transparent ROI reporting.

10.  Cross-Channel Integration

• Collaborate with creative, client service, media, and strategy teams to deliver fully integrated campaigns.
• Champion collaboration across departments to ensure consistency and impact.

11.  Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with POPIA, legal, and ethical standards in all digital and social media activities.
• Identify and mitigate potential risks associated with digital campaigns.

Requirements

• Strong strategic vision and ability to translate insights into business impact.
• Excellent leadership and team-building capabilities.
• In-depth expertise in digital storytelling, performance marketing, SEO/SEM, influencer marketing, and analytics.
• Exceptional client-facing and pitching skills, with proven experience building executive-level partnerships.
• Data-driven with strong analytical and reporting capabilities.
• Adaptability to evolving platforms and fast-changing environments.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Communications, Digital Media, or related field.
• 8–10+ years of proven digital leadership experience in an advertising, media, or digital-first agency environment.
• Track record of managing large-scale, multi-platform digital campaigns.
• Experience in new business development and pitching.
• Certifications in Meta, Google, TikTok, or equivalent platforms an advantage.

Company Description