Head of Social

Lead a highly skilled team of social and influence specialists across the Ogilvy Network in ANZ and deliver effective and award-winning social-first strategies for the world’s most successful brands.

Are you a proven leader in social-first creativity who wants to elevate your career at one of the most successful creative networks? We are on the hunt for a new Head of Social to inspire an established team of social strategists, social creatives, advocacy, orchestration, and analytics experts.  

In this role, you’ll be responsible for developing our end-to-end social offering from organic, culture-first social advocacy through to business influence and social commerce.

You’ll play a key role in realising our strategic and creative process as we transition to a truly integrated, social, and earned-first approach. You’ll relish the challenge of competing head-to-head with pure-play social agencies and developing social-first strategies as the basis for culturally impactful and integrated brand campaigns.

Working with senior stakeholders across the business, you’ll be responsible for developing a best-in-class social offering and driving growth with existing and new clients. You'll have the opportunity to influence major brands' role in culture, leveraging our proprietary tech stack, deep creative talent pool and proven methodologies.

The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of culture-first brand strategy, a passion for creative excellence in social and the ability to consult with clients across the full spectrum of social media.

You’ll be an empathic leader and a highly effective collaborator who drives growth by enabling those around you to deliver the best work of their careers. This role presents a unique opportunity for an established social leader to develop their career on one of the biggest agency stages in Australia and New Zealand with the support of the wider regional and global leadership team.

With social and influencer marketing firmly on the radar of CMOs and marketers in Australia and New Zealand, there’s never been a better time to take your career in social media to the next level with Ogilvy.     

About the role

Consulting:

• Lead the development and execution of social-first brand strategies that drive cultural relevance and business impact for consumer, corporate, public sector and health clients
• Play a lead role in the development of distinctive social strategies for our major clients with a focus on brand building and meaningful cultural impact
• Develop social-first creative briefs and guide creative teams through ideation and execution
• Manage senior client relationships and serve as strategic advisor on social brand building and drive integration of social strategy across broader marketing and communications programs

Product and Growth:

• Lead and evolve the four product offers – commerce, paid, organic and influence – and develop integrated strategies and campaigns that weave specialist teams together
• Manage and extend a best-in-class cultural and social listening program to identify reactive and strategic opportunities for brands
• Oversee the day-to-day operation of an agile content production engine and collaborate with specialists across the network to deliver high-performing and innovative content-led campaigns
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities through the development of innovative social solutions and product offerings
• Join the APAC social media community and partner with colleagues across the region on multi-market client campaigns and regional new business opportunities
• Play a lead role in the development of thought leadership initiatives and represent the agency at industry events and in external communications

Leadership and Operations:

• Set the direction and growth strategy for Ogilvy’s social and influence offering working in partnership with the Group Managing Director for PR, Social and Influence and ECD
• Build and mentor a team of social specialists, setting performance standards, team values and vision and drive professional development
• Create an unstoppable team culture and ambition and optimise the processes, operations and platforms that we need to deliver effectively resulting in profitable growth
• Manage department P&L, including budget planning, resource allocation, and revenue forecasting

About You

• You have 10+ years of experience in social media strategy, with a proven track record of building brands through culture-first strategy and platform-first thinking
• You're deeply versed in the social media landscape, with hands-on experience developing strategies across established and emerging platforms
• You have a natural talent for spotting cultural trends before they peak and can translate these insights into compelling brand opportunities
• You've successfully led and grown social teams, with experience mentoring strategists, creatives, community management and analysts, fostering a culture of innovation
• You have strong commercial acumen, having managed significant client budgets and department P&Ls in an agency environment
• You're an accomplished presenter and relationship builder, comfortable advising C-suite clients on social strategy and brand-building
• You bring a data-driven approach to strategy, with experience in brand strategy, social listening, performance analysis, and insight development
• You have a portfolio of award-winning social campaigns that demonstrate your ability to drive both cultural impact and business results
• You've developed and sold innovative social products and services, with a track record of driving agency growth
• You're recognised in the industry for your thought leadership, regularly speaking at events and contributing to the broader social media discourse

About the Offer 

• A tailored personal development plan to help you identify and achieve your goals, coupled with a dedicated manager to support your career and personal development.
• A monthly allowance for your mobile phone or home internet connection. 
• Additional time off includes your birthday, summer Fridays, loyalty leave, flexible public holidays and an annual Ogilvy Day. Yep, it’s a thing.
• We offer discounted rates with health insurance and fitness providers
• Yoga, meditation, and well-being programs to help keep your mind in shape.
• Confidential counselling support if your personal or professional life throws you a curveball.
• Reward programs to acknowledge achievement and loyalty.
• Bonuses for bringing other talented people into the business.
• Access to discounts and vouchers for big household name brands via our benefits platform, perkSPACE

Want to know more about us? Here is our website: https://www.ogilvypr.com.au/

Please note: All applicants must have valid Australian working rights. Our preference is for this role to be based in Sydney, but we will consider other locations for outstanding candidates

Ogilvy PR is an inclusive opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and welcoming workplace. We encourage people of all backgrounds, orientations, identities and more to apply.