Marketing Operations Manager

Main purpose

• The Marketing Operations Manager is responsible for designing, coordinating and managing the operational and brand right delivery of marketing requirements for the Ares Brands through all regions in SA.
• The role supports the design and consolidation of the brand requirements from Brand /Trade Marketing Managers and ensures: strong visual merchandising execution, consistent brand representation , efficient campaign rollouts, effective product training delivery and high impact regional marketing activations.
• The role required strong brand interpretation combined with operational efficiency to deliver brand excellence alongside measurable commercial results aligned with brand and retail objectives.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 1: NATIONAL MARKETING OPERATIONS STRATEGY

Design and manage the national marketing operational framework required to deliver brand marketing strategies across all regions.

• Consolidate operational requirements from Brand Managers across all brands.
• Translate brand strategies into executable national operational plans.
• Develop seasonal and monthly marketing operations calendars.
• Define campaign rollout structures and operational requirements.
• Align marketing operations with retail trade calendars and product launches.
• Develop implementation frameworks for regional teams.
• Budget planning, spend accountability & reconciliation of all regional activity.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 2: VISUAL MERCHANDISING STANDARDS & BRAND REPRESENTATION

Ensure consistent national execution of visual merchandising standards and brand presentation across all retail and partner environments

• Align with Brand Managers on VM guidelines and brand standards.
• Develop VM rollout frameworks and national VM standards.
• Guide Regional Marketing Managers in executing VM standards.
• Ensure stores maintain consistent product storytelling and presentation.
• Monitor VM audit results nationally.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 3: NATIONAL TRAINING & PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE PROGRAMS

• Coordinate the delivery of national product knowledge and brand training programs through regional marketing structures.
• Align with Brand Managers on product and campaign training needs.
• Develop national training frameworks.
• Ensure Regional Marketing Managers implement training programs.
• Monitor training delivery across retail and wholesale environments.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and knowledge retention

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 4: MARKETING ACTIVATIONS & EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

Ensure the operational delivery of brand activations, events and experiential marketing initiatives nationally.

• Develop operational frameworks for activations and events.
• Coordinate national brand activations with regional teams.
• Ensure consistent execution of brand experiences.
• Monitor performance and engagement of activations.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 5: MARKETING PERFORMANCE & OPERATIONAL REPORTING

Develop national reporting structures that track marketing operational effectivenesss and campaign execution.

• Develop standardized reporting frameworks for regional teams.
• Consolidate regional reporting for executive review.
• Measure campaign performance and operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and optimization

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 6: CROSS FUNCTIONAL ALIGNMENT

Act as the operational bridge between Brand Marketing teams and Regional Marketing execution.

• Align brand strategy with operational rollout requirements.
• Coordinate between Retail Ops, Merchandising, Sales and Marketing teams.
• Ensure marketing execution supports commercial objectives.
• Manage communication between Head Office and regional teams.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 7: PEOPLE & TEAM MANAGEMENT

Lead, develop and manage the national regional marketing structure to ensure teams operate efficiently, deliver against brand objectives and maintain high standards of execution across all retail and partner environments.

• Team Leadership & Structure
• Performance Management
• Capability Development
• Team Culture & Engagement
• Resource & Workforce Planning

COMPETENCY PROFILE

Skills, knowledge, abilities, attributes and behaviours that are required to do this specific job well

KEY LEADERSHIP & INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCIES

Behaviours that enhance the desired culture, values and the pursuit of the core purpose of the business

VALUES

• We believe in the power of brands and growing brands responsibly
• We believe in developing and building our teams for the benefit of all stakeholders
• We believe in continuous investment into our people and our business platforms
• We care deeply about our environment and our people

LEADERSHIP & RELATIONSHIP BEHAVIOURS

• Strategic vision: Ability to align marketing operations with overall business goals and strategy.
• Team leadership: Motivates and guides the marketing team to achieve goals and maintain high performance.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Works effectively with other departments sales, finance, etc. to drive marketing initiatives.
• Communication skills: Clear, concise, and persuasive in both written and verbal communication.
• Stakeholder management: Builds and maintains strong relationships with key stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• Decision-making: Makes data-driven decisions, balancing short-term needs with long-term marketing objectives.
• Mentorship and development: Provides guidance, feedback, and opportunities for team members' professional growth.
• Problem-solving: Anticipates challenges and proactively finds solutions to maintain smooth operations.

TECHNICAL AND FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

Specific technical, functional and professional skills, knowledge, abilities, attributes and aptitudes that are required to be able to do this job well relative to the delivery of the Main Purpose and Key Accountabilities

• Brand Visual Language: Ensuring the adoption and excellence of brand and product story telling
• Marketing strategy implementation: Ability to execute and optimize marketing strategies across various channels.
• Project management: Strong skills in planning, coordinating, and executing marketing campaigns and initiatives.
• Data analysis: Proficiency in analysing marketing performance metrics and utilizing data to drive decisions and improve campaigns.
• Budget management: Experience in managing marketing budgets, ensuring spend is aligned with goals and ROI is maximized.
• Market research: Ability to conduct market research to identify trends, consumer insights, and competitor activity.
• Campaign execution: Ability to oversee the execution of marketing campaigns and ensure they meet objectives and deadlines.
• Reporting and analytics: Proficient in creating reports and analysing the effectiveness of marketing efforts to guide future strategies.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Diploma or Degree in Marketing, Brand Management, Business, Retail Management or a related field

Experience

• 4+ years' experience in a marketing operations, trade marketing, retail marketing or brand support role within a retail or consumer brand environment
• Proven experience coordinating national or multi‑region marketing execution, campaign rollouts or activations
• At least 1–2 years' experience leading or managing teams, or demonstrated experience coordinating regional resources
• Experience working in a store‑based or retail‑driven environment with fixed calendars, launches and deadlines
• Exposure to marketing budget administration, spend tracking and reporting full budget ownership not required

Industry Knowledge

• Practical understanding of retail and consumer brand environments, including store execution, regional differences and fixed trading calendars
• Working knowledge of marketing operations, campaign rollouts and multi‑channel execution across retail and wholesale environments
• Ability to interpret and apply brand guidelines, visual merchandising standards and in‑store marketing requirements accurately
• Operationa