Social Wellness Marketing Manager

Virgin Active South Africa; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading wellness company in Cape Town seeks a dynamic individual to enhance member experiences through innovative marketing and community engagement strategies. The role involves collaborating with teams to create engaging activations and ensuring a premium social wellness atmosphere across clubs. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in marketing, excellent communication skills, and a passion for community building.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in premium retail or customer-facing environments.
• Experience in creating and executing events and activations.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Customer and Marketing teams for activations.
• Manage relationships with print and distribution vendors.
• Drive club communities such as yoga and Pilates.

Skills

Creativity

Collaboration

Communication

Project Management

Attention to Detail

Education

Creative or Marketing diploma or degree

Job description

Our purpose is to…

To change people’s lives for the better through wellness. We are passionate about supporting people to lead healthy, fulfilled lives by providing a space where they can focus on their physical, mental, and social well-being.

Our mission is to create an environment where wellness works for everyone. At Virgin Active, wellness is not just about fitness—it’s about creating real experiences that support members in their holistic health journey.

We provide a luxury wellness environment that fosters personal growth, community, and transformation. Our approach is accessible, inclusive, and built on the foundation of social wellness.

Our wellness offering is built on core pillars which define who we are and how we deliver on our promise:

1. Refreshing Real Experiences: Authentic, engaging experiences that inspire lasting wellness.
2. Holistic Wellness: A comprehensive approach integrating fitness, mental health, nutrition, and recovery.
3. Curated Guidance and Progress: Personalized coaching and programs to support sustainable progress.
4. Communities Without Conformity: Diverse, welcoming environments where everyone feels empowered.
5. Embed the global Virgin Active promise of “social wellness club” into every club by co‑creating locally resonant activations that honour each club’s unique member base.
6. Leverage proven nudge principles and creative brand design to craft experiences that not only delight members in the moment but also build enduring habits and loyalty over time.
7. Act as the empathetic bridge between digital tools and real‑world connection, ensuring every member feels personally seen, supported, and celebrated through both high‑tech nudges and high‑touch hospitality.
8. Translate engagement metrics into actionable on-the-ground insights for gym GMs, iterating programs rapidly and sharing best practices across regions to cultivate thriving wellness communities in every club.
9. Equip local club teams with frameworks, playbooks, and coaching to adapt, own, and elevate campaigns—fostering a culture of continuous innovation, collaboration, and shared success on a global stage.

Your Purpose

1. Embed the global Virgin Active promise of “social wellness club” into every club by co‑creating locally resonant activations that honour each club’s unique member base.
2. Leverage proven nudge principles and creative brand design to craft experiences that delight members and build lasting loyalty.
3. Act as the empathetic bridge between digital tools and real‑world connection, ensuring members feel personally seen, supported, and celebrated through high‑tech and high‑touch approaches.
4. Translate engagement metrics into actionable insights for gym GMs, rapidly iterate programs, and share best practices across regions.
5. Provide local club teams with frameworks, playbooks, and coaching to adapt and enhance campaigns, fostering a culture of continuous innovation and collaboration.

Your Duties and Responsibilities

1. Collaborate with Customer and Marketing teams to plan club-specific activations that bring the “social wellness club” to life.
2. Design in-club brand interventions to increase member engagement and enjoyment.
3. Create blueprints for community events and activations that reinforce our premium social wellness proposition.
4. Integrate in-club interactions with digital engagement strategies.
5. Serve as the liaison between marketing and clubs, ensuring clear communication, detailed launch plans, and adherence to brand standards.
6. Manage relationships with print and distribution vendors to ensure timely and budget-conscious delivery of collateral.
7. Conduct regular site visits to manage launches, activations, monitor standards, and build relationships within clubs.
8. Establish success metrics for campaigns and provide timely reports.
9. Share learnings with HQ, club teams, and the global business to foster continuous improvement.

Build The World’s Best Onboarding Experience

1. Lead the onboarding strategy across Virgin Active SA clubs.
2. Standardize implementation to ensure consistency.
3. Collaborate with teams for seamless execution.
4. Develop performance metrics and improve underperforming clubs.
5. Ensure onboarding includes goal-setting, app engagement, community connections, manager introductions, consultations, and habit-forming plans.
6. Monitor and follow up with new members during their first three months.

Community Building

1. Drive club communities such as yoga, Pilates, swimming, and coworking spaces.
2. Facilitate member connections and two-way communication.
3. Identify and re-engage inactive members through outreach.
4. Promote community offerings clearly to all members.

Unreasonable Hospitality

1. Establish distinct hospitality experiences based on Will Guidara’s approach.
2. Implement standardized yet unique hospitality across clubs.
3. Train teams to deliver personalized, memorable experiences.
4. Monitor hospitality execution consistently.

Minimum Requirements

• Creative or Marketing diploma or degree.
• 7+ years in premium retail or customer-facing environments.
• Passion for bringing brands to life physically.
• Experience in creating and executing events and activations.
• Ability to translate brand and marketing into memorable experiences.
• Experience managing suppliers and distribution.
• Team player with strong collaboration skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Knowledge of event and activation trends.
• Project management skills.
• Process-driven with attention to detail.
• Calm under pressure.
• Self-starter with proactive learning attitude.
• Flexible working hours.
• High tolerance for ambiguity and ability to work in fast-paced environments.