Head of Marketing and Commercial Customer Experience Excellence

The Focus Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multinational pharmaceutical company seeks a Head of Marketing & Commercial Customer Experience Excellence (CXE) to be based in Johannesburg. You will be responsible for driving customer engagement strategies, managing budgets, and ensuring the financial sustainability of the brand across Southern Africa. Ideal candidates will have 5–10 years of experience in marketing within the pharmaceutical industry, along with strong analytical and team management skills. This role demands a strategic mindset and a passion for enhancing customer experience.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience in marketing and business operations within a multinational pharmaceutical company.
• Demonstrated experience in Customer Experience Excellence.
• 2–3 years of management experience.

Responsibilities

• Own and localize go-to-market and customer engagement strategy.
• Ensure financial sustainability and deliver commercial targets.
• Manage budgets and track performance to plan.
• Drive digital transformation and compliant execution.
• Build a high-performing team and lead change.

Skills

Strategic business planning execution

Strong analytical mindset

Complex Problem Solving

Strong team management skills

Strong communication skills

Stakeholder management

Advanced spreadsheet skills

Proven success in omnichannel engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA

Job description

Looking at hiring the Head - Marketing & Commercial Customer Experience Excellence (CXE) for the Southern Africa region including South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. The incumbent will be responsible for translating the regional strategy into high-impact, compliant execution that grows the clients brands and elevates customer experience. You’ll steer go-to-market plans, distributor performance, digital transformation, and team capability to deliver sustainable net sales and market share. The Head - Marketing & CXE will be based in Johannesburg, and reports to the General Manager for Southern Africa.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and localize go-to-market and customer engagement strategy; plan campaigns for defined customer groups and embed omnichannel practices using approved CRM/digital platforms.
• Ensure financial sustainability, deliver commercial targets: forecast and phase sales, manage budgets, and track performance to plan.
• Stakeholder management for the clients distributors in the country with full adherence to SOPs, Code of Conduct, and performance targets.
• Turn data into decisions: analyze in-market/net/export sales and market/IMS insights; produce clear recommendations and management reports.
• Drive digital transformation and compliant execution across field force, events (F2F/virtual), and content operations; ensure process excellence across GTM value streams.
• Build a high-performing team: set objectives, coach leaders, and lead change towards future-ready marketing and customer-facing capabilities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• 5–10 years’ experience in marketing and business operations within a multinational pharmaceutical company, particularly in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated experience in Customer Experience Excellence and/or prior experience as a Business Analyst is highly advantageous.
• Proven experience or exposure to distributor operating models within the SSA region.
• 2–3 years of management experience, with the ability to lead, develop, and inspire diverse teams.

Skills And Competencies

• Strategic business planning execution, monitoring and steering performance
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to produce strategic insights in VUCA environment
• Complex Problem Solving, Strategic Insight, Enabling Decision making through Stakeholder Management & Alignment
• Strong team management / Team Leadership skills/ Leading in a Matrix structure
• Strong communication, interpersonal, negotiation and influencing skills
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.
• Advanced spreadsheet and presentation skills
• Proven success in omnichannel engagement, CRM adoption, forecasting, and budget ownership.