Communications Lead (South Africa and Pan Africa)

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Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As part of Microsoft’s Global Communications team, you will join a group of professionals focused on telling stories that help people fall in love with Microsoft, the things we make and the impact we have in the world.

We are looking for an experienced communications professional to join our Microsoft Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (CEMA) Communications Team as a Communications Lead covering South Africa and pan-African storytelling, within and outside Africa. Working closely with a high-performing in-house communications team plus agency partners, the role offers a unique opportunity to shape Microsoft’s storytelling across earned and owned media, positioning the company as a leader in AI, at the intersection of society and technology.

The successful candidate will be an integral member of the Microsoft CEMA Communications team, collaborating closely with the Communications Leads covering other key African markets – Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt & Morocco - across shared goals, projects and activities, while being accountable for their own strategic priorities and projects. You will be part of a team that is at the forefront of AI adoption and should be able to demonstrate a passion for the positive impact of technology and how to apply AI to your role as a communicator.

There will be many opportunities for you to learn and grow into this role and Microsoft. However, to be able to best deliver on the purpose of this role, these are the core skills and experiences you should have on day one:

Essential Qualifications

• 10+ years’ communications experience working either in-house or in a PR agency, preferably in a corporate setting and/or in the technology industry.

• A deep understanding of the Africa region, culture, political, economic and media environment, as well as local relevance for Microsoft’s business.

• Media & influencer/creator relations experience - strong and active relationships with English and Arabic-speaking journalists, influencers and content creators – South Africa, pan-African and tier 1 global outlets writing about Africa (e.g. Economist, FT, Bloomberg, FT etc).

• Great team player, with excellent written and verbal communication skills and a good balance of strategic thinking and tactical execution.

• Track record in crisis and issues management and employee communications.

• Excellent storytelling and writing

Preferred Qualifications

• Self-directing and highly adaptable with a track record of delivering high impact communications results that map to diverse stakeholder needs.

• Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders and prioritise for the highest impact.

• A growth mindset with proven track record for new, innovative approaches and smart risk taking.

• Experience in managing corporate and solution/product-focused communication and storytelling, developing compelling, concise, creative, and credible fact-based messaging and stories.

• Ability to orchestrate diverse perspectives and stay calm under pressure.

If you are a seasoned professional looking for an exciting opportunity to grow and have impact, we would love to hear from you.
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Reporting to Communications Director for Microsoft Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (CEMA), the Communications Lead will be responsible for:

• Comms strategy – engaging a range of stakeholders to create and execute a corporate communications strategy aligned to global storytelling priorities and local business needs, leading to impactful editorial coverage in tier 1 media in South Africa and pan-African markets, focusing on impactful, agenda-setting storytelling that supports Microsoft’s Africa aspiration, inside and outside Africa.
• Trust storytelling – develop best in class storytelling, including leveraging customer voices, that resonate with key audiences, and which drive trust in Microsoft, in areas such as cybersecurity, skills and sustainability. Establish and own the process of landing those stories across earned, owned and amplified media.
• Leadership in AI – develop a corporate narrative and thought leadership to demonstrate Microsoft’s leadership in AI, with a focus on the societal and economic benefits of AI, as well as its safe and responsible use.
• Reputation management – act as a trusted advisor within Microsoft by advancing and protecting the corporate image and reputation by identifying opportunities to positively shift the perception of the Microsoft brand, and correct inaccuracies when they occur.
• Issues management – managing reactive issues that may affect our reputation, working in partnership with our Corporate External and Legal Affairs team and senior leaders in Middle East markets, as well as our global issues management team.
• Stakeholder and agency management – partnering with internal stakeholders to provide communications counsel and managing agency partners to deliver campaigns aligned to our company mission and business goals.
• Executive and employee communications – act as a strategic advisor to the local leadership team and support with strategic employee and executive communications, and ensure we have a strong bench of relevant and trained spokespeople.