Marketing Manager: Exact (3 Months Contract)

JOB DESCRIPTION The Marketing Manager is responsible for leading all marketing activity for the Exact brand, from strategy to execution. The role drives brand awareness, customer acquisition & loyalty across all channels, while leading a diverse team of 9 marketing professionals spanning brand, design, visual merchandising & digital. The successful candidate will serve as both strategic leader & hands-on executer, working cross-functionally with buying, merchandise, store ops & e-commerce, & managing a portfolio of external agencies & contractors. Responsibilities 1. Team Leadership & People Management Lead, inspire & develop a diverse internal marketing team of 8 people across brand, design, visual merchandising & digital disciplines Foster an inclusive, high-performance team culture that reflects Exact's family values & celebrates diversity Set clear individual & team objectives, conduct regular performance reviews & support career development Manage workload allocation, priorities & deadlines across disciplines for seamless campaign delivery Identify skills gaps & champion learning opportunities, including AI tool adoption & upskilling across team Manage relationships with external creative, media, PR and production agencies and freelance contractors - ensuring briefs are sharp, output is on-brand and value for money is maintained 2. Brand & Campaign Management Develop and execute seasonal marketing campaigns aligned to Exact's value-fashion positioning across ATL, BTL and digital channels Manage the brand calendar in sync with buying & merchandise cycles Oversee catalogue and lookbook production and in-store visual merchandising alignment Serve as ultimate brand guardian, ensuring consistency of tone, look and feel across all touchpoints - internal team and external partners alike 3. Digital & E-commerce Marketing Drive online traffic and conversion for exact.co.za and the Bash platform presence Manage paid media, SEO/SEM, email marketing and social media strategy Leverage customer data and CRM for personalised, targeted campaigns Work closely with the digital sub-team to test, learn and optimise performance continuously 4. Visual Merchandising & Design Oversee design & VM teams to ensure execution is aligned to campaign strategy & brand standards Brief and sign off all creative output - from digital assets to store graphics and window displays Balance creative ambition with production budgets and delivery timelines 5. Retail & Trade Marketing Partner with store operations on in-store activations, window campaigns and promotional material Support new store openings & mall-level marketing requirements nationally 6. Insights & Reporting Track campaign performance, ROI and brand health metrics Conduct ongoing consumer and competitor analysis within the value-fashion segment Translate customer insights into actionable marketing initiatives Report regularly to senior leadership on team output, marketing performance and budget utilisation 7. Agency & Budget Management Own and control the full marketing budget, including internal team costs and external spend Negotiate contracts & retainers with agencies & contractors, driving efficiency without compromising quality Ensure all suppliers and partners deliver on time, on brief and on budget Qualifications Qualifications and Experience Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business or related field 5-8 yrs marketing, at least 2-3 years managing a multi-disciplinary team Retail or fashion environment strongly preferred Skills: Link marketing activity to sales performance, footfall, online conversion Hands-on experience with paid social, Google Ads, email platforms & analytics tools Ability to manage multiple campaigns and workstreams simultaneously across a team in a fast-paced retail environment Comfortable with campaign analytics, customer segmentation, performance reporting and translating data & insights into decisions Behaviours Consumer-obsessed - deeply understands the aspirational yet budget-conscious SA family shopper Energetic and fast-moving - thrives in the pace of retail, where seasons and promotions don't wait People-first leader - invests in their team, leads with empathy and brings out the best in individuals Collaborative - works cross-functionally with buying, merchandise, e-commerce and store operations Creative with commercial discipline - brings fresh ideas anchored in sales and brand outcomes Inclusive mindset - appreciates the diversity of Exact's customer base & team across income levels, cultures and geographies Resilient and solution-oriented - adapts quickly and steadies the team under pressure ABOUT US Who we are is because of our people. They are our greatest asset. TFG is an internationally diversified retail portfolio of 34 speciality lifestyle and apparel brands that Inspire our Customers to live their Best Lives and are woven into the lives of millions. Our vision is to create the most remarkable omnichannel experiences for our customers. TFG is more than a workplace, it's a launchpad for your growth. Join us and explore endless growth opportunities across our diverse brands. We're a purpose-led business, and on this team, you'll share the pride of making an impact across a whole industry. We're the designers, the makers, the shakers and the teams behind the scenes. Are you with us?