With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.
Job Summary
The Commercial & Partner Manager provides leadership and operational oversight for Absa’s brand and marketing commercial activities and partnership ecosystem. This role drives measurable business growth through integrated go-to-market strategies, high-impact sponsorships, and strategic partnerships that optimise revenue, customer acquisition, and brand equity. Acting as a bridge between commercial objectives and marketing execution, the role ensures alignment of sponsorship, brand, and citizenship initiatives with organisational priorities, leveraging data-driven insights and digital platforms to maximise performance and ROI.Job Description
Key Accountabilities:
Commercial Strategy & Planning
Develop and implement a unified commercial marketing strategy aligned with Absa’s growth objectives and brand positioning.
Translate strategic priorities into actionable plans that deliver measurable commercial outcomes.
Go-to-Market & Campaign Delivery
Lead execution of integrated campaigns that drive customer acquisition, retention, and revenue growth.
Ensure campaigns deliver against KPIs for brand consideration, engagement, and commercial impact.
Partnership & Sponsorship Management
Manage lifecycle of strategic partnerships, including Absa Rewards, Vehicle Finance, and sponsorship partners.
Negotiate and secure new sponsorship deals, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and maximum commercial return.
Commercialisation of Sponsorship & Citizenship
Design and implement commercial models that monetise sponsorship rights and citizenship initiatives.
Optimise rights usage and activation plans to enhance brand visibility and engagement.
Performance Measurement & Reporting
Develop measurement frameworks and dashboards to track campaign and sponsorship performance.
Provide insights-driven reports on ROI, audience reach, engagement, and business impact.
Financial Oversight
Manage sponsorship and partnership budgets, ensuring accurate forecasting and cost optimisation.
Align financial performance with organisational goals and accountability standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with Finance, Sales, Marketing, Product, and Legal teams to ensure alignment and seamless execution.
Collaborate with agencies to deliver creative assets and integrated activation plans.
Risk Management & Compliance
Ensure all contracts comply with legal, regulatory, and internal policy standards.
Proactively identify and mitigate operational and reputational risks.
Education and Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree, Advanced Diploma, or B Tech [NQF 7]
Field of Study (Preferred):
Marketing
Commerce
Business Management
Work Experience:
5 - 12 years experience in a specific capability of importance to the bank, including a track record of 3 years in a people management position.
Exposure to process design, optimisation, quality management, customer centricity, technology and data-driven decision-making is preferred.
Proven success in building and scaling commercial strategies and managing high-value partnerships.
Experience in delivering measurable commercial outcomes, including campaign ROI and revenue growth.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex stakeholder environments and cross-functional teams.
Competencies:
Leadership Competencies:
Strategic Thinking
Business Acumen
Communication
Influence
Leadership
Delivering Results
Adaptability
Collaboration
Decision-Making
Knowledge & Skills:
Operational planning and execution
Process optimisation and service design
Customer experience management
Performance measurement and reporting
Governance and compliance
Digital tools and platforms
Data analysis and insight generation
Team leadership and development
Strong understanding of digital marketing platforms, omnichannel activation, and performance analytics.
Advanced negotiation and contracting skills for high-value partnerships.
Ability to translate data insights into actionable commercial strategies.
Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship management capabilities.
Education
Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Marketing (Required)Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.
Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised