Head of Brand & Marketing Strategy - Midrand

Job Description

• The Strategy, brand and comms role is responsible for defining, embedding and enforcing marketing and brand standards that ensure consistent, high-quality execution across all channels and functions.
• The role supports the Chief Marketing Officer in setting execution strategy, establishing governance frameworks, and driving unified marketing planning. It ensures brand consistency, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making across the marketing organisation, aligning all activities to Dis-Chem's strategic objectives and brand positioning.

Minimum Requirements…

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related Honours degree or postgraduate qualification advantageous
• 8+ years' experience in marketing strategy, governance, or brand management roles within retail, healthcare, FMCG, or consumer-facing sectors.
• Minimum 3–5 years' experience in a leadership or people management
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing senior stakeholders within complex
• Demonstrated success in improving brand consistency, marketing efficiency, and governance compliance

Responsibilities

Strategy & planning

• Define strategic marketing priorities, brand direction, and campaign objectives that inform go-to-market execution
• Run annual marketing planning process to align on marketing ambition and major campaigns
• Define annual marketing priorities and strategic campaign frameworks that inform the integrated go-to-market calendar owned by GTM
• Define strategic budget allocation principles and priorities across retail and ecosystem marketing, with overall budget tracking and management led by the GTM function
• Provide insight-led recommendations to optimise marketing spend and portfolio performance

Brand strategy and governance

• Provide brand research to enable informed decision making
• Develop and maintain brand architecture - act as custodian of the Dis-Chem brand, ensuring consistency of tone, look, and message across all channels and materials
• Oversee brand compliance reviews, campaign approvals, and regular brand audits across retail, digital, and communication touchpoints, working closely with head of integrated marketing campaign team and creative studio.
• Provide strategic direction for messaging frameworks and brand narratives, which are adapted for execution by Communications and Integrated Marketing teams

Retail media

• Determine guardrails to ensure alignment of retail media content with Dis-Chem's marketing vision
• Define strategic guardrails for retail media allocation to ensure alignment with brand priorities and customer experience principles
• Internal and external communication
• Lead internal communication plans

Competencies

Essential

Key competencies

• Deep understanding of marketing governance, planning, and brand management within a retail or General Merchandise environment & healthcare landscape.
• Expertise in developing and implementing brand guidelines and quality assurance processes
• Strong knowledge of marketing analytics, reporting tools, and performance measurement frameworks
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and embed governance in complex organisations
• Strong communication, analytical, and facilitation skills to balance creativity and control
• Collaborative mindset with experience aligning brand, commercial, and creative teams

Key Performance Indicators

• Brand governance & consistency: Compliance with brand guidelines and brand audit results
• Brand & customer outcomes: Brand awareness, sentiment/trust, and consistency across channels
• Campaign effectiveness: Reach, engagement, and brand lift for brand campaigns
• Capability & process improvement: Adoption of toolkits/training and reduced rework from clearer standards
• Team leadership & capability: High-performing team culture, capability development, collaboration, and accountability.

Special Conditions of Employment

• South African citizen
• MIE, clear criminal and credit
• Driver's license and/or own reliable transport

Remuneration and benefits

• Market related salary
• Medical aid
• Provident fund
• Staff account

Closing Date 29 September 2026