Coca-Cola Content Excellence Manager , Kenya

The closing date for this position is Wednesday, 22nd May 2013

The position exists to develop, manage and execute the communication strategies (communication strategies, content design & excellence management) for all KO brands and to achieve the strategic targets and brand health results that are determined in annual business plans. The position requires creative leadership and effective outsourcing management for conceptualization processes in content development for; traditional media, new media, branded content, merchandising design, corporate communications’ design, etc. Within these responsibilities the position needs to ensure internal and external parties cooperation, contribution, agencies’ effectiveness and determination with sustainable co-creation models that are integrated around one ‘core idea’ for each brand.  

Key  Duties / Responsibilities

Creative Strategies’ Development

• Constantly lead and develop consumer communication solutions for each brand and generate ways to further differentiate and strengthen the brand positioning in the mind of the target audience


• Lead the full communication strategy development process for all brands (including corporate brand).


• Lead the development of communication platforms and long term/ short term communication plans for all campaigns, ensuring on-target briefing, on-brief and on-budget delivery of creative solutions based on brand priorities and connection plans. Prioritize marketing communications efforts within the TCCC brand portfolio for increased efficiency.


• Lead and manage Agencies and communication experts to deliver liquid and linked communication


• Cooperate and co-create with agencies and internal parties (i.e. Brand Teams, media/connections managers, digital managers, PR managers, Procurement, etc.) to provide and maintain a holistic approach on brand communication efforts.


• Co-lead with designated brand groups the development of Charter campaigns/ projects delivering against multi-market needs

Creative Agency Management

• Manage and co-operate with Agencies to deliver high-standard strategic and executional outputs, sustaining effectiveness in all content creation processes.


• Deliver and communicate strong Core Creative Ideas for IMC campaigns, ensuring all different parties (from Print, Ambient, packaging, OOH, Shopper to Event) to be in-line with the Core Creative Idea.


• Allocate efficient resources (people and budget) behind each communication effort, while keeping with mission critical priorities.


• Lead Agency Compensation (VBC) and Evaluation systems: Negotiate Agency fees in the beginning of the year, performing recons along the way. Evaluate performances/ capabilities and reward accordingly to ensure effectiveness and sustainability of quality.

Capability Building:

• Lead and support brand teams in parts of the creative process they manage, for on-strategy delivery


• Co-lead and plan Communications capability building programs within Marketing


• Lead agency resource/ team performance management, evaluating mid and year-end agency performances for continued improvement of the creative/IMC process

 Productivity:

• Lead brand teams in allocating sufficient and efficient annual budgets for all brands’ production & development needs within the DME; manage P&D budgets for risks and opportunities throughout the year


• Lead the analysis and make the final decision on alternative production proposals - according to project requirements and optimum balance between quality and budget.


• Oversee and ensure on-time and correct execution of financial procedures within the production process


• Search within the TCCC System and Industry for communications solutions that can be re-applied to BU brands/projects

Understanding and analyzing how consumer communication developed impacts consumer’s relationship with our brands

• Regularly examine external factors (competitive and industry practices), import practices and transfer know-how, connecting these to communications strategy and business plans/ opportunities


• Initiate advertising research, when and if necessary


• Understand and interpret research data, carrying learnings to brand communications (i.e. Link, B3, ad hoc advertising and concept researches, all continuous tracking etc ) – interpreting consumer response and directing creative development accordingly; taking corrective action and revisiting creative work before it’s aired, etc.

Financial/Job Scope
No of Countries: 30
Brand - All KO Brands in territory

Communication Complexities

• Lead communication strategies and content development (for all brands and IMC campaigns), ensuring creative consistency, to achieve holistic communication plans to meet strategic business plans
  
  
  
  • Lead creative agencies’ content and Core Creative Idea development in coordination with brand teams and KO communication experts/teams
  
  
  • Co-Lead digital communications strategies and digital content development with the Digital Manager
  
  
  • Allocate sufficient resources and manage best talents to deliver results on each task


• Manage cross functional input and facilitate alignment of all stakeholders on communications briefs (Brand, Procurement, SRA, Legal, PAC), guiding them towards deeper understanding of creative solutions developed


• Lead negotiations (except for charters) with agencies on designing annual / project contracts.


• Work with PAC director and team to develop corporate communications strategies and creative solutions


• Work dependency:
  
  
  
  • Input:
    
    
    
    • Without the creative brief and internal alignment on the brief, the creative agencies cannot be briefed effectively and output will be a failure
    
    
    • Without the creative agencies finalizing the proof of concepts and alignment on the creative route, the Core Creative Idea cannot be defined
    
    
    • Without the definition of the Core Creative Idea the IMC briefing to multiple Agencies cannot take place
    
    
    • Without the development of the IMC ideas and alignment on them, the production phase cannot start
  
  
  • Output:
    
    
    
    • Without the point of purchase materials, the promotion cannot go into the market
    
    
    • Without the packaging design finalized, the packaging production and production of the final product cannot start
    
    
    • Without the ads finalized, they cannot go on air
    
    
    • Without context relevant creative ideas and content alignment, IMC production cannot start
    
    
    • Without IMC production coordination with internal and external parties, the IMC plan cannot be executed

Analysis

This position requires Innovative thinking, consistency, flexibility and responsiveness, as communications contexts and brand needs differ in terms of scope and complexity

• Alignment of all internal parties on communication strategies and creative ideas for different brand projects of varying nature, to ensure on time and successful execution of brand campaigns (including promotions and packaging) in tight market deadlines – as stakeholder perspective differs from Brand to PAC to Legal to Procurement to SRA to Bottler


• Managing Creative Agencies for executions that deliver on brand intent while embracing innovative thinking and preserving creative impact


• Working with extended internal team to ensure creative integrity and consistent content (liquid & linked)

 In conjunction to the continuously changing brands’ needs and communication environment, this job requires to develop new approaches to address changing dynamics within the responsibilities of the job detailed above. Some examples:

• Closely monitoring creative production processes for new opportunities, recommending to agency partners new local and global vendors that have significant timing and financial advantages


• Managing the development of new creative content for emerging mediums (new media contact points); directly leading and influencing the creative execution along the way, e.g. branded entertainment, digital technologies and digital media, etc.


• Using comm. lens and expertise to translate marketing claims to comm. messages that balances SRA, Legal, PAC restrictions with brand marketing needs


• Exchanging information and know-how with EAG CE team to articulate information about system intelligence, new advertising developments and promising agencies that would benefit CEWA BU

Judgement and Decision Making

• BP based Communications Plans/ Creative Strategy/ Creative Platform/ Core Creative Idea/ IMC ideas –Writing Agency briefs, leading agencies and internal team, providing direction, guidance, input, evaluation and feedback


• Advanced Tracking Program - brand health indicators, awareness levels


• Advertising Agencies’ fees and evaluation results


• Timely delivery of creative solutions


• Brands being on budget for production & development

Innovation

• Manage the development of fresh and innovative creative content for delivering better results in a competitive environment


• Search and apply creative solutions for increased efficiency, balancing quality with productivity from different TCCC markets and brand initiatives


• Regularly examine external factors (competitive and industry practices) and use these examples to inspire and create new ideas for local campaigns (from idea stage to execution)


• Understand and interpret research data, carrying learnings to brand communications (i.e. Link, B3, ad hoc advertising and concept researches, all continuous tracking etc )


• Supervise the development of all needed research material for comm. campaigns – helping find the most efficient creative approach for changing research formats (e.g. animatic, IMC Link research etc.)

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct: None

Indirect: 

Manages extensive teams in creative, agencies and indirectly in digital experiential, packaging and PR agencies in the creative development of both project-based and IMC campaigns
Responsible for day-to-day agency resource/ team performance management; also evaluating mid and year-end agency performances for continued improvement of the creative/IMC process
Responsible for providing full support to brand teams in parts of the creative process led by them, for on-strategy and on-time delivery
Co-plan and execute Communications capability building programs for extended Marketing team

Qualifications/Skills/Competencies

Communicating Effectively / Planning and Organizing / Decision Making / Demonstrating Self-Confidence / Negotiating / Establishing Direction / Attention to Detail / Managing Conflict / Understanding the Business / Working Under Pressure / Adaptability/ Responsiveness/innovative thinking

 Functional capabilities: 

• Delivers results – Lead role in communication strategies’ development


• Balances immediate and long-term priorities – Provides strategic input in the development of brands’ comm. plans. Lead role in managing all mid-term and immediate priorities for on-strategy and on-time in-market comm. execution


• Imports and exports good ideas – Lead role in identifying global work (through multiple KO channels) and adapting them for local campaigns


• Develops and inspires others – Lead role in building brand teams

Communications capability within the communication processes. Manages creative agencies to deliver high-standard work that meet business requirements, while ensuring creative integrity and team motivation.

Related Experience Requirements/QualificationsBachelors Degree. MBA is preferred

Cultural Diversity

Fluent use of both written and spoken English is a must. Working knowledge of French would be advantageous.

Travel Requirements
About 25% within Business Unit and Group

Working Conditions
Based in Nairobi Kenya with travel within the regions and Group level 

At The Coca-Cola Company you can cultivate your career in a challenging and dynamic environment. We are the largest manufacturer and distributor of nonalcoholic drinks in the world-selling more than 1 billion drinks a day. Unlock your full potential with a future-focused company that is known and respected throughout the world. 

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