Senior Content & Communications Specialist

Publicis Groupe ANZ; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicis Groupe ANZ is seeking a Senior Content & Communications Specialist to lead editorial and strategic content across key clients. The role blends corporate and internal communications with B2B and B2C storytelling, requiring strong client engagement and relationship management.

You will oversee content planning, editing, and delivery across channels, guiding the design studio and managing budgets while driving results and growth opportunities for clients.

Qualifications

• Proven editorial and communications leadership experience.
• Omni‑channel content strategy development for digital clients.
• Ability to multitask and manage multiple projects with deadlines.
• Strong English writing and editing skills.
• Experience with financial services, telecoms, healthcare sectors.

Responsibilities

• Develop content strategies and communications plans aligned to client KPIs and audiences.
• Lead planning, editing, and writing for B2B, B2C, CRM and internal comms.
• Research and create content across channels from long‑form to short social copy.
• Proofread for brand alignment and accuracy; manage briefs with design studio.
• Lead content performance reporting and optimize strategies based on insights.

Skills

Editorial leadership

Omni‑channel strategies

B2B/B2C content marketing

Budgeting & project mgmt

Client engagement & relationships

Strong English writing

Leadership presence

Strategic storytelling

C-suite communication

Education

Bachelor's in Communications

Tools

Viva Engage

SharePoint

CRM tools

Job description

Overview

We’re looking for an experienced and passionate Senior Content & Communications Specialist to work across some of our biggest clients. This is a full‑time position for a senior person with a strong editorial and communications background, experience in corporate and internal communications, storytelling, strategy, client engagement and relationship management. Additional B2B experience is advantageous. The role is a BBEEE‑preference position, reporting into the Head of Specialist Content & Communication, based in our Cape Town office.

Machine_ operates a hybrid working environment, with staff expected to be in‑office 3–4 days a week and to attend client meetings in person. Note that Publicis may change in‑office requirements as policy evolves.

Responsibilities

• Craft content strategies and communication plans that deeply understand client business, KPIs, and target audiences.
• Understand content channels, user journeys, formats and success metrics, and create engaging content aligned to these factors.
• Lead content planning, commissioning, editing and writing for key B2B, B2C, CRM and internal communications clients.
• Research and create content across all channels and genres, from long‑form print to short social media captions and advertising copy.
• Proofread and copy‑edit content to ensure it is punchy, thoroughly researched, brand‑aligned, and error‑free.
• Take briefs and create briefs for content and the design studio, self‑manage time and deadlines, and delegate solutions.
• Ensure all content is original, accurate, client‑tone‑appropriate, and of the highest quality.
• Optimize content for its intended objectives, channels, and audience.
• Review work from start to finish, including testing of digital assets as needed.
• Lead reporting on content performance, understand insight‑led, results‑driven content, and regularly optimize strategies.
• Brief the design studio, manage delivery, and guide creative look and feel.
• Manage content budgets and timelines with support from the client service team.
• Support pitches with strategic content input and proactively bring forward new business opportunities.
• Advise clients and internal teams on content marketing and digital content best practice, building trust‑based relationships.
• Own day‑to‑day client management and keep the client at the centre of the work.
• Spot new business opportunities and build relationships with key stakeholders to support growth.
• Build strong working relationships across the agency and within your team.
• Invest in the growth of peers, line reports, and the business by improving processes and increasing revenue with existing and new clients.

Qualifications

• Strong editorial and communications background across multiple platforms, minimum 3 years as a lead communications strategist or editor‑in‑chief, or similar, with internal communications experience.
• Experience creating omni‑channel communication and content marketing strategies for primarily digital clients.
• Ability to multitask and plan across multiple projects.
• Solid time management skills.
• Can work independently and make things happen.
• Creative thinking across marketing and content opportunities.
• Very strong English writing and editing skills.
• Firm beliefs about great content.
• People person with good problem‑solving skills and ability to represent the agency in front of clients.
• Strong leadership presence.
• Comfortable reporting and presenting to key clients.
• Experience with content pillars for financial services, telecoms, healthcare, FMCG, alcohol, etc.
• Skilled across B2C, B2B, and internal communications disciplines.
• Strategic, diplomatic, and astute in front of C‑suite level clients.
• Well‑versed in digital content best practice and strategy, including social media, websites, digital magazines, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, community management, reporting, and internal platforms like email CRM, Viva Engage and SharePoint.
• Strong journalistic network of content writers, creators, and producers for commissioning.
• Fundamentally passionate about content and content marketing, willing to go above and beyond beyond 9‑to‑5.
• Understanding of corporate communication environment, including company reports and result sessions.
• Comfortable working on B2B/expert content such as tech, mining, healthcare, financial services institutions; network of specialist writers and content creators for healthcare content aimed at doctors and pharmacists.
• Creatively minded, able to assist with creative direction and partner closely with creative directors and studio.
• Experienced at giving and receiving constructive feedback across team members.