Job Title: Senior Account Manager

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Account Manager – Financial Services will support the Operations/Media Director / Senior Account Director in delivering high-impact, insight-led communication strategies for leading financial services clients. This is a client-facing, insight-driven, and delivery-focused role within the Financial Services portfolio.

Role Overview

The successful candidate will be a strategic communicator, media advocate, and trusted advisor, capable of navigating complex regulatory and reputational landscapes while delivering measurable outcomes across earned, owned, and shared media. As part of our organisational evolution, this role, operates independently, without Account Executive support, and requires a high level of ownership, agility, and strategic foresight.

Key Responsibilities

Account Management: Lead and manage multiple financial services accounts with a focus on reputation resilience, stakeholder trust, and media advocacy.

Media Writing: Translate complex financial and regulatory topics into compelling, accessible narratives for diverse audiences.

Media Engagement: Drive proactive media engagement, thought leadership, and issue-based advocacy across traditional and digital platforms.

Report Writing: Deliver data-informed reporting and campaign evaluation using AMEC principles and advanced Excel capabilities (e.g., pivot tables, trend analysis).

Ensure all content and reporting align with client CI, tone, and format requirements while enabling innovation within brand guardrails.

Relationship Management and Networking: Build and sustain strategic media relationships, particularly in financial, fintech, and policy sectors.

Stakeholder Management: Manage and support multiple financial services clients, ensuring accurate and timely delivery of scope across all accounts.

Horizon Scanning: Integrate digital listening, reputation analytics, and stakeholder mapping into campaign planning and reporting.

Pitching and New Business development: Drive agency growth by developing and delivering high-impact, insight-led pitch presentations that reflect the agency’s strategic and creative capabilities. Pitch proactive story ideas and thought leadership to financial, business, and consumer media. Track progress and keep accurate reports.

Track and record coverage and outputs across all client accounts.

Maintain and update daily, weekly, and monthly status and performance reports.

Ensure all content and reporting meet client CI, tone, and format requirements.

Support campaign planning, execution, and post-campaign reporting.

Key Requirements

Knowledge and Experience:

6-8 years’ PR or communications experience (agency or in-house).

Proven ability to plan, execute, and report on PR campaigns.

Demonstrated success in pitching and securing media coverage.

Experience in media monitoring, analysis, and evaluation.

Existing network of relationships with key financial and business journalists.

Process-driven, with excellent time management and attention to workflow and delivery.

Proficiency in MS 365 applications including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and ability to utilise pivot tables in data analysis and media/tracking

Personal mastery and self-leadership – this role does not have Account Executive support; reporting responsibility is shared within the team.

Must have financial services experience, ideally in personal finance, employee benefits, and retirement (minimum 3-5 years).

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or English.

High proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Writing samples demonstrating an ability to translate complex financial topics into accessible narratives.

AMEC-approved qualification (preferred).

A Certificate in Financial Planning will be an added advantage.

Relevant Competencies:

Critical Thinking (Decision Quality / Intellectual Horsepower) The ability to objectively analyze information, evaluate arguments, and make sound judgments based on evidence and logic.

Dealing with Ambiguity: Operates effectively in fast-changing, complex environments.

Innovation Management: Champions new approaches to storytelling, media engagement, and stakeholder influence.

Organisational Agility: Navigates internal and external networks to get things done.

Political Savvy: Understands the dynamics of influence in regulated industries and acts with diplomacy.

Customer Focus: Prioritise client outcomes and build enduring trust-based relationships.

Drive for Results: Deliver consistently high-quality outputs, even under pressure.

Presentation Skills: Communicate clearly and persuasively across platforms and audiences.

Digital Fluency: Leverage digital tools for media monitoring, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.

Business Acumen: Understand the financial drivers of both client and agency success.

Attention to Detail (Functional/Technical Skills): Demonstrates precision and accuracy in client deliverables, data handling, and adherence to corporate identity (CI) standards.

Technical Proficiency (Technical Learning): Applies advanced Excel skills (e.g., pivot tables, media tracking, data analysis) to support data-informed reporting and campaign evaluation.

Planning and Priority Setting (Time Management): Manages multiple client deadlines and deliverables efficiently through strong organisational and workflow discipline.

Interpersonal Savvy (Interpersonal Savvy): Builds and maintains effective relationships with clients and journalists; communicates with clarity, confidence, and diplomacy.

Problem Solving (Problem Solving): Applies analytical thinking to identify root causes, generate insights, and develop practical solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Self-Development and Initiative (Self-Knowledge / Drive for Results): Works independently and collaboratively, demonstrating resilience, accountability, and a proactive approach to high-performance delivery.

Posted on 03 Mar 11:53, Closing date 1 Apr

Senior Account Manager-Magna Carta JHB