Senior Manager, Digital, SAF

Job Description: Senior Manager, Digital – SAF (Africa OU) 

Job Title: Senior Manager, Digital – Franchise 
Function: IMX / Marketing/Franchise 
Location: SAF 
Reports to: IMX Lead, Franchise (Africa OU) 
 
 

Role Purpose 

The Senior Manager, Digital – SAF is responsible for driving the Digital, Social, and Connected Commerce agenda for the Franchise within Africa OU. The role ensures that all digital initiatives are aligned to OU strategy, enable superior consumer experience, and accelerate brand growth across the system. This leader partners closely with Franchise Marketing, OU IMX, Media, Customer & Commercial, and Bottler teams to deliver best in class digital execution and measurable business impact. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Digital Strategy & Leadership 

• Lead the development and execution of the Franchise digital strategy aligned with IMX and OU priorities. 

• Drive integration of digital across full-funnel marketing, ensuring digital-first thinking in all Franchise brand plans. 

• Serve as the point of contact for all digital capability building, tools, and governance within the Franchise. 

2. Digital Campaign Development & IMX Integration 

• Partner with Marketing and IMX teams to ensure digital amplification of creative ideas, content, and campaigns. 

• Lead digital content planning across owned, earned, and paid channels including social media, web, CRM, commerce, and influencer ecosystems. 

• Ensure digital assets are localized effectively and delivered on time for Franchise markets. 

3. Social Media, Influencers & Community Management 

• Oversee social media strategy, always-on content calendars, and platform partnerships (Meta, YouTube, TikTok, X, etc.). 

• Build and manage influencer and creator programs, ensuring compliance, brand safety, and measurable outcomes. 

• Monitor online sentiment, drive community engagement, and guide reputation management activities. 

4. Data, Analytics & Measurement 

• Champion data-driven decision-making and ensure utilization of OU and Global measurement frameworks (MMM, MROI, DCE, social listening tools, dashboards, etc.). 

• Track campaign performance, provide insights, and recommend optimizations to maximize digital effectiveness. 

• Strengthen understanding and use of first-party and third-party data to enhance consumer journeys. 

5. Digital Commerce & Customer Integration 

• Partner with Customer & Commercial teams to support Connected Commerce initiatives, promotions, and digital shopper engagement. 

• Recommend digital solutions that strengthen online availability, visibility, and conversion at key retailers. 

• Ensure seamless integration between brand plans and customer digital activation. 

6. Franchise & Bottler Capability Building 

• Build digital capability across the Franchise and Bottler teams through training, tools, best-practice sharing, and program adoption. 

• Support governance and compliance for digital, social, influencer, and media processes. 

• Strengthen Franchise-level operational excellence in digital execution. 

7. External Partnerships & Ecosystem Development 

• Manage relationships with digital platforms, agencies, tech partners, and content creators. 

• Ensure the Franchise leverages cutting-edge trends, tools, and innovations aligned to system standards. 

• Support sourcing, validation, and management of digital vendors. 

Qualifications & Experience 

Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Digital, Communications, or related field. 

• 7–10+ years’ experience in Digital Marketing, Social Media, Media, or IMX roles. 

• Strong understanding of integrated marketing, digital media, analytics, and consumer journeys. 

• Experience working in multi-market or matrix organizations. 

• Proven track record of delivering digital results and leading cross-functional teams. 

Preferred: 

• Experience in FMCG, retail, beverages, or agency environments. 

• Knowledge of Africa regional consumer and digital landscape. 

• Experience working with bottler or customer teams. 

Key Competencies 

• Digital & Social Expertise 

• Data-driven decision-making 

• Collaboration & influencing in a matrix 

• Innovation & problem-solving 

• Strong project management & execution discipline 

• Leadership & capability-building orientation 

Success Criteria 

• Improved digital effectiveness and contribution to brand growth. 

• Strengthened digital capability across Franchise and Bottler partners. 

• Increased digital + commerce ROI and performance consistency. 

• High-quality, timely digital IMX integration across campaigns. 

• Strong relationships with platforms, agencies, markets, and system partners.