Marketing and Communications Manager

• Led consultant projects in partnership with 1Africa Consulting, focusing on positioning brands and organisations as purposeful, ensuring alignment with strategic business objectives.
• Developed and implemented high-impact strategic communication strategies and campaign initiatives, enhancing brand positioning and stakeholder engagement.
• Identified and secured potential donors and funders by establishing a relationship matrix and strengthening funding pipelines and partnership opportunities.
• Designed and managed strategic stakeholder engagement initiatives, fostering meaningful collaborations and driving long-term impact

• Proffered communications support for several mine safety initiatives, ensuring effective communication campaigns were aligned with safety objectives and promoted a safety culture throughout the operation.
• Supported community development and socio-economic development initiatives, leveraging strategic communication efforts to drive positive social impact.
• Identified and addressed operational issues through targeted communication interventions, including establishing a Seriti-wide Crisis Communication Plan for Central Office review.
• Consolidated communication processes throughout the site and implemented innovative methods and platforms that elevated the quality and impact of communication.
• Management of crucial operational communication, aligning with organisational strategies and objectives to foster alignment and clarity.
• Supported the GM and the management team in effectively executing communication responsibilities.
• Managed brand positioning, ensuring compliance with brand guidelines, and empowered individuals through "branding 101" to understand the significance and impact of effective branding.
• Established and maintained a network of internal and external communication channels with stakeholders fostering strategic stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrated strong financial management skills, effectively sourcing budgets for communication activities to optimise resources and deliver impactful communication results.
• Development of content and materials for Women in Mining (WIM) initiatives, amplifying the voices and achievements of women in the industry.
• Strategic support for the Innovation@NVC project, contributing to the operation’s culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Provided vital strategic communication support for the PDS/CPS initiative.
• Strengthened and leveraged digital communication platforms, including the mobile app Seriti2Engage, to optimise engagement and connectivity with internal stakeholders.
• Developed a 68-page annual newsletter for the mine, highlighting The Seriti Way, emphasising purpose, holistic health and wellness, and the interconnectedness of safety, productivity, and collaboration.
• Collaborated on a captivating photography and videography project, capturing the stories of women in mining "through the lens", showcasing their contributions.
• Establishment of strategic media partnerships, fostering valuable collaborations for enhanced communication reach and impact.
• Introduced a legal and sponsorship contract, ensuring strategic alignment and maximising opportunities for the operation.
• Formed part of the facilitation of the visual map sessions, which included authoring an interim report that analysed emerging patterns and insights from employee engagement sessions - encompassed strategic recommendations to guide decision-making and cultivate unity towards the One Seriti journey, a diversified energy company.
• Played a supervisory role to the Communications, Branding and Media intern.
• PhD studies: To dissect the "just transition" implications and socio-economic effects within the South African context: pre-proposal phase.

• Provided strategic communication support for high-impact initiatives, including the International Science Council panel discussions, with published contributions that shaped global research discourse.
• Successfully authored and secured the SRI 2022 proposal, enabling the institute to host the prestigious international event on African soil for the first time, supported by a targeted marketing and communications strategy.
• Designed and executed stakeholder engagement programmes, fostering sustainable social partnerships, and translating initiatives into actionable, high-impact activities.
• Led strategic communication campaigns for Women in Science initiatives, significantly enhancing the visibility and recognition of female researchers associated with the institute.
• Increased international recognition of the Director’s thought leadership through his role in the documentary "Breaking Boundaries", expanding the institute’s global reach.
• Redefined and streamlined Future Africa’s corporate brand identity, ensuring consistency across all communication touchpoints, and reinforcing a unified brand voice.
• Curated and executed high-level strategic communication activities, overseeing content development and distribution to enhance audience engagement.
• Managed all marketing and media relationships, strengthening internal and external communication networks to amplify brand presence.
• Directed website management, improving navigation, content design, and strategic integration to showcase Future Africa’s transdisciplinary research outputs effectively.
• Integrated and optimised brand and marketing information across digital (social media) and print platforms, ensuring a consistent, data-driven, and high-impact institutional presence.

• Co-founded the Zazi Foundation and served as a Board Member, leading the co-creation of purposeful African narratives, and fostering authentic cultural contextualisation.
• Facilitated Marketing Management 1 at the IMM Institute (Jan 2020 – April 2020) and led ECD (Early Childhood Development) facilitation for Babakas under 1Africa Consulting, focusing on strategy development and brand positioning.
• Conducted in-depth market research for Setis Comfort Food, analysing existing and future product demand through latent environmental signals and consumer insights, and identifying key growth opportunities.

Led independent projects across marketing, programmes, and project management, including:

• Board Academy (Germany) – Developed and executed strategic marketing and programme initiatives.
• Canvas – Provided strategy and social media recommendations to enhance brand engagement.
• Tracy Scholtz Interiors – Delivered strategic recommendations and brand development solutions to strengthen market positioning.

• Stakeholder engagement and organisational culture change.
• CI Management System: Established an online branding support system to provide departments with comprehensive, interactive brand guidelines – creating an enabling culture.
• Strategic brand support for online content and social media engagement strategies.
• Created a brand perception audit monitoring tool – through interactive workshops that analysed stakeholder perceptions to strengthen quality improvement efforts.
• The Centenary Brand Workshops: Achieved 90% buy-in from 70+ workshop attendees to SU’s new brand alignment efforts.
• Created a “hands-on” three-month collaborative pilot to align internal and external stakeholders to the new brand objectives, change behaviour and address brand fragmentation.
• Brand Ambassadors: Developed a 100-person community of Brand Ambassadors to impact university culture through ‘brand conversations’ through strategic events, focused on humanising the brand and sharing brand alignment responsibilities.
• Constructive and effective management with design agencies to meet institutional objectives in line with the budget – positioned agencies/agencies as partners.
• Introduced and implemented standardised email signatures across the SU community, brand levels 1-5.
• Brand concept development: Strategic Framework 2019 and Vision 2040 for online and offline initiatives.

• Planned and animated nationwide career guidance fairs and events, engaging young people in underserved and poverty-stricken townships across South Africa to provide information on career development opportunities.
• Developed and implemented comprehensive marketing and brand strategies, supported by targeted promotional campaigns to increase brand awareness and engagement.
• Designed, managed, and coordinated marketing activities, policies, and procedures to effectively promote products and services while ensuring alignment with organisational objectives.
• Created impactful marketing materials, including annual reports and infographics, tailored to overcome language barriers and enhance accessibility.
• Led stakeholder engagement initiatives, using personal and interactive methods that accounted for literacy levels, information complexity, and technological limitations within target communities.
• Directed strategic event management efforts, strengthening brand positioning through high-impact engagements.
• Established and nurtured strategic partnerships, including media collaborations, to broaden outreach and drive brand advocacy.
• Conceptualised, planned, and managed the organisation’s AGM under the theme "Cultivating Partnerships", achieving record-breaking attendance as the first oversubscribed AGM in its history.

• Destination marketing and experiential engagement: Led the STH Open Day, an immersive experiential marketing initiative that brought industry leaders, including SANParks, into direct engagement with students and stakeholders. Designed the event to simulate real-world tourism and hospitality experiences, fostering stronger industry-academia collaboration.
• Strategic brand development: Strengthened UJ STH’s brand positioning by refining messaging, enhancing digital presence, and aligning all communication touchpoints with tourism industry trends.
• Community tourism & stakeholder relations: Built and maintained partnerships with key tourism, conservation, and hospitality stakeholders to develop sustainable tourism. Facilitated collaborative projects with SANParks, tourism boards, and private sector partners to support skills development and investment in tourism infrastructure.
• Digital and content strategy: Developed a digital magazine and curated thought leadership articles to enhance UJ STH’s reputation as a thought leader in tourism and hospitality education.
• Global destination marketing insight: Applied experience from South African Airways (SAA) to develop compelling brand narratives that positioned UJ STH as a premier institution for tourism studies, aligning student recruitment efforts with destination marketing strategies.

• Managed Internal Brand Communications, Publications, the IEC website, and the IEC/SITA Call Centre for the 2009 National & Provincial Elections and formed part of the Information Division planning for the ROC (Results Operations Centre).
• Managed Publications, IEC Website, IEC Call Centre and Internal Brand Communication
• Assisted in project managing the IEC Call Centre (SITA) up until final registration for the National and Provincial elections 2009
• Wrote articles, collated material and edited the internal newsletter Vota News
• Initiated the qualitative research and analyses thereof, wrote the preliminary content and sourced visuals, kick starting the IEC project in developing the book The Journey of the IEC 1997 - 2007
• Developed an exhibition stand for the Results Operations Centre (ROC) and managed the information division
• Updated the IEC Website. Managed and edited content as provided by various departments
• Managed relevant stakeholder relationships
• Conducted general research on other electoral bodies for IEC benchmarking purposes
• Worked on an SABC Education,IEC partnership initiative, a core objective being voter education, which included targeted youth

Responsibilities and Achievements:
South Africa:

• Blaque Magazine and Brand Contact agency: brand and marketing strategy definition for clients, market analysis, research, strategic recommendations, and brand design.
• Ad-hoc projects: proposals, research, strategic recommendations, and implementation plans.
• University of the Free State: development of content and the facilitation thereof on personal branding and workplace readiness, targeted at master’s students.
• ADS24: interim marketing manager, overseeing an R11M budget and a team of three people, concentrated on aligning and improving the strategic direction of marketing spending of various business managers.

Accra, Ghana April 2010 – November 2011

• Multiple projects under MMRS-Ogilvy Ghana for GOIL (Ghana Oil Co Ltd), Tullow Oil, and MIDA targeted Government Ministries in Ghana, Akosombo Textiles, Accra Breweries, Vodafone, and Miss Ghana 2010.
• GOIL - Researched upstream and downstream players (vendors and suppliers) in the oil exploration and mining sector to develop and implement a brand and marketing strategy – the strategy was listed amongst the top six in a global pitch.
• Independent NGO and business projects Ghana/Germany: Green is Easy Ghana Foundation, Brand Effect Companies, VN’s
• Infratainment, IUF-Berlin.
• Developed a strategy for Cosmos Energy for FCB AdMedia, Ghana, underscoring the organisation’s role in the Jubilee Oil find.

• Diagnosed internal organisational shortcomings and implemented relevant internal brand solutions supported by development processes.
• Established partnerships for joint workshops with Vega and VWV, which offered shared expertise, provided optimal value for CPD programmes, and resulted in additional income for the institute.
• Secured sponsorships to host PRISA networking events for communication professionals, PR, and media partners
• Lead and managed the frontline, membership, registration and the CPD (Continuing Professional Development Programme) team
• Wrote regular monthly progress reports for the EXCO
• Managed PRISA membership as well as identifying potential members
• Redesigned and updated membership forms
• Responsible for both internal and external communication
• Established the first electronic newsletter for members
• Updated the PRISA website regularly
• Managed PRISA public relations activities
• Managed CPD workshops
• Introduced relevant CPD workshop topics through an interactive relationship with key industry professionals
• Responsible for communication with key PRISA regional members.
• Managed strategic client relationships in South Africa and across external regions.
• Responsible for ongoing identification of potential opportunities for the institute, initiating complimentary relationships.
• Ensured that internal and external stakeholders were kept informed about operations, business objectives and key business issues
• Managed the department budget
• Identified potential opportunities for the institute, initiating new relationships and recommendations that identified innovative opportunities
• Established trade and barter agreements, partnerships and strategic alliances in order for effective implementation of the branding strategy
• Designed and provided content of proposals for trade agreements
• Initiated a partnership with Vega the Brand Communications School and introduced a corporate workshop focussed on the importance of Branding in Public Relations
• Negotiated with VWV (experiential marketing specialists) to hold the special event workshops at the VWV venue
• Implemented motivational skills training for my team and had positive results with visible improvements in daily productivity

• Customer Relationship Management
• Acted in the position of on-board manager and senior purser
• Ascertained passengers interests and requirements
• Ensured compliance to SAA standards of quality and service
• Adhered to international health, safety, customs and inoculation requirements
• Compiled written reports on equipment and technical faults
• Marketing, sales and management of onboard duty free products, which included inventory control
• Ensured highest possible standards of hygiene, cleanliness and client services
• Managed quantities of on-board supplies and implementing necessary steps to manage and control
• Performance evaluation, management and motivation of cabin crew
• Training, development, mentoring and coaching of cabin crew
• Attended to issues around discipline and grievances

Achievements:

• Recipient of the Gold certificate in achieving over 90% for the SAAFARI course
• Selected by the Executive Domestic Manager as a Difference Maker for outstanding work performance
• Invited to participate the new uniform launch in 1992
• Received achievement awards in recognition of supreme service
• Initiated an improved customer service approach in interacting with passengers, which resulted in improving optimal customer value satisfaction
• A thorough understanding of all flight attendant processes resulted in being selected to act in the positions of Onboard Service Manager and Purser
• Received numerous letters from passengers expressing their gratitude for exceptional service, professionalism and dedication

• Facilitated payments with foreign banks on behalf of clients importing goods
• Determining the accuracy of all supporting documentation for imports pre foreign bank payments
• Ensuring payments was processed timeously to avoid interest charges
• Redesigned the filing system