Performance Lead

Publicis Plus is a newly formed, dedicated client team within Publicis Groupe Africa, partnering with one of the world's leading food and beverage companies. Join us at the start and help shape how a global partnership comes to life in South Africa.

Reports to

Head of Performance & Client Lead

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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.

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

Required competencies

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

• 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