PR & Influence Account Director (based in Durban)

Behaviours:

We're problem solvers. We don't just spot problems (that's the easy bit) we come up with smart, creative solutions. We're active. We don't sit around assuming someone else will make something happen, we're driven to get up and do it ourselves. We're always hugely ambitious for the work. Not content with 'good enough' because we all know that's not actually good enough. We're adaptable, not inflexible. That way we're always open to explore new ideas, experiences and channels. We're team players, not lone wolves. Because we'd be crazy not to make the most of the huge pool of talent around us. Plus it's much more fun to work together.

We use our EQ, as well is our IQ. People who 'get' people are so much better at their jobs, and nicer to be around. If this sounds like a team you'd like to be part of, please get in touch

Position Summary:

The PR & Influence Account Director will serve as Ogilvy's senior on-site agency lead, based primarily at the client's offices in Durban. The role is accountable for the strategic, commercial and operational performance of a complex, multi-brand PR & Influence portfolio.

The Account Director will build trusted-adviser relationships with senior client stakeholders, translate business priorities into effective earned PR and influencer solutions, and lead integrated delivery across agency teams, partner agencies, creators, media and suppliers. Although based in Durban, the role will lead and develop a geographically dispersed team across Johannesburg and Cape Town.

This person must combine specialist expertise across earned PR and influencer marketing with strong financial acumen, sound judgement and confident people leadership. As Ogilvy's representative within the client environment, they will balance client responsiveness with agency governance, sustainable ways of working, clear scope control and protection of the team.

PR & Influence Expertise

• Lead earned-media and PR strategy, including narrative development, press-office planning, media relations, executive profiling, thought leadership, reputation management, issues and crisis communications, reactive newsroom opportunities and measurement beyond coverage volumes.
• Lead influencer strategy from audience and cultural insight through talent selection, creative briefing, contracting, content governance, approval, amplification and reporting. Protect creator authenticity while ensuring content delivers against brand, platform, legal and commercial requirements. Lead negotiations for high-profile talent fees, usage rights and contracts.

Senior Client Leadership

• Build trusted-adviser relationships with senior client decision-makers and act as the agency's senior point of contact and escalation within the Durban client office.
• Lead strategic conversations, challenge briefs constructively and manage difficult discussions relating to scope, budget, timelines, performance and quality. Anticipate risks and opportunities before they become client issues.
• Understand the client's business, brand, category and stakeholder environment, and translate that context into clear PR & Influence strategies, integrated briefs and commercially viable delivery plans.

People & Distributed-Team Leadership

• Lead, motivate and develop a remote account team across Johannesburg and Cape Town while being physically embedded in the client's Durban office. Create consistent communication, connection, accountability and ways of working across locations.
• Set clear priorities, allocate work, manage performance and capacity, coach team members and retain senior oversight without micromanaging. Protect the team from uncontrolled client demand and scope creep while maintaining a responsive, solutions-led client experience.

Making Work We're Proud Of

• Collaborate confidently across PR, influence, social, creative, media, strategy, experiential and production to develop integrated solutions to the client's business challenges. Champion brave, culturally relevant and strategically sound work from brief through delivery.
• Apply creative problem-solving to briefs, processes and client challenges. Use cultural, audience and performance insight to improve the work while protecting the authentic voice of creators and communities.

Responsibility & Accountability

• Take end-to-end accountability for the quality, timing, scope, commercial health and strategic integrity of the portfolio, including multiple brands and concurrent campaigns.
• Remain accountable for the performance and conduct of the account team; provide direction, intervene early where delivery is at risk, and manage upward and across disciplines as required.
• Raise concerns early, make clear recommendations and own corrective action. Maintain strong agency governance while working independently in the client environment.

Commercial & Financial Ownership

• Own account revenue, profitability and financial visibility across the portfolio, working closely with finance, operations and resource teams.
• Lead scoping, fee proposals, cost estimates, budget tracking, resource planning, team-hour management, purchase orders, invoicing, accruals, reconciliations and supplier or influencer costs.
• Manage revenue forecasting, WIP and write-off risk; identify scope creep and lead change-control conversations. Identify and convert account-growth opportunities while meeting agreed margin and delivery targets.

Integrated Delivery & Project Management

• Oversee multiple brands, projects, campaigns and events from brief and proposal through approvals, production, activation, reporting and close-out. Establish clear roles, governance, timings, dependencies and approval processes across internal teams and partner agencies.
• Prioritise competing deadlines, manage delivery risks and ensure approved scope and budget are in place before work proceeds. Maintain quality control, supplier accountability and prompt financial close-out.

Collaboration & Integration

• Build effective partnerships across all agency capabilities, client functions and external partners. Connect the Durban client office with the wider Ogilvy team and maintain alignment across Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• Use strong stakeholder relationships to protect the work, strengthen the account, resolve issues and activate new opportunities across the client portfolio.

Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Assess every request against the underlying business problem, agreed strategy, scope, budget, capacity and risk. Think laterally, make timely decisions and recommend practical solutions.
• Act as the senior escalation point for the team. Confidently lead senior client meetings, allocate resources within agreed parameters, manage suppliers, negotiate fees and escalate or decline work that lacks adequate scope, budget, timing or capacity.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Ogilvy's senior on-site representative within the client's Durban office.
• Lead the PR & Influence strategy and delivery across a complex, multi-brand portfolio.
• Manage trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders and lead strategic and difficult conversations.
• Lead a geographically dispersed account team across Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• Integrate PR, influence, social, creative, media, experiential, strategy and production partners.
• Own account scope, budgets, revenue forecasting, profitability, resources, team hours and financial governance.
• Oversee campaign delivery, quality control, approvals, risk management, measurement and reporting.
• Apply Durban and broader KZN cultural, media and creator insight to locally relevant national brand strategies.
• Build senior media, creator, supplier and industry relationships and represent the agency externally.
• Drive account growth, new-business opportunities, thought leadership and continuous improvement.

Measures of Success

• Strong senior-client trust, satisfaction and account retention.
• Delivery against account revenue, margin, scope and forecasting targets.
• High-quality, strategically sound PR & Influence work that achieves agreed campaign KPIs.
• Effective team performance, development, retention and collaboration across all three cities.
• Proactive management of client, delivery, reputation and commercial risk.
• Demonstrable account growth and stronger integration across agency capabilities.

Must-Haves

• Minimum six years' experience in PR, influence or integrated communications, including at least three years in a senior client- and team-leadership role.
• Demonstrable specialist depth across both earned PR and influencer marketing.
• Proven experience leading complex, multi-brand accounts and senior client relationships.
• Strong financial acumen across scoping, budgeting, forecasting, profitability and resource management.
• Proven success leading remote or geographically dispersed teams, with the independence and resilience to work as an embedded agency representative in a client office.
• Agency experience within a fast-paced, integrated client-service environment is essential.
• Strong understanding of the Durban and broader KZN media, creator, consumer and cultural landscape.
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, negotiation, judgement and issue-management capability.
• Ability to balance client responsiveness with scope discipline, team wellbeing and agency governance.

What We Offer

• Full-time employment and the opportunity to lead a high-profile local and global client portfolio.
• Competitive package and benefits.
• Continuous training, coaching and exposure to Ogilvy's specialist capabilities.
• Career conversations and clear growth opportunities.
• A connected hybrid culture, with the role primarily based at the client's Durban office.