Client Lead at Publicis Groupe in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Overview

The Client Lead acts as the senior strategic and commercial anchor for the Aspen Pharma account, accountable for end-to-end media delivery across the entire portfolio. This role is the end-to-end owner of the business unit, orchestrating the intersection of client objectives, omnichannel media strategy (ATL and Digital), commercial health, and operational excellence.Operating within a decoupled execution model, the Client Lead focuses heavily on strategy and governance. While the tactical campaign setup, platform trafficking, and daily optimizations are managed by specialized execution partners and channel specialists , ultimate accountability for campaign quality, reporting accuracy, financial management, and business outcomes remains squarely with the Client Lead.

Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Omnichannel Planning•Business Translation: Translate Aspen Pharma’s business and brand objectives into measurable omnichannel performance frameworks.•Media Mix Orchestration: Validate and integrate media plans across both Above-The-Line (TV, Radio, OOH, Print) and Digital (Search, Social, Programmatic), ensuring a cohesive audience strategy and channel mix.•Outcome Accountability: Align all performance and brand activity to Aspen's broader business and JTBD (Jobs to be Done) objectives.•Pitch & Project Leadership: Lead strategic responses for new product launches or brand campaigns within the Aspen portfolio.

2. Client Leadership & Consulting•Senior Stakeholder Management: Act as the primary point of contact for senior marketing stakeholders at Aspen Pharma, building trust and credibility through proactive leadership.•Strategic Storytelling: Translate media performance and market data into actionable business implications.•Growth Partner: Present strategic recommendations and growth opportunities to position the agency as an indispensable strategic partner rather than a transactional vendor.

3. Financial Management & Commercial Growth•P&L Ownership: Manage the financial health and profitability of the Aspen Pharma business unit, monitoring revenue against resource allocation.•Forecasting & Billing: Accurately project monthly fee revenue and media spend, while ensuring strict adherence to billing cycles and vendor payment processes.•Scope Management: Govern the Statement of Work (SOW), managing scope creep and leading commercial negotiations for out-of-scope requests.

4. Execution Governance & Operational Control•Model Oversight: Govern the agency operating model, ensuring seamless collaboration between Strategy, ATL Planning, Performance Leads, and Execution Nodes.•SLA & Quality Control: Ensure that all strategic recommendations and optimization instructions are executed by the teams within agreed SLA timelines.•Risk Escalation: Act as the final escalation point for delivery, platform, tracking, or financial risks, managing these proactively with the client.

5. Innovation & Learning Agenda•Testing Culture: Drive testing frameworks and an experimentation culture across both ATL (e.g., format testing) and Digital (e.g., AI-led optimization opportunities).•Learning Governance: Lead monthly “Start / Stop / Continue” learning reviews with the client and internal teams.•Knowledge Sharing: Ensure campaign learnings are documented, built into reusable best-practice frameworks, and embedded into future planning.

Qualifications

Experience:

• 8+ years in media strategy or client leadership, with a strong background in both digital performance marketing and traditional ATL media planning.
• Industry Knowledge: Previous experience managing pharmaceutical or highly regulated FMCG brands is highly advantageous.
• Commercial Acumen: Process-driven, analytical, and commercially minded with a track record of P&L management.
• Model Experience: Proven experience working within and managing complex agency operating models and external execution partners.
• Communication: Exceptional strategic storytelling, consulting ability, and senior stakeholder management skills.