Retail Media Specialist

Join us as: Retail Media Specialist

Function: Marketing
Reports to: East and West Africa & Southern Africa dComm Lead
Scope: Southern Africa
Location: Durban (La Lucia Ridge Office)

Terms & Conditions: Full time

ABOUT UNILEVER

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

JOB PURPOSE

Lead the planning and execution of retail media strategies to drive impactful digital campaign performance across key retailer platforms. This role partners with internal business units and external retailers to optimise media investment, guide platform-specific activation, and deliver data-driven insights. As the central point of contact for retail media and performance marketing, you will ensure seamless collaboration, effective campaign delivery, and continuous optimisation to maximise ROI and business growth.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Drive and execute holistic retail media planning and budgeting process that is in line with the brand, customer, and shopper jobs to be done (JTBD)

• Build retail and performance media strategies converting shoppers into buyers, leveraging search, display, and performance media.

• Leverage shopper data to drive media planning, execution, optimization delivers best in class ROI while integrating retail media plans into holistic media strategy.

• Build best in class retail media JBPs from scratch that include media rate cards as well as accountable measures such as brand safety, viewability, fraud!

• Build and establish data driven and best in class retail strategic media framework and agile WOWs for tracking, reporting and execution with the retailers.

• Be the business partner for the different internal stakeholders to drive holistic planning and media strategies.

• Drive innovation, especially with new ways into commerce – social, live streaming etc.

• Improve media standards, and accountability of Unilever media investment.

• Improved use of signals and data to drive conversions efficiently.

• Key interfaces: Media teams; Retail media partners; Media agencies; Shopper marketing; Customer / eCommerce leads; Brand marketing

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field

• 3 - 5 years of experience within eCommerce and / or performance media

• Working knowledge of Retailer / Omni Media ad products and tools

• Ability to operate both strategically and tactically in a high-energy, fast-paced environment.

• Eager to take smart risks and champion new ideas.

• Ability to analyze and propose data-driven solutions, with exceptional attention to detail.

• Communication and collaboration skills that enable you to earn trust up, down, and across the company.

• Willingness and ability to educate and upskill internal colleagues on eCommerce media nuances and their impact to the business.

• Understanding of overall media planning process, agency management, and ability to lead teams.

Leadership
You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way. As an individual you are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and delivering high standards of work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

Unilever behaviours
CARE DEEPLY: We care deeply about how consumers experience our brands every day, everywhere; about our people’s growth and development and our impact on the planet. We care about our performance, to a point where it hurts when we don’t win. It is not just about being nice or avoiding honest conversations about performance and opportunity.

FOCUS ON WHAT COUNTS: We ruthlessly prioritize what really, really matters, allowing us to do better on fewer things. We set clear and stretching goals and recognize maximum performance impact. It is not about reducing ambition or effort or running after the ‘new and shiny’.

STAY THREE STEPS AHEAD: We think boldly and creatively to make breakthroughs in performance. We are always curious and confident, anticipating and staying ahead of consumer needs and external trends to beat the competition. It is not taking our eye off the ‘here and now’.

DELIVER WITH EXCELLENCE: We deliver everything we do with excellence and pace. We take personal ownership and hold each other to account – always finding a way to do what we’ve said we will do. It is not about analyzing the inevitable roadblocks, admiring the problem or tolerating mediocrity.

Unilever is an equal opportunities employer and committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.  We are intentional in employing the best talent that reflects the demographics of our country and which will help build representation of currently under-represented groups. We therefore invite applications from all candidates representing diversity of age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief. When appointing potential candidates, the South African Employment Equity and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Legislation will be considered.  

We are required by law to verify your ability to work lawfully in South Africa. If you are applying as a foreign national, please note that you may be requested to provide supporting documents supporting this. 

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.