Influence Manager | Influence | Ogilvy Africa

JOB PURPOSE

The Influence Manager is a critical leadership role responsible for the strategic planning, development, and flawless execution of influencer marketing campaigns. This position ensures alignment with clients' overarching business and marketing goals, drives portfolio performance, and fosters seamless integration between influencers and broader marketing strategies. The Manager will lead a dedicated team, cultivate strong relationships with influencers, clients, and internal stakeholders, and contribute to the growth of Ogilvy Africa's influence marketing capabilities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Influencer Campaign Management

• Co-develop and lead the implementation of sophisticated influencer strategies that directly support client business objectives and marketing goals.
• Oversee the end-to-end execution of high-impact influencer campaigns, encompassing influencer identification, vetting, brief development, contract negotiation, content approval, and continuous performance monitoring.
• Ensure all campaigns are delivered on schedule, within budget, and consistently meet or exceed client expectations and performance benchmarks.

Client Relations & Retention

• Act as the primary day-to-day contact for clients, nurturing robust relationships built on trust, transparency, and proactive communication.
• Lead client meetings, providing insightful updates on campaign progress, performance analysis, and strategic recommendations, while ensuring prompt actioning of all feedback.
• Proactively identify and capitalize on opportunities to expand and deepen influencer marketing engagements within existing client portfolios.
• Develop and deliver compelling client presentations that effectively articulate the strategic value and measurable impact of influencer marketing initiatives.

Team Management & Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of Influence Executives, establishing clear performance goals, providing regular constructive feedback, and fostering professional development.
• Cultivate a dynamic culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning within the team, ensuring seamless alignment across internal departments (e.g., Creative, Strategy, Account Management).

Mar-Tech Tool Integration & Optimization

• Champion the effective utilization of Ogilvy’s proprietary Mar-Tech tools, including InfluenceO FEED and OBRIO, to optimize influencer marketing campaigns.
• Integrate data-driven insights from these platforms to enhance campaign strategy, execution, and performance.
• Provide comprehensive training and ongoing guidance to the team on the optimal use of these tools, ensuring their consistent application across all relevant campaigns.

Strategic Growth & Business Development

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities within existing client accounts, contributing to organic growth.
• Assist in the development of compelling proposals and pitches for prospective clients.
• Actively contribute to Ogilvy Africa’s overall business development strategy, with a focus on expanding our footprint and identifying new influencer marketing opportunities across the African continent.

Data & Reporting

• Monitor, analyze, and interpret campaign performance data using advanced analytics tools to measure key metrics such as ROI, ROAS, engagement, and reach.
• Prepare and deliver regular, detailed performance reports to clients and internal stakeholders, providing actionable insights and strategic recommendations for ongoing and future campaigns.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of progressive work experience in a relevant marketing role, with a strong focus on digital and social media.
• Demonstrable experience working with and/or leading Influencer Marketing campaigns, showcasing successful outcomes.
• Prior experience within a dynamic agency environment, managing multiple clients and projects, is highly preferred.
• Proven track record of successfully achieving campaign objectives, fostering strong partnerships, and, where applicable to previous roles, exceeding sales goals.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Deep understanding of Influencer Marketing principles, current trends, and broader marketing strategies across diverse platforms.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), including Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, and Docs.
• Experience with Mar-Tech platforms and analytics tools; familiarity with proprietary tools (e.g., InfluenceO FEED, OBRIO) is a significant advantage.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, persuasively, and in a client-facing capacity.
• Strong collaborative and leadership skills, capable of taking and providing constructive direction across all levels of the team and organization.

Personal Attributes:

• Passion for the industry and a genuine enthusiasm for collaborating within a high-energy, dedicated team.
• Self-motivated, highly proactive, and capable of thriving in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.
• Goal-oriented with a strong drive for excellence and consistently exceeding established targets.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Consistent successful execution of multiple influencer marketing campaigns, evidenced by high client satisfaction, revenue growth, and measurable impact.
• Achieving or exceeding client Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including influencer engagement rates, reach objectives, and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
• Effective and consistent utilization of Mar-Tech tools (InfluenceO FEED and OBRIO) to drive data-driven influencer strategies and enhance campaign effectiveness.
• Demonstrable client retention and significant growth within influencer marketing portfolios.
• Strong team performance, development, and retention within the Influence Executive function.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Ogilvy Africa stands as the largest network agency on the continent, serving 40 countries with a team of approximately 900 professionals across Central, East, and West Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, we manage an extensive portfolio of over 100 brands for esteemed clients including AB InBev, Airtel, Africa CDC, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Distell, Equity Bank, Exxon Mobil, Kenya Airways, Mondelez, NCBA, Nestle, Philips, PWC, SAB Miller, Sanlam, Total, UNICEF, and WWF, among others.

Ogilvy's distinctive positioning and proposition are critically relevant today, as clients seek a partner to help them realize or regain growth ambitions. Our overarching ambition is to be, "The Best Platform and Partner for Growth on the Planet." This proposition is anchored in true shared value—creating human (societal), employee, and commercial value—and cuts across our key mega-businesses: ABC (Advertising, Branding, and Content), Experience (including CRM and e-commerce), PR & Influence, and Media (focused on performance marketing).

We have developed proprietary marketing products in areas such as real-time marketing, social intelligence, performance marketing, e-commerce enablement, and content hubs. Our unique 'One Ogilvy' operating model enables clients to navigate the complexity of agency structures, delivering seamless omni-channel experiences across consumer touchpoints. Fuelled by the synergy of content, data, and technology, Ogilvy Africa strives to be the best-practice agency model for Developing & Emerging markets.

With over 20 years of presence in Africa, we have garnered the highest number of regional and global awards for the region, including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, Dubai Lynx Festival, SABRE Awards (Global and Africa), and WARC Effectiveness, among others. Ogilvy is a leading global network of WPP, launched by David Ogilvy over 70 years ago, and recognized as the "Agency of Giants" by industry experts. The 2021 WARC rankings named Ogilvy the #1 creative network in the world.

OGILVY BELIEFS

• People need regular OS upgrades: Continuous learning and adaptation are essential for growth.
• We need more cows than milkmen: We are a culture of practitioners and contributors, not just managers.
• Creative about creativity: Creativity remains our core differentiator, now encompassing Data, Content, and Technology.
• Diversity is a competitive advantage: Embracing new profiles, skills, and leadership styles strengthens our company.
• Collaborative advantage > Competitive advantage: We seek strategic partnerships to scale effectively and rapidly.
• Team > Individual: Collective success is paramount; teams succeed, individuals fail without support.
• Fail often, fail fast: We encourage an entrepreneurial spirit, promoting pilots, learning from failures, and innovating continuously.