Ogilvy PR Social & Influence Creative Partner

Location: Johannesburg / Cape Town/ Hybrid
Department: PR, Influence & Social CM

Position Summary

Were looking for a bold, culturally connected Creative Partner to lead the next chapter of our earned-first creative evolution at Ogilvy PR, Influence and Social Community Management (PRSI).

This is not your traditional advertising creative role.

We need a creative thinker and doer who moves comfortably between culture, strategy, and storytelling, someone who can craft compelling, social-led, influence-first ideas that earn attention and create impact. This role is senior, client-facing, and integral to shaping both the work and the team culture.

The right candidate will be a strong conceptual thinker with proven campaign experience, ideally award-winning, and an intuitive understanding of how brands can show up authentically in culture, especially through influencers, creators, and community.

Key Responsibilities

Creative Leadership

• Lead the development of earned-first, culturally resonant ideas that drive talkability, relevance, and impact.
• Provide creative direction and feedback on all briefs within the Influence & PR teamensuring work is insight-led and world-class.
• Push boundaries by driving integration of innovative tech and AI, content formats, and emerging platforms into creative thinking.
• Partner closely with other capabilities (strategy, PR, social, content, digital, media) to develop fully integrated, earned-first campaigns.

Team Management & Culture

• Nurture, grow, and lead a small but mighty creative team, providing mentorship, structure, and space to thrive.
• Foster a team culture that is collaborative, kind, accountable, and creatively ambitious.
• Oversee workflow and resourcing of the creative team, ensuring projects are well-supported and deadlines are met.

Client Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build and nurture relationships with senior clients, acting as a trusted advisor for creative and cultural insight.
• Lead client presentations, championing the creative vision and guiding clients through bold, non-traditional ideas.
• Influence client briefs early in the process to create the right foundation for great work.

New Business & Growth

• Play a central role in new business pitches, developing creative responses and presenting ideas with confidence.
• Identify opportunities to grow existing client relationships through proactive ideation and strategic upsell.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to position Ogilvy SA as a go-to agency for earned-first creative.

Operational & Strategic Planning

• Coordinate teams effectively, ensuring clear briefing, realistic timelines, and cross-functional alignment.
• Work closely with project managers and strategists to maintain creative momentum and campaign integrity.
• Track campaign success and feed learnings back into creative processes.

Cultural Fluency & Innovation

• Stay deeply plugged into local culture, creators, tech, and conversations.
• Inspire the wider agency with fresh thinking, cultural insights, and creative bravery.
• Experiment with new tools, platforms, and technologies that elevate our creative work.

What Were Looking For

• A minimum of 8-12 years experience in a creative or strategy-led role, ideally in social, influence, PR, or culturally-led creative work.
• Experience managing and mentoring creative teams with clarity, kindness, and high standards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead integrated campaigns, coordinate teams, and deliver complex, multi-platform briefs.
• Strong track record in developing award-winning, social and earned first, high-impact creative campaigns.
• Comfort with tech innovation and eagerness to explore how new tools can drive creative excellence.
• A deep understanding of the South African cultural landscape and how brands can authentically connect to it.
• Confidence in new business environments, both in idea development and presentation.
• A compelling storyteller with strong writing, presenting, and selling skills.

Offer

• Fulltime employment
• Local and Global client portfolio
• Attractive package and benefits
• Continuous training
• Career conversations and growth opportunities
• Hybrid Work