Job Title: Influencer Account Manager

Company: WPP Media South Africa

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Reports To: Strategic Account Manager, Social & Influencer

Direct Reports:

Type: Full-Time

About the Role:

The Influencer Account Manager is responsible for leading the end-to-end planning, management and delivery of influencer marketing across a portfolio of brands. Reporting to the Strategic Account Manager, Social & Influencer, this role acts as the day-to-day strategic client partner, translating business objectives into creator-first strategies that drive measurable business outcomes. Working across Social, Media, Creative and Commerce, you will own campaign delivery from briefing through reporting while proactively identifying opportunities that keep brands at the forefront of culture.

Key Responsibilities:

Client Relationship Management:

• Act as the primary day-to-day contact for key client stakeholders, building and maintaining strong, trusted working relationships.
• Manage client communications with professionalism and efficiency, ensuring expectations are clearly set and consistently met.
• Lead regular client meetings, contributing to clear agendas and ensuring all parties are aligned on campaign progress, timelines, and deliverables.

Campaign & Project Management:

• Lead project management on all assigned campaigns, directly overseeing tasks managed by your dedicated Campaign Manager to ensure seamless execution.
• Collaborate closely with clients to define campaign objectives, target audiences, and KPIs, ensuring these are clearly documented.
• Develop compelling presentations, campaign strategies, and detailed influencer briefs for client meetings and internal reviews.

Strategic Delivery & Integration:

• Translate High-Level Strategy: Act as the key delivery owner for the influencer marketing component of the brand strategy, translating annual business objectives and campaign goals into tangible and effective influencer activation plans.
• Campaign Strategy & Ideation: Lead the development of end-to-end campaign strategy and creative ideation in direct response to client briefs, defining the campaign's core narrative, talent approach, and activation mechanics to meet stated objectives.
• Integrated Campaign Planning: Proactively collaborate with Paid Media, Social, PR, and Creative teams to ensure influencer marketing is seamlessly integrated into the wider marketing mix, aligning talent, messaging, and timing for maximum impact.
• Proactive Opportunity Identification: Use social listening, cultural trend analysis, and deep knowledge of the creator landscape to identify and pitch proactive talent-led opportunities, first-to-market activations, and strategic partnerships that align with the brand's goals. 

Execution Leadership & Internal Workflow Management:

• Lead the internal briefing process, translating client strategy into clear, actionable tasks and project plans for your dedicated Campaign Manager.
• Manage all project scope changes, clearly communicating adjustments to timelines, tasks, and budgets directly to the Campaign Manager to ensure alignment.
• Provide ultimate oversight of the content creation and approval process, working directly with the Campaign Manager to ensure quality and alignment with the brief before any materials are presented to the client.
• Serve as the primary strategic guide and escalation point for the Campaign Manager, providing continuous clarification and direction to ensure flawless execution.

Performance & Reporting:

• Work with data and insights teams to measure campaign effectiveness and ensure all KPIs are met.
• Take accountability for all client-facing documentation and communication, ensuring accuracy and a high standard of quality.
• Analyse performance metrics and present data-driven insights and recommendations to the client and internal leadership.

Creator Strategy & Talent Management:

• Build long-term creator partnerships aligned to brand objectives.
• Recommend creators using audience, engagement, brand safety and performance data.
• Build Macro, Micro, Nano and UGC creator ecosystems.

Cultural Intelligence & Trend Spotting:

• Translate cultural insights into proactive campaign recommendations.
• Identify reactive marketing opportunities and first-to-market creator partnerships.
• Monitor creator culture, platform trends and social behaviours.

Commercial & Financial Management:

• Ensure accurate financial tracking and timely creator payments.
• Monitor profitability and campaign scope throughout campaign delivery.
• Manage campaign budgets, forecasts, purchase orders and supplier reconciliation.

Required Capabilities:

Experience:

• 5–7+ years' experience in Influencer Marketing, Account Management or Digital Marketing within an agency environment.
• Experience managing FMCG or global brands and presenting to senior client stakeholders is highly advantageous.

Skills:

• Exceptional Project Management: Meticulous attention to detail with a proven ability to manage multiple complex projects and conflicting priorities simultaneously.
• Client-Centric Communication: Excellent client-facing communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills. You must be adept at managing expectations.
• Proactive Problem-Solving: The ability to anticipate potential risks, identify issues as they arise, and develop effective, timely solutions.
• Direct Oversight & Delegation: The ability to effectively manage the workflow of a dedicated support specialist, delegating tasks clearly and holding them accountable for deliverables in a supportive, collaborative manner.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment, fostering collaboration between diverse internal departments and external partners.

• Strategic Client Leadership: Ability to confidently present recommendations and challenge briefs constructively.
• Commercial Acumen: Budget management, forecasting, PO management and supplier coordination.
• AI & Emerging Technology: Experience using ChatGPT, Gemini or similar AI tools for creator discovery, planning and reporting.
• Influencer Platforms: Experience using CreatorIQ, Influencer.AI, Brand.AI, Emplifi and Brandwatch.

Attributes:

• Accountable & Organised: A strong sense of ownership for your projects and a highly organized, process-driven approach to your work.
• Adaptable & Resilient: Comfortable working in a fast-paced, ever-changing digital environment and skilled at handling pressure with composure.
• Detail-Oriented: Precision in managing budgets, timelines, and client deliverables is non-negotiable.
• Adept Communicator: Able to communicate effectively and professionally across all levels, both internally and with the client.

Overview of KPI’s (to be evolved as required by the business)

The KPIs for this role are part of a dynamic performance development framework. They will be formally reviewed and updated on an annual basis to ensure alignment with evolving business objectives and your personal career development goals. This entire process is managed collaboratively through goal setting and progress tracking within our dedicated platform