Managing Executive:
The Speakers Firm.

Overview:

The Speakers Firm is seeking a Managing Executive with a deep knowledge of the intersections between business, thought leadership, and content curation. This role is designed for someone who thrives in curating dynamic and impactful conversational and speaking engagements for clients in both the private and public sectors. The successful candidate will play an integral part in fostering meaningful dialogue and actionable outcomes by managing relationships with speakers and clients, ensuring events are flawlessly executed, and overseeing the overall development of The Speakers Firm. This executive will be responsible for the selection, co-ordination, and management of high-calibre speakers with intellectual gravitas, ensuring they inspire and compel audiences to take action. In the daily operations of The Speakers Firm, the executive will oversee the operations of the Firm, including management of the operational team whilst continuously adopting and integrating strategic thinking, identifying talent and building new relationships for business development purposes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Speaker Management: Recruitment & Onboarding: Identify, recruit, vet, and onboard exceptional speakers, ensuring they align with The Speakers Firm’s mission, client needs, and industry relevance.
• Speaker Relations: Develop and maintain strong, trusting relationships with speakers, providing continuous support and guidance to enhance their engagement with The Speakers Firm and clients.
• Speaker Profile Management: Regularly update and maintain speaker profiles, ensuring accuracy in areas such as expertise, certifications, speaking history, and performance metrics.
• Negotiation & Contracts: Handle speaker inquiries, negotiate speaking fees, and manage all aspects of speaker contracts, ensuring clarity and satisfaction on both sides.
• Campaign Management: Oversee the execution of influencer and partnership campaigns, ensuring they align with business objectives and marketing goals, and report on ROI.
• Event Co-ordination: Collaborate with internal teams, such as event content leads and production partners, to manage speaker logistics, pre-event preparation, and onsite support.
• Event Support & Execution: Provide hands-on support for speakers at industry events, ensuring readiness and delivering a seamless, impactful experience for both the speaker and the audience.

Brand Communications

• Event Strategy: Conceptualise and execute brand-relevant events, pop-ups, and experiences that reflect The Speakers Firm’s ethos and thought leadership.
• Marketing Strategy: Develop and oversee comprehensive outbound marketing strategies, including segmentation, targeting, media planning, and execution of integrated marketing campaigns.
• Brand Storytelling: Create compelling narratives that communicate the brand’s heritage, values, and positioning across various channels to enhance engagement and brand awareness.
• Campaign Performance & Reporting: Use data-driven insights to monitor, adjust, and optimise the performance of branding and marketing campaigns.
• Public Relations: Oversee the creation of press materials such as press releases, communications plans, and key messages to secure media coverage and increase brand visibility.
• Cross-Channel Marketing: Manage brand promotions through digital, social media, traditional media, and partnerships to drive brand awareness and customer engagement.

Client Relationship Management

• CRM Strategy: Develop and implement a CRM strategy that drives customer engagement, supports sales goals, and enhances customer retention.
• Sales Operations & Forecasting: Oversee international sales strategies, ensuring alignment with business objectives, and provide sales forecasts and performance metrics.
• Customer Engagement: Drive customer engagement initiatives through personalized communications and data-driven insights, optimizing customer journeys to increase conversions.
• Client Negotiations: Negotiate speaking engagements and manage client relationships, ensuring both speaker and client satisfaction.

Event Management

• Logistics Management: Co-ordinate and manage all logistics for speaking engagements, including travel, accommodations, and on-site support.
• On-Site Direction: Provide creative direction and ensure the synchronization of speaker content with on-screen visuals to maximise audience impact.
• Performance Metrics: Establish KPIs for events and provide in-depth post-event analysis to gauge success and identify areas for future improvement.

Operational Management

• Speaker Database Management: Oversee and maintain up-to-date speaker databases, CRM systems, and ensure accurate tracking of speaker fees and expenses.
• Compliance & Regulations: Ensure that all operations comply with relevant policies, regulations, and legal requirements.
• Due Diligence and Security Processes: Build a robust vetting and brand safety system to protect the organization from reputational risk while engaging speakers authentically and effectively.
• Internal Process Optimisation: Continuously assess and enhance internal processes to improve efficiency and drive business growth.
• Administrative Support: Manage day-to-day administrative and operational functions, ensuring that strategic goals and business plans are executed effectively.

Strategic Planning

• Growth and Business Development: Develop and implement strategies for expanding The Speaker’s Firm, increasing revenue, and enhancing market presence.
• Industry Research & Trend Awareness: Stay informed about industry trends, emerging thought leaders, and best practices to keep The Speakers Firm competitive and relevant.
• Data Analytics and Leveraging Data for Strategic Outputs: Create, codify, and implement frameworks, processes, and tools to support markets in identifying top talent, managing speaker relationships, and delivering impactful speaker campaigns
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Collaborate with various departments, including PR, legal, HR, and finance, to align strategies and ensure seamless execution of speaking engagements and events.
• Budget & Financial Oversight: Prepare and manage budgets for speaking engagements, campaigns, and events, ensuring financial efficiency and profitability.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Deep Expertise in Thought Leadership and Content Curation: Strong understanding of the intersection between business, thought leadership, and impactful content curation for events.
• Excellent Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage and negotiate with speakers, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Organisational Excellence: Superior organisational skills and the ability to juggle multiple projects, deadlines, and tasks effectively.
• Negotiation Skills: Proven ability to negotiate speaking fees and contracts while maintaining strong relationships with clients and speakers.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving abilities with a data-driven approach to decision-making and performance evaluation.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the speaking industry, its players, and the unique needs of both public and private sector clients.
• Technological Proficiency: Comfort with CRM systems, databases, and other software tools essential for managing speakers and events.
• Event Management Experience: Proven experience in managing logistics, high-profile speakers, and executing successful events.
• Leadership & Team Collaboration: Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively, leading initiatives and engaging cross-functional teams to achieve strategic objectives.
• Attention to Detail: High level of attention to detail to ensure all aspects of speaker engagements and event management are flawless.

Qualification and Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in CRM, customer engagement, or related fields, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• 8+ years of experience in talent-facing roles, including but not limited to influencer marketing, marketing, brand strategy and social media parking a plus.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to craft compelling stories and presentations.
• Deep expertise in brand storytelling and emotional marketing strategies
• Strong expertise in presentation visuals, slide decks, and live event design
• 10+ years of experience in event management, with at least 6 years in B2B or advertising.
• Thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, with the agility to prioritize resources and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• 12+ years of experience with brand marketing, consumer products and/or brand management, with brands and at companies with global scale.
• Experience developing and executing large-scale or integrated marketing campaigns (online/offline advertising, web, events), including experience with both brand-building and acquisition marketing initiatives.
• Strong Public Relations and Reputation Management Skills to maintain a positive positionality in the media landscape for both the Speakers Firm and the talent it represents.
• Experience partnering with external companies (partners, agencies, vendors, retailers) and influencing / managing up to executive, VP and cross-functional leadership.
• Expert in end-to-end campaign development, execution, and measurement.
• Strong experience in strategic thinking and approaching complex problems with a good balance of structure, curiosity, and practicality. It is key to be able to cut through complexity to get to a tangible outcome.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable with ambiguity + creating processes + collaborative partnerships to set up a high growth brand for future success
• Tangible experience navigating contracts, talent deals, deal points and negotiations at a high level.
• Proven experience in influencer campaigns/partnerships, with at least 10+ years
• Demonstrated ability to work with various internal stakeholders and external partners to drive alignment and achieve results.
• An ability to lead and collaborate with broad and complex teams of stakeholders—across divisions, functions, and geographies.
• An excellent written / verbal communication and presentation approach to all levels of an organization.
• Experience in managing brand safety, speaker vetting, and mitigating risks in speaker partnerships.
• Proficiency in using data and insights to drive decision-making and optimize speaker strategies.
• Expert understanding of influencer ecosystems across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging social platforms. Established relationships with influencers, talent agencies, and content creators across multiple industries.
• Adept at managing multi-stakeholder initiatives and solving problems/removing obstacles to get work done/drive execution
• Proven experience managing high-profile events, media relations, results-driven storytelling and celebrity/influencer partnerships
• Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth environments, balancing multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit a resume along with a cover letter outlining their experience and vision for the role to jobs@thespeakersfirm.co.za