A professional South African rugby union team based in Durban, competing in elite competitions like the United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup is seeking a Head of Digital who will own the strategy, execution, and leadership of their social channels to maximize reach, engagement, and fan loyalty. Social is their most critical platform; you will dictate the "what, when, and how" to optimize for algorithms and trends, leading a dedicated team.

Responsibilities:

• Social Strategy & Growth: Own the comprehensive social roadmap aligned with rugby seasons and fan behavior. Drive platform-specific tactics for TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

• Tactical Execution: Lead daily decision-making on storytelling, hooks, and posting schedules to capture peak engagement (match-day, pre/post-match, and off-season).

• Content Optimization: Oversee ideation, A/B testing, and format experimentation (Reels, Stories, Polls) to boost virality and conversions.

• Team Leadership: Mentor and manage a high-output social team, fostering a culture of skill development and elite performance.

• Data & Analytics: Deep-dive into metrics (sentiment, reach, growth) to pivot strategies and report commercial impact to leadership.

• Brand Guardianship: Ensure all digital output aligns with the Sharks’ brand narrative, acting as the final word on tone and voice.

• Digital Oversight: Provide high-level guidance for Website (UX/SEO) and CRM (segmentation/messaging) to support social amplification.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Brief the design and production teams on social-first assets, ensuring all visuals are optimized for performance.

Minimum Requirements:

• Experience: 7+ years in senior social media leadership (Head of Social/Director) within sports, media, or high-engagement consumer brands.

• Social Mastery: A proven track record of growing audiences and driving viral moments across all major platforms.

• Leadership: Experience scaling teams and managing workflows in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments.

• Technical Literacy: Expert knowledge of social suites (Sprout Social, Hootsuite), listening tools (Brandwatch), and native analytics.

• Strategic Mindset: An analytical approach balanced with an intuitive "feel" for fan emotion and rugby culture.

• Industry Knowledge: A genuine passion for elite team sports and a deep understanding of the South African fan landscape.

• Communication: Elite briefing skills and the ability to present complex digital strategies to executive stakeholders.

• Education: Degree in Marketing, Digital Media, or equivalent industry experience.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary based on experience (salary can potentially be more based on experience/skills)

IF you meet the above requirements and want to make a career-changing move, apply today by emailing your CV to [email protected]