Africa Head of Corporate Communications

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What We'll Bring:

The Africa Head of Corporate Communications is responsible for building the external and internal reputation of the company as a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in global commerce. Taking a ‘one TU approach’ in Africa, it combines both TransUnion Africa (TUA) and Global Capability Centre Africa (GCCA) into a single corporate communications strategy and program of activity.

The role is responsible for overall corporate positioning of the business and leads communications across all our Africa regions for all internal and external communications activity, which includes but isn’t limited to proactive PR, crisis/incident work, internal communications and selected client communications that impact our corporate reputation.

This role unifies all TU entities and Africa regions activity and ensures consistency of message. Aligned to the TU global operating model and matrix structure, the role will report to the Senior Director of Corporate Communications in Europe, Africa and Asia and has a dotted line to the Senior Director of Marketing in Africa.

The role includes being the most senior in-region comms point of contact for Executives and Directors in both TUA and GCCA. It will need to navigate the unique features and stakeholders of the Africa market and the two entities (TUA and GCCA) and Africa regions we support (including Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Eswatini and Zambia).

This role is integral to telling our story in region and has line management responsibility for direct reports across internal and external comms disciplines. This Africa Head of Corporate Communications is also able to draw on shared International and Enterprise-level resources – these include but aren’t limited to writers, designers, social media experts, additional agencies, crisis communications, and executive communication teams. It works with wider Enterprise teams to promote our mission and strategy and the value we bring to the markets we are in.

Hybrid position and will be required to work a few days per week in the office in Sandton

What You'll Bring:

• Develop and maintain TransUnion’s corporate communications strategy (internal and external) for all our Africa markets and entities (taking a ‘one TU approach’)
• Responsible for priority client communications that impact our corporate reputation
• In region strategic corporate communications counsel (to both our in-region exec but also to our global Corporate Affairs and Communications team)
• Sets annual goals and targets aligned to wider stakeholders and team / global reporting requirements (i.e. Corp Affairs and Comms, and Marketing) ensuring an integrated approach to all activity
• Plan and coordinate activity around key topics and issues, bringing together business-wide campaigns that focus on regulatory and industry-specific change. Ensure SLAs and other dependencies are managed and understood
• Support wider corporate, and communications (and marketing) strategy, including but not limited to product announcements, research insights/thought leadership, wider brand building activity, partner and employer of choice programs
• Support the External Communications Manager in managing TransUnion’s PR agency in region (which supports corporate, B2B and consumer work as needed) and other suppliers as required for specific projects etc.
• Develop talent, providing coaching to direct reports and mentoring support across wider Corporate Affairs and Communications function
• Evolve KPI reporting and evaluation metrics in region and internationally as required (ensuring activity aligned to achieving wider strategic business goals)
• Maintain core materials necessary for the delivery of the ongoing corporate programme (e.g. overall strategy, tactical/activity planners, key message and briefing documents, issues trackers etc. across Marketing and Corporate Affairs and Comms requirements)
• Strong media awareness – opportunity spotting and providing insight to the wider business are key to this role (develop wider insight and feedback tools, including enhanced competitor tracking) + proactive and reactive press office activity as required
• Enhance and build greater capabilities for our internal communications activity in region (helping bring our business entities and regions closer together)
• Be a key member of the crisis/incident communications team/DIRT (Data Incident Response Team)
• Advise on wider related communication matters (speeches/events etc.) and provide ad-hoc ‘consultancy’ advice directly to senior team and wider functions as required

Impact You'll Make:

• Strong stakeholder management
• Collaboration + relationship building
• Quick assimilation of complicated and technical information
• Highly developed creativity
• Highly analytical and numerate
• Ability to multi-task
• Communication and influence
• Wider horizon planning
• Strong media knowledge
• Well organised self-starter
• Project management
• Wider experience of combined campaigning (especially in relation to public affairs and marketing)
• Knowledge of wider marketing disciplines (including social media)
• Knowledge/experience of internal comms best practice
• Degree educated & relevant professional training

For positions based in South Africa, preference will be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups in line with the company's Employment Equity plan and targets.

Should you have not heard from us within 3 weeks from applying, please regard your application as unsuccessful.

Please note it is a requirement of the Global Capability Centre Africa that you reside in a home that is fibre ready; and has space for you to be able to work comfortably and confidentially on a day-to-day basis for the purpose of your proposed employment. You can be based anywhere in South Africa that has fibre, but will not be able to work in a location outside of South Africa.

A Minimum of a 100 Meg Fibre line is required, should you be successful, you will need to upgrade your line or install fibre in order to work effectively. This can be claimed back on a monthly basis.

This is a hybrid position and involves regular performance of job responsibilities virtually as well as in-person at an assigned TU office location for a minimum of two days a week.

TransUnion Job Title

Sr Manager, Corporate Affairs and Communications