Freelance Intelligence Director

In brief

**Overview** This is a description for a Freelance Intelligence Director position at Ogilvy South Africa, a growing and trendsetting agency known for its global client portfolio. The role's primary focus is to lead a team in delivering high-quality data, insights, and analytics to clients, enhancing strategic, media, and creative approaches. The Director will collaborate across Media, Content, and Strategy teams, leveraging advanced technologies and analytical skills to produce actionable insights. The position operates within an agile, fast-paced agency environment, managing diverse client and internal demands. **What you will do** As the Freelance Intelligence Director, you will: * Lead one of the teams within the Intelligence business unit, ensuring products evolve through innovation and delivering high-quality service to local and international clients, supporting their professional development. * Lead a team to deliver high-quality Data, Insights, and Analytics to clients, ensuring the team augments strategic, media, and creative approaches and meets current and future client needs. * Think holistically about client needs and how data can be harnessed across the organisation. * Collaborate, partner, and connect with Media, Content, and Strategy teams, leveraging advanced technologies and introducing new analytical skills to create actionable insights that improve strategic outputs. * Consult across all data and intelligence deliverables and own intelligence delivery for other Ogilvy & WPP agencies (including new business support and strategic insights). * Establish strategic relationships with in-market contacts and clients to share data and intelligence, working together towards shared strategic objectives. * Increase local and international footprint through new business development, reputation, and thought leadership, scaling the team to meet global demand for intelligence services. * Manage incoming demand to the Intelligence team, prioritising and assessing requests based on priority, capacity, and suitability. * Drive the development of analytical capability across the team, proactively sharing knowledge and building networks. * Step in to analyse social and digital media data using specified tools (e.g., Synthesio, Rival IQ, GWI, SEMRush, Statista, Social Lab Proprietary Tools) based on briefings. * Support planners in developing data-validated strategies, enriching insights into consumer behaviour online. * Create new, commercially viable data products. * Collaborate with WPP and external data providers. * Design insightful reports and audits with strategic recommendations and present intelligence work directly to clients. * Own the intelligence technology stack. * Focus on new business development for the intelligence unit, building reputation within the network and beyond, developing and selling new products to clients and partners, and ensuring staff retention and engagement. * Act as the main point of contact with Client Servicing, manage resourcing and traffic, assign appropriate resources and skillsets to projects, monitor capacity, and build scope of work based on client and partner briefings. * Interrogate briefs, guide clients through services, tools, and outputs, and monitor strategy and intelligence income and profitability. * Develop and maintain ongoing collaboration with third-party tech vendors and explore new tools. * Co-create and lead the implementation of upskilling and coaching programs for intelligence staff. * Create updated service offerings for the Ogilvy network and end clients. * Package new intelligence products and participate in marketing and new business development activities. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * Minimum 8 years’ experience in data Analytics, Insights, and Strategy. * Minimum three years managing a team. * An understanding of the diverse range of analytical possibilities available on digital platforms to help design and build a data service for new and existing clients. * Experience in Social Listening / Data and Analytics / Data visualisation / Consumer research / Digital Strategy. * Strong Team Management skills. * Well-versed in modern digital strategy. * Ability to develop strategic recommendations based on data surfaced through analytic tools and market research. * Comfortable using social and digital monitoring technologies (social listening). * Experience using data tools such as Synthesio, Brandwatch, Meltwater, GWI, Rival IQ, SEMRush, etc. **Who should apply** The ideal candidate for this role should be comfortable in growing senior client relationships and business. They should be flexible and open to working in an agile and fast-paced environment, self-reliant, and accountable, capable of taking strategic control of all accounts within their portfolio. Key attributes include skilful project management and being an exceptional team player with the confidence and integrity to quickly earn client and internal team trust. Applicants must also demonstrate a proven ability to work effectively under the pressures of an agency environment, characterised by fast-paced objectives and multiple client and internal demands. **Deadline** Not specified **Reference** Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/freelance-intelligence-director-ogilvy-south-africa Source: myjobmag

Summary drafted with AI assistance from the original advert. The advert itself is the authority — how we use AI.

At a glance

• At least 8 years of experience.

• Project management
• Agile / Scrum

Extracted automatically from the advert; confirm requirements on the original listing.

Job description

Before you apply

• Confirm the requirements and closing date on the original listing (myjobmag). SPANi lists vacancies from other sites and may not reflect last-minute changes.
• Legitimate employers do not charge application, registration or training fees.
• Don't send your ID or bank details before you have confirmed the employer is real.

How to spot a job scam

Applying for contract roles

• State your notice period, contract length you can commit to, and earliest start date.
• Highlight recent project delivery and tools used, not only long-ago permanent roles.
• Confirm whether the role is PAYE, independent contractor, or labour-broker before accepting.
• Keep records of the listing URL and closing date in case you need to follow up.