explain.co.za‘s agency division is looking for an Account Manager to be the point person for a portfolio of established clients, and oversee content creation for said clients.

You will take the lead on writing, so top research and copywriting skills are essential. You will also work with editors, designers and multimedia producers to ensure high quality content for your clients across mediums and platforms.

Candidates must have relevant experience and qualifications, as well as excellent organisation and communication skills to work within a high-pressure environment and to strict deadlines.

Ideally, candidates would have experience in marketing, communications or advertising agencies. Candidates with relevant journalism experience will be considered as well.

We would require you to work five days a week, with flexible working arrangements, and we encourage candidates with experience in remote work environments to apply.

/explain/ is an online publication that makes news simple with reader-friendly, easy-to-understand articles such as our award-winning weekly news summary, /The Wrap/.

However, in the digital age, we place great value on editorial independence, which is why we have also formed a communications agency division that develops engaging content for our various clients in the form of social media posts, blogs, videos, and other mediums.

The successful applicant will be working full-time within the content marketing agency.

Do you think you’re the right person for the job? Read on and apply if you are.

Job type:

  • Permanent
  • Candidate experience: Mid-level
  • Salary: Market-related
  • Full-time, we prefer candidates to report to the Johannesburg offices two days a week.

Skills, experience and qualities

  • Most NB: Copywriting. An ability to research and effectively communicate through all written mediums, such as news reporting, blogs, newsletters, social media posts and long-form feature writing. 
  • Tertiary Education: An undergraduate degree or diploma in copywriting, journalism or another related field. We will make an exception given the right amount of experience and other relevant qualifications.
  • Five to seven years of experience in a newsroom or agency, preferably with experience in social media content creation.
  • Strong writing skills, particularly in news reporting, social media posts and sales copy. We want an extensive understanding of various social media scheduling platforms like Loomly, project management platforms such as Asana, designer applications such as Canva and an eye for detail and the ability to capture various clients’ “voices” through the written word and other mediums, such as graphics/images, videos, and audio/podcasts. 
  • Working with the larger team to effectively communicate strategies and follow specific briefs. We need writers to integrate seamlessly into the team and for the content creation process to be frictionless. You should be able to understand and interpret briefs without disrupting the larger content-creation process while also working with the Managing Editor and Accounts Director to meet deadlines and produce content that fulfils each client’s needs. 

Qualities:

  • Strong understanding of news and marketing principles.
  • A proactive approach to work and the ability to take initiative.
  • Strong sense of curiosity and independent thinking
  • Beneficial: Experience with project management software such as Asana, visual content calendars like Loomly, and the full Google Workspace Suite (Google Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Meets, etc.)
  • An interest in current affairs and impact-driven content: Our writers should share our passion for informing the public with high-quality, factual information and media ethics. We also prefer candidates with a passion for pan-Africanism, a commonly shared value among our clients.
  • Contacts within the larger South African media industry are a plus
  • A commitment to teamwork and respect for colleagues. Our team is like a family; we expect all employees to treat each other with respect and create a safe, inclusive environment that allows us all to work to our full potential. We value our friendly workplace, and our strength is found in the sum of our parts and team unity is the glue that binds us together. 

Duties

  • Client liaison and account management.
  • Working with the team at large to timeously create written content and elevate engagement from our audience and our clients’ target markets
  • Working with numerous clients and switching between desired writing styles, tones and content pillars. You should be able to clearly understand client briefs and how to deliver suitable content simultaneously. 
  • Following project management processes, following a schedule and communicating with the team are critical for time management, adhering to deadlines and incorporating client feedback.
  • Working closely with writers, accounts director and managing editor to refine and ideate content.
  • Being a committed member of the larger explain team and helping to grow the company’s brand, audience and revenue as appropriate.

Is this the right job for you? If so, fill in the application form here. 

Closing date: 14 April 2023