L'Oréal SSA Senior Brand Manager

Job Title: Senior Brand Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Zone

Location: Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa

Reporting To: SSA Zone President (CPD Zone Head)

Job Purpose

The Senior Brand Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is responsible for shaping and guiding the zone’s brand strategy, ensuring alignment with international positioning and regional priorities. They translate global strategies into powerful, locally relevant marketing plans across key SSA markets. This role drives brand equity, market share growth, and consumer engagement through an optimized product mix—including NPD launches—and locally tailored communication materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape Strategic Direction: Define the SSA zone's strategic vision and 3-year marketing plan, guiding portfolio priorities across new launches, pillar product renewals, and core catalogue animation.
• Drive Market Insights: Gather and analyze consumer and market insights, sharing findings with global teams (DMI) to ensure new developments align with local needs.
• Advocate for Local Needs: Collaborate closely with global stakeholders on projects and marketing mixes, ensuring international plans resonate strongly with regional markets.
• Empower Local Activation: Guide and support country teams in crafting effective local strategies to build integrated, engaging consumer brand experiences.
• Optimize Core & Pillars: Support countries in successfully animating pillar products and managing the core catalog.
• Executive Communication: Craft compelling narratives for top management and support local teams in executive meeting preparation.
• Localize Content: Provide guidance on the regional adaptation of communication materials (artwork and advertising assets).
• Influence Strategy: Shape media, price & promotional plans, and market research initiatives.
• Develop Talent: Foster marketing expertise across the SSA zone by coaching local teams and sharing regional best practices.
• Team Leadership: Build, develop, and inspire your own high-performing team.

L'Oréal Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate L'Oréal’s core leadership attributes:

• Innovates: Brings fresh, creative perspectives to marketing campaigns and digital consumer touchpoints tailored to emerging trends.
• Strategizes: Takes a structured approach to planning, balancing long-term brand vision with agile execution in a multi-market environment.
• Engages: Inspires cross-functional teams, agencies, and local stakeholders with clear communication and passion.
• Achieves with Integrity: Drives high-impact results with a strong sense of accountability, financial discipline, and adherence to ethical standards.
• Leads by Example (Empathy & Inclusiveness): Promotes a collaborative and inclusive culture that values diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Interacts & Connects: Builds strong, trusting relationships across international and local teams.

Professional & Technical Competencies

• Market & Consumer Insight: Identifies market drivers • Translates trends and consumer knowledge into meaningful insights
• Brand Development: Thinks brand strategy • Imagines disruptive products & services • Develops integrated campaigns that work • Integrates retail & shopper expertise
• Activation Excellence: Delivers excellence with agility and rigor • Integrates sustainable, business consciousness
• Collaborative Leadership: Creates collaboration for bigger success • Shares & leverages best practices
• Strategic & Financial Leadership: Leads cross-brand budget and resource allocation processes • Builds and defends multi-year growth plans to senior/regional leadership • Acts as trusted strategic advisor to the Zone President

Requirements & Profile

• Experience: 6-8 years of progressive brand management and marketing experience within FMCG, Beauty, or Retail (multinational experience and emerging market exposure are a strong advantage).
• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.

Skills:

• Proven track record of new product development and 360-degree campaign execution, incl. strong digital marketing expertise
• Excellent project management, analytical, and financial acumen.
• Strategic mindset combined with operational rigor.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Exceptional leadership and communication

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.

Closing Date: 28 August 2026