Digital Transformation Lead

Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

ROI Agency is seeking a senior leader to identify, design and commercialise growth opportunities across retail media, e‑commerce and marketplaces, AI-enabled marketing, and data-driven experiences for our clients in South Africa.

You will lead transformation, build retail media acceleration, advance data/identity work, and drive martech enablement with senior stakeholders. This role shapes strategy across KPIs, dashboards and cross‑functional teams.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of digital, media or data-led marketing experience.
• Proven transformation programme leadership for large FMCG/retail brands.
• Ability to engage senior stakeholders and guide cross-functional teams.
• Commercial mindset with a track record in incremental solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-year digital transformation roadmaps aligned to growth.
• Drive data transformation, AI-enabled marketing and martech enablement.
• Shape retail media and commerce strategies across SA platforms.
• Champion measurement frameworks and portfolio performance.
• Build a scalable creator/influencer ecosystem in collaboration with clients.

Skills

Digital transformation

FMCG industry

Client stakeholder management

Leadership

Cross-functional teams

Tools

Martech platforms

Job description

Company description

We are the ROI Agency, a global media agency with presence in multiple markets around the world. We blend data, technology and brilliant specialists to scout out new opportunities, solve complex challenges and grow our clients’ business We are a people first agency. We believe in cultivating relationships with our partners and our teams. Passionate teams lead to positive business results. We Believe Magic happens when we work together. We brainstorm, interrogate and push the boundaries to deliver new opportunities and solve complex challenges.

Overview

Role purpose

The successful candidate will identify, design and commercialise new growth opportunities across retail media, e-commerce and marketplaces, AI-enabled marketing, consumer data and identity, influencer and creator marketing, marketing technology, measurement and connected customer experiences for our client.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities

Lead our client’s digital transformation agenda

• Develop and own a multi-year digital transformation roadmap aligned to client's growth ambitions.


• Drive strategic initiatives across data transformation, consumer journey design, AI-enabled marketing, commerce acceleration, measurement evolution and martech enablement.


• Translate emerging technology, consumer behaviour and platform change into commercially viable opportunities


• Act as the transformation advisor to marketing and digital stakeholders.

Build retail media and commerce acceleration

• Lead retail media and commerce strategy across priority South African platforms and retail environments, including Sixty60, Pick n Pay asap!, Takealot and relevant digital shelf ecosystems.


• Connect media investment to sell-out, search visibility, marketplace content, ratings and reviews, conversion and revenue outcomes.


• Define portfolio-level frameworks while allowing each brand to activate the right commerce model for its category, audience and purchase mission.


• Develop full-funnel architecture across awareness, consideration, conversion and retention.

Advance data, identity and measurement transformation

• Drive adoption of consumer data, audience intelligence and identity-led planning approaches that improve precision and effectiveness.


• Help establish a single source of truth for performance, ROI and portfolio learning.


• Champion measurement frameworks across KPI standardisation, MMM, attribution, predictive analytics, dashboards and test-and-learn programmes.


• Support integration of Publicis solutions such as Connected ID and Growth OS where commercially and operationally relevant.

Lead AI, automation and martech enablement

• Define practical AI use cases for planning, optimisation, creative intelligence, content scaling, reporting, predictive analytics and demand forecasting.


• Oversee implementation, optimisation and integration of key martech platforms, data partnerships and workflow tools.


• Position AI as an embedded capability that improves decision‑making and speed, rather than a disconnected execution layer.

Build a creator and influencer growth ecosystem

• Identify opportunities for the Publicis Influential capability and creator commerce propositions across the portfolio.


• Shift influencer activity from fragmented brand‑by‑brand execution towards a scalable, measurable and accountable creator ecosystem.


• Use creators to support brand relevance, retail conversion, social proof, cultural resonance and performance outcomes.

6. Client and stakeholder leadership

• Build trusted senior relationships with marketing directors, brand leaders, digital stakeholders, e‑commerce teams, data and insights teams, procurement and finance.


• Lead transformation workshops, roadmap sessions, innovation presentations and annual planning inputs.


• Simplify complex digital, data and technology concepts into clear executive‑level narratives.


• Operate as a proactive strategic partner, not only as a delivery lead.

Qualifications

Essential experience

• 8+ years’ experience in digital, media, transformation, consulting, commerce, marketing technology or data‑led marketing.


• Proven experience leading transformation programmes for large FMCG, retail or consumer businesses.


• Strong understanding of the media, creative, commerce, data and technology ecosystem.


• Demonstrated ability to engage senior client stakeholders and influence cross‑functional teams.


• Commercially driven, with a track record of developing, selling and implementing incremental solutions.

Additional information

Strongly preferred expertise

• FMCG portfolio strategy and brand portfolio operating models.


• Retail media, digital shelf and e‑commerce acceleration.


• Consumer data, identity, audience intelligence and first‑party data strategy.


• AI‑enabled marketing, automation and predictive analytics.


• Influencer marketing, creator commerce and social measurement.


• Performance media, attribution, MMM and ROI frameworks.


• Martech, workflow tools, dashboards and connected planning ecosystems.