Business Unit Director

Salt Digital Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 558,000 - 669,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Commission structure over CTC

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Salt Digital Recruitment seeks a Business Unit Director in Cape Town to lead one of its flagship portfolios. This leadership role is ideal for a Senior Account Director ready to step up, managing key client relationships mainly with alcohol and FMCG brands.

You will inspire a multidisciplinary team, ensure strategic and creative excellence in campaign deliveries, and cultivate a performance-focused culture.

The position offers a hybrid work arrangement with competitive CTC salary and commission structure.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years' experience in advertising/creative agency.
• Proven track record with alcohol and FMCG brands.
• Strong TTL experience with integrated campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small, agile team across client service and creative.
• Own and grow key client relationships as the strategic lead.
• Oversee development of integrated campaigns across various channels.

Skills

Client management skills

Team leadership

Integrated campaign delivery

Digital-first mindset

Job description

Overview

A fast-growing, creatively led TTL agency is looking for a Cape Town-based Business Unit Director to lead one of its flagship portfolios. This is essentially an Account Director-level role in terms of hands-on delivery, but with broader leadership scope - ideal for a seasoned Senior Account Director ready to step up. You\'ll take full ownership of key client relationships (with a strong focus on alcohol and FMCG brands), guiding integrated work across digital, social, experiential, and traditional channels. The environment is small, nimble, and highly collaborative - you\'ll be close to the work, close to the clients, and central to shaping both the creative output and the culture of the team. You will lead and inspire a tight-knit multidisciplinary team, drive strategic and creative excellence, and ensure campaigns are delivered on time, on brief, and to an exceptional standard. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a high-performance agency setting, brings a digital-first mindset, and is excited about building a strong, respected business unit.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small, agile "tribe" (approximately 10 people) across client service and creative, ensuring cohesive TTL delivery.
• Own and grow key client relationships, acting as the strategic and operational lead for the portfolio.
• Oversee the development and delivery of integrated campaigns across digital, social, experiential, and traditional channels.
• Work closely with strategy, media, and production to deliver insight-led, effective, and impactful work.
• Brief, guide, and inspire creative teams to deliver innovative, on-brand ideas that move the needle for clients.
• Champion digital-first thinking and ensure content and campaigns are optimised for modern platforms and audiences.
• Drive quality control across all outputs - from creative concepts to final delivery.
• Manage workflow, prioritisation, and resource allocation across the business unit.
• Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts and contribute to new business pitches as needed.
• Provide clear leadership, coaching, and mentorship to the team; help build a healthy, high-performance culture.
• Act as the calm, solutions-focused centre in a fast-moving environment, especially when managing tight timelines and complex deliverables.

Requirements

• 5-8 years\' experience in an advertising/creative agency environment, with solid time as a Senior Account Director or similar.
• Proven track record managing alcohol brands and FMCG accounts (non-negotiable).
• Strong TTL experience with a digital-first mindset and an understanding of integrated campaign delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent client management skills, with the ability to build trust, handle complexity, and confidently lead strategic conversations.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to spot and unlock growth opportunities within accounts.
• High emotional intelligence: collaborative, grounded, and able to manage pressure while keeping teams aligned.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.

Salary: R 50 000,00 to R 60 000,00 CTC per month (depending on experience). Location: Cape Town (Hybrid - 2 x per week in-office). Benefits: Great commission structure over and above the CTC.