Channel Activation Manager (JHB)

Metropolitan is one of the oldest financial services brands in South Africa. With a 125-year legacy of serving the communities in which it operates, Metropolitan represents true empowerment in serving Africa's people through affordable financial solutions that create financial growth and security. Metropolitan operates in South Africa, but the brand is also present in 7 African countries including, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Ghana and Lesotho. Metropolitan provides financial wellness solutions that meet the needs of low-income clients, including funeral insurance, health, savings, hospital cash-back cover, retirement solutions and life insurance. www.metropolitan.co.za

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The Channel Activation Manager is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies that drive engagement, sales, and loyalty through the company’s distribution channels, including tied agents, brokers, financial advisers, and digital partners. This role acts as a strategic bridge between Marketing and Sales, ensuring that all channel-related initiatives are aligned with brand, product, and commercial goals.

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business or related field


• 5–8 years of experience in marketing or trade marketing within FMCG, financial services or insurance


• Proven experience in channel marketing or sales support role


• Experience working with intermediated distribution models (tied agents/broker/adviser etc)

SKILLS

• Operational excellence


• Strong understanding of sales and distribution in life insurance


• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills


• Project management, ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines


• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills


• Proficiency in insights mining, application and campaign analytics


• Regulatory awareness (TCF, FAIS, POPIA, etc.)

• Design and implement targeted channel marketing campaigns to support key sales initiatives.


• Design and implement creative channel marketing initiatives that sets the brand and products apart from competitors.


• Integrate marketing brand chapters within the channel environment in a relevant manner that will support channel objectives.


• Coordinate promotional activities/calendars and campaigns with channel partners.


• Develop marketing collateral suited for various channels.


• Ensure consistency on branding and messaging across all channels.


• Track campaign performance and ROI; provide post-campaign analysis and insights.


• Collaborate with analytics teams to refine targeting and messaging.

Sales Enablement & Support:

• Create and distribute marketing collateral, sales kits, and presentations suited for various channels.


• Develop product toolkits and educational content for intermediaries.


• Support training events, product launches, incentive initiatives and channel conferences.


• Offering ongoing support and communication to address any challenges faced by channel partners.

Stakeholder & Channel Partner Engagement:

• Work closely with Distribution, Product, and Compliance teams to develop compliant marketing materials.


• Build and maintain strong relationships with channel and agency teams.


• Collect feedback or customer insights from channel partners and customers to refine marketing strategies.


• Implement changes based on insights gained from feedback and performance analysis.


• Act as the marketing voice within channel meetings and forums.


• Collaborate with cross functional teams (channel, marketing, group, product solutions, insights etc) to ensure cohesive plans.


• Engage regular communication to ensure alignment and address potential issues.

Digital Channel Integration:

• Ensure marketing content is optimized for digital sales platforms.


• Partner with digital marketing and channel teams to develop channel or strategic partners landing pages and engagement tools.


• Explore and integrate new technologies and marketing trends to enhance channel experience and selling efforts.

Performance Monitoring & Optimisation:

• Define and track KPIs (e.g., sales volumes, penetration, campaign ROI).


• Analyse performance data to refine strategies and improve outcomes.


• Present performance insights to executive leadership and recommend adjustments.

Budget Management:

• Manage marketing budget to ensure efficient allocation of resources and maximise ROI.


• Monitor and record all channel marketing expenses diligently.


• Conduct regular variance analysis to identify discrepancies between budgeted and actual expenses.


• Identify areas where costs can be reduced without compromising quality or effectiveness.


• Negotiate with vendors and service providers to secure favourable pricing and contracts.

Personal Mastery and Leadership:

• Pursue personal and professional development opportunities such as workshops courses and certification relevant to marketing.


• Approach obstacles with a solution oriented mindset and be willing to experiment with innovative, creative solutions.


• Demonstrate the qualities you value in leadership such as integrity, empathy and collaboration to inspire others.


• Manage time effectively, prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines independently.