Lead Professional, Energy Marketing, South Africa

Nike; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike is seeking a Lead Professional for Energy Marketing in Johannesburg, focused on enhancing brand relationships and executing innovative marketing strategies. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in cultural marketing and brand management, with a creative approach to engaging South Africa's youth culture. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping Nike's presence in the market while collaborating with key cultural talents.

Qualifications

• Solid experience in brand and/or brand functional management.
• Understanding of cultural marketing in South Africa.
• Proven experience identifying and managing relationships with thought leaders.

Responsibilities

• Identifying and managing a network of cultural catalysts in South Africa.
• Creating visionary marketing concepts for youth.
• Driving Energy & Sportswear campaigns with store partners.

Skills

Cultural marketing

Relationship management

Cross-functional marketing

Brand management

Job description

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

Nike Energy Marketing drives connections with those that are culturally impacting today’s most discerning youth communities and puts forward new ideas to explore the intersections of sports and culture (fashion, music, art, design…).

As part of the EMEA Energy team, you will work fluidly across the South Africa Marketing Team, to foster strong relationships with cultural talents in the city/country. You will also work cross-functionally in the South Africa Nike Brand Team and Sports Marketing in service of our athletes. You will work closely with the EMEA Energy Marketing Team and the Men’s/Women’s Consumer Construct (Marketing) teams in EHQ.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

An experienced marketing talent with a strong link to South African youth culture. Guardians of brand catalysts, curious, opportunistic, communicators, explorers, focused on the future and able to set up strategic connections. Visionaries seeing unique opportunities to take risks, expand perspectives, celebrate brand values, accelerate the business and advance the notion of sports culture. A talent keen to link their ideas into the cross-functional business to catalyse brand & business momentum, and keen to partner with crucial marketplace partners to turn their ideas into a reality on the ground.

A marketing talent willing to move forward in an experimental approach, capable of considering his/her functions as a laboratory, a testing ground to push the limits strategically, incubate, test and learn to imagine and build a new space for Nike and sport, when others do not see the looming opportunity. A collaborator with interest, open-mindedness and limitless passion, translating visionary language into something unique in its modernity.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

As the Lead Professional, Energy Marketing Runway, Johannesburg/South Africa you will be a part of the Marketing Team, reporting directly to the Energy CEMEA Senior Manager & Marketing Director South Africa. This role will be responsible for balancing relationship management & marketing execution through our key talent relationships across the SA cultural ecosystem.

Specifically, you will be responsible for:

• Identifying and managing a network of cultural catalysts in South Africa to boost the brand priorities and create the future of sport*, in alignment to our global strategy

• Providing exceptional service and brand management to all talent relationships

• Creating visionary marketing concepts aimed at pushing the intersections of sports and culture through creativity with strong resonance among the youth

• Driving key Energy & Sportswear campaigns through pinnacle marketplace ecosystem in collaboration with our store partners

• Briefing and managing external agencies

• Identify, gather and formulate structured insights about forward-thinking consumers to enable us to better serve creative youth on the ground in the city, and providing feedback to CEMEA & Energy team to support long-term concepts

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO NIKE?

A successful candidate will be expected to clearly demonstrate and articulate experience of the below essential requirements in order to be considered.

Essential requirements:

• Solid experience in brand and/or brand functional management, with a strong focus on cross-functional marketing.

• Experience in cultural marketing in South Africa and a demonstrable understanding of the visionary and forward-thinking consumer, the cities, country and Nike's position within it with credentials in strategic decision-making in this environment.

• Proven experience identifying, owning and managing external relationships with thought leaders in South Africa - with a strong focus on fashion, music, art and design aligned with Nike's strategic objectives

• Prior marketing experience and a demonstrable understanding of the consumer, South Africa and Nike’s position within it, with a track record of making strategic marketing decisions within this environment.

This role is not open for relocation. This position will close on the 12th of July 2025.