Growth & Operations Lead

Fimiliar; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000 - 2 000 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading brand studio in South Africa is seeking a dynamic CEO to partner with the founders in scaling a high-performing team and executing strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in leadership, particularly within digital marketing or brand strategy, with a focus on operational excellence and growing client relationships. This position offers the opportunity to influence a global market while driving creativity and measurable business outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a leadership role within digital marketing or brand strategy.
• Track record of scaling an early-stage business or leading a high-growth team.
• Strong strategic, commercial, and operational acumen.

Responsibilities

• Partner with founders to scale the business and execute company strategy.
• Build scalable systems for service delivery and client management.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing hybrid team.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Commercial acumen

Team mentorship

Communication skills

Job description

About Us

We help founders and executives become un-ignorable. Born from agency DNA, we turn lived experience into deal-driving visibility through data, storytelling, and technology. Think of us as a growth studio that blends creative craft with AI and analytics to turn attention into measurable business outcomes. Our mission is simple: help ambitious leaders and brands own their narrative, scale their visibility, and convert attention into growth.

This is a hands‑on leadership role suited to someone with around 8–12 years’ experience who thrives in founder‑led, fast‑moving environments and enjoys building structure around high‑energy entrepreneurial teams.

What We Do

We combine brand strategy, storytelling, and audience growth into one capability – from positioning and narrative design to data‑driven content and intelligent distribution.

Why Us

We move fast, think globally, and combine agency craft with founder agility. Our hybrid model of human‑led, tech‑amplified marketing drives both creativity and precision. Clients across the UK, Europe, and the US have used our work to unlock over $100M+ in new business and category‑leading visibility.

About the Role

As CEO, you’ll partner with the founders to scale our high‑performing studio into a structured, sustainable, and globally recognised business. You’ll own both strategy and execution — balancing creative energy with operational discipline, and leading a growing team across markets. You’ll be leading a young, ambitious, founder‑heavy team so the ability to bring structure without slowing momentum is critical.

Key Responsibilities Include

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with the founders to define and execute the company’s long‑term strategy for scaling a modern digital brand‑building and marketing business.
• Translate vision into actionable growth initiatives across brand positioning, client acquisition, operations, and technology.
• Position the company as a next‑generation marketing partner that delivers both creative and analytical value.
• Identify and pursue new market opportunities across key geographies (UK, Europe, Middle East, US).
• Drive commercial performance and profitability, ensuring the business scales sustainably while maintaining creativity and speed.
• Provide strategic oversight and direction for the development of the company’s proprietary data‑insight and AI‑driven business development and marketing platform.

Operational Excellence

• Build scalable systems and processes to streamline service delivery, client management, and team collaboration.
• Lead organisational planning – work with finance, HR, operations, and performance management to drive business performance and operational efficiency, while supporting the creative core of the business.
• Establish metrics and KPIs to measure growth, client outcomes, and operational efficiency.
• Oversee budgets, forecasting, and resource allocation to ensure financial sustainability and profitable growth.

Team & Culture

• Lead, mentor, and grow a small but high‑performing hybrid team.
• Foster a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Champion values of transparency, collaboration, and innovation.

Business Development & Client Growth

• Work with the Founders to drive new client acquisition and strategic partnerships.
• Support founders and senior strategists in refining service offerings and pricing models.
• Ensure client satisfaction and long‑term relationship management.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in a leadership role, ideally within digital marketing, creative services, or brand strategy sectors, ideally with exposure to technology‑enabled transformation.
• Track record of scaling an early‑stage business or leading a high‑growth team.
• Strong strategic, commercial, and operational acumen — able to balance vision with disciplined execution.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with technical or product teams, with a strong understanding of how data, analytics, and AI can enhance marketing outcomes.
• Experience managing international clients or remote/global teams.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and execute.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, high adaptability, and genuine curiosity about emerging technologies and digital transformation.
• Strategic thinker who can also dive into operational detail when needed.
• Passionate about brand storytelling, digital influence, and content‑driven growth.

Why Join Us?

Join a company redefining how leaders and brands earn attention in an AI‑driven world. You’ll work directly with the founders to structure and scale a global brand studio born in South Africa and trusted across the UK, Europe, and the US. If you’re energised by growth, creativity, and the intersection of human storytelling and intelligent technology — this is where you’ll make your mark.