Head of Marketing Innovation - Midrand

Dis-Chem Pharmacies · Gauteng

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Job Description

Dis-Chem Pharmacies has an opportunity available for a Head of Marketing Innovation for their Head Office.
The Disruptive marketing role is responsible for driving breakthrough, unconventional marketing initiatives that accelerate brand relevance and deliver commercial growth.
This role leads the creation, testing, and execution of non-traditional marketing ideas—including experiential activations, cultural moments, and bold creative concepts—that cut through consumer noise and generate outsized attention.
Acting as an internal catalyst for innovation, this role partners closely with Creative & content, Strategy, Integrated marketing campaigns, and Commercial teams to identify high-potential opportunities and rapidly activate them.
The scope of this role may evolve based on business priorities and media maturity, with analysts potentially specialising in areas such as performance analytics digital, conversion, and optimisation or media effectiveness reach, brand impact, and ROI, while maintaining alignment to standardised measurement frameworks.

Minimum Requirements…

Essential

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Innovation, Communications, or related discipline
8+ years' experience in creative marketing, experiential marketing, brand innovation, or agency leadership
Demonstrated success in delivering breakthrough ideas and measurable commercial results

Responsibilities

Creative strategy and ideation

Develop disruptive, high-impact marketing ideas across physical, digital, and social environments
Identify cultural trends, moments, and non-traditional channels that can unlock new audiences and brand relevance
Build a pipeline of bold concepts that drive earned media, virality, and incremental revenue
Lead creative brainstorming and rapid prototyping to test and evolve big ideas

Campaign development & activation

Design and oversee execution of end-to-end disruptive campaigns that challenge traditional marketing norms
Manage concept development, creative production, activation logistics, and cross-functional alignment
Partner with Creative and content and Integrated marketing campaign teams to ensure cohesive execution and brand consistency
Oversee relationships with external partners e.g., experiential agencies, content creators, cultural influencers

Innovation & experimentation

Introduce new formats, technologies, and unconventional media approaches e.g., AR, pop-ups, stunts
Run test-and-learn pilots to evaluate disruptive ideas before scaling
Benchmark global best-in-class disruptive marketing and adapt relevant strategies
Measure disruptive campaign impact and report back to the CMO

Competencies

Key competencies

Deep understanding of marketing, experiential activations, and cultural storytelling
Proven track record of developing viral or high-impact creative ideas that drive commercial uplift
Strong ability to identify cultural trends and translate them into brand-building opportunities
Ability to influence stakeholders and inspire teams toward unconventional thinking
Strong business orientation with understanding of ROI, brand equity, and revenue levers
High collaboration skills to align creative, marketing, retail, and commercial teams

Key Performance Indicators

Innovation delivery: Number of ideas piloted annually and speed-to-market
Commercial and brand growth: Contribution to category or product growth through unconventional campaigns and brand awareness metrics
Stakeholder satisfaction : Category, Commercial, and Retail Operations feedback on delivery and execution quality

Special Conditions of Employment

Closing Date 29 September 2026