Performance Lead

Company Description We are the Human Experience Agency. We believe the growth opportunity lies in people. We understand and anticipate human desires to deliver media experiences of value. We call this PeoplePoweredGrowth! Focusing on both business outcomes and human outcomes is proven to deliver stronger growth for clients. PeoplePoweredGrowth identifies the intersection between what people want and what brands need, to create media experiences of value. PeoplePoweredGrowth orchestrates the right talent and capability to solve for clients’ unique business challenges through interconnected capability. PeoplePoweredGrowth embodies a way of thinking, working, and learning; challenging the status quo and always reaching for a better. It is a culture of never standing still. Starcom is a full service, global media agency with a presence in multiple markets around the world. We believe in the power of our network and work closely with our global colleagues to ensure that we are providing our clients with global best practice, localized for the South African market. Our clients include Mondelez, Haleon (GSK), Samsung, Stellantis, Sandoz, Kellogg’s to name a few. We are part of the Publicis network – the fastest growing global network.

Overview Reports to Head of Performance & Client Lead

Dotted line Third-Party Execution Partner (Nodes), Platform Partners, Analytics & Technology Teams

Role purpose Accountable for end-to-end performance delivery across the portfolio. Owns performance strategy, optimization governance, client leadership, data interpretation, learning agenda development, innovation and automation, operational excellence and third-party execution governance. While campaign setup and trafficking may be handled by an external execution partner (Nodes), accountability for campaign quality, delivery, optimization, reporting accuracy and business outcomes remains with the Performance Lead. The role acts as the strategic and operational command center connecting client objectives, media strategy, creative, analytics, technology and execution teams.

Responsibilities Scope of role

• Performance strategy
• Optimization governance
• Client leadership
• Data interpretation
• Learning agenda development
• Innovation and automation
• Operational excellence
• Third-party execution governance

Core Accountabilities

• Translate business objectives into measurable performance frameworks.
• Validate media plans, audience strategy and channel mix.
• Drive ROAS, CPA, conversion and growth optimization.
• Ensure all campaigns are performance-ready before launch.
• Lead daily alignment with execution partners.
• Govern setup hygiene, taxonomy, UTMs, pixels and conversion tracking.
• Ensure optimization recommendations are executed within SLA.
• Monitor pacing, delivery, spend accuracy and campaign health daily.
• Conduct daily checks and weekly deep dives; generate optimization hypotheses and predictive recommendations.
• Lead weekly performance reviews with client stakeholders and translate performance into business implications.
• Identify automation and AI-led optimization opportunities; drive testing frameworks and experimentation culture.
• Lead monthly “Start / Stop / Continue” learning reviews and embed learnings into future planning.

Manadatory artifacts owned

• Performance Framework

Translates business objectives into measurable performance KPIs.

• Performance-Readiness Sign-Off

Confirms campaigns are performance-ready before launch.

• Optimization Tracker

Maintains operational governance and optimization instructions within SLA.

• Weekly Deep Dive & Recommendations

Deep-dive analysis with optimization hypotheses and predictive recommendations.

• Client Performance Review

Weekly review translating media performance into business implications.

• Learning Agenda / Start–Stop–Continue

Monthly best-practice governance embedding learnings into future planning.

Decision rights

• Whether a campaign is performance-ready to launch
• Optimization direction and priority
• Escalation of delivery, platform or tracking risk
• Reporting and data integrity standards
• Testing and experimentation agenda
• Execution partner governance and SLA enforcement

Qualifications Required competencies

• Including at least 3–5 years in a senior performance, client-leadership or team/partner-management role

Demonstrated hands-on experience across Google, Meta, DV360/programmatic and commerce media

• Performance marketing
• Advanced performance marketing expertise.
• Platform expertise
• Google, Meta, DV360, Programmatic and Commerce Media.
• Analytics & attribution
• Strong analytics and attribution capability.
• Martech understanding
• Conversion tracking and martech understanding.
• Operational governance
• Operational governance and stakeholder management.
• Strategic consulting
• Strategic storytelling and consulting ability.
• Partner management