Applications are invited for the position of Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications (Peromnes Grade 5) based at Bruma.  The successful applicant will be reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.

 Purpose

 To provide leadership in the development, establishment and management of the Corporate Affairs function to support achievement of the overall business strategy aligned to the vision of the organisation to enhance ATNS’ strategic position in the local and global markets and to define the company’s Corporate Identity as approved by Exco and the Board to enable communication of a visual statement about the brand to clients, employees and all other relevant stakeholders. This includes the company logo, slogan, colours, décor, stationery, etc

Strategic Alignment - Provide strategic leadership and guidance in establishing the Corporate Affairs function within ATNS ensuring alignment with the company’s vision and mission, with responsibility for:  Formulation and management of the company’s Corporate Identity; Development and implementation of the company’s value proposition; Management of internal and external communication; Establishment and management of the company’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) function; Management of governmental affairs.  Develop, implement and review (as required) a robust and time relevant Corporate Affairs and communications (internal and external) strategy and value proposition aligned to the overall business strategy of ATNS; Develop and manage strategic and tactical internal and external communications aligned to the overall business strategy. Design and implement the Corporate Affairs and Communication function’s governance and service management capabilities, along with the service catalogue and service level agreements;               Provide key inputs and guidance to Customer Solutions in the formulation of the corporate branding strategy that will enable positioning of the company amongst the top brands nationally;   Protect ATNS from reputational risk through proactive and effective external and internal communications, navigation of major change and transition, and by effectively establishing the organisation’s’ image and value proposition in the market; Drive timeous delivery of the required Corporate Affairs and Communication strategic projects/initiatives, within budget, and to the required standards; Identify key strategic, social, political, economic, and societal issues that might impact ATNS’s Corporate image and develop action plans to address them; Conduct continuous environmental scanning to identify issues that might impact corporate positioning and develop response strategies; Analyse trends and metrics in partnership with ATNS leadership so as to develop Corporate Affairs and Communications solutions, i.e. policies, processes, guidelines and programs, that are aligned to the business needs and strategies.

Corporate Identity, Value Proposition and CSI - Formulate the company’s corporate identity as approved by Exco and the Board to guide communication and company activities, and to facilitate the management of its image and reputation; Develop and maintain a positive corporate image by protecting and developing a reputable corporate identity and brand for ATNS in collaboration with Customer Solutions; Define the company’s corporate identity in terms of a visual statement about the brand to clients, employees and all other relevant stakeholders, namely the company logo, slogan, colours, décor, and stationery, amongst others; Formulate the company’s value proposition in collaboration with Customer Solutions to clearly relate the benefits that its products and services will provide to customers; Establish and manage an effective Corporate Social Investment (CSI) function for ATNS in alignment with the company’s image and reputation as approved by Exco.

Government Affairs - Drive and manage governmental affairs at National and Regional level; Create the strategy and drive Corporate Affairs stakeholder managementDevelop relationships with key decision makers and other stakeholders to advance ATNS’ policy goals; Enhance visibility and reputation of ATNS with all relevant stakeholders and position the organisation as a leader in its field;               Monitor the policy and political environment for salient and emerging issues and timely and regularly inform the CEO and leadership team; Maintain active engagement with trade associations to improve the business climate for ATNS; Enhance the visibility and reputation of ATNS with all relevant stakeholders and position the organisation as a leader in their field; Identify opportunities and threats in the legislative process to advance or defend identified ATNS’ policy objectives.

External & Internal Communications - Lead activities in the areas of public and media relations, media advocacy, executive communications, editorial services, and publications; Develop and execute communication strategies to raise awareness of ATNS’ scientific activities, products and services, seizing relevant opportunities to enhance the organization's image; Lead the designs and coordination of internal and external corporate events and communications for ATNS, and collaborate with Customer Solutions where required; Raise the organisation's profile in the market through the development of effective communication to support its image and corporate reputation, strategic initiatives, and marketed products, services and pipeline programs; Support the Customer Solutions department by drafting communication relating to customer solutions, products and services; Support the CEO and leadership team with internal communications efforts to ensure aligned and focused messages and communication to all employees; Assume full responsibility for external communications ensuring compliance with corporate communications disclosure rules; Provide dedicated and expert communications advice and insights to leadership on building awareness, understanding and support for the company's strategic goals and business priorities among multiple stakeholders; Lead and manage protocol management framework relating to engagement of internal and external stakeholders i.e. government relations, public affairs, and local communities; Support the CEO, Board and ATNS leadership team with internal communications efforts/ initiatives to ensure aligned and focused internal communications to all employees; Provide support to the Customer Solutions department, by drafting communication plans relating to innovative customer solutions, products and services available to the market; Develop and implement the stakeholder engagement plan and conduct stakeholder mapping and analyse their varying needs; Provide dedicated and expert communications counsel and insights to local leadership on positioning and messaging in building awareness, understanding, and support for the company's strategic goals and priorities among multiple stakeholders; Oversee the development of the materials for the Board, CEO and other executives as needed i.e. presentations, and speeches;   Develop communications forums and facilitate engagements to raise the visibility and credibility of ATNS internally and externally.

Media Relations & Issue Management - Design and lead the implementation of a media and public relations strategy for ATNS; Establish effective and sustainable relationships with media houses; Build a visible presence of the company on all available online platforms; Scan media platforms for any news/ stories about the organisation and facilitate development and activation of the required response; Identify the most appropriate media for running marketing campaigns for the organisation’s products and services; Drive media coverage around key milestones, leveraging multiple channels such as general media, industry press, social media (including local company website(s)) to increase visibility and reach target audiences; Ensure positive coverage of ATNS’ drive and vision to be a leader in the field ;  Develop and manage media crisis strategic plans and crisis communication; Identify and address issues that may impact ATNS’ reputation as a responsible corporate citizen; Provide real-time support and guidance to the Leadership Team on crisis/issues management; Develop relatable and appealing content for the company in presenting itself to target audiences; Establish and leverage media networks to improve and protect the organisation’s reputation in media; Build and maintain a media network to monitor and pro-actively manage developments that could enhance or threaten ATNS reputation in the media.

Governance, Risk Management, Compliance & Reporting - Implement and manage a robust governance framework for the function; Continuously monitor and ensure team compliance with ATNS policies, processes and relevant legislation; Manage the function’s performance against strategy and set targets and objectives; Ensure identification,  assessment, management and effective mitigation of risks; Develop a Corporate Affairs & Communication risk management plan and ensure proactive mitigation of risks identified; Prepare monthly and other reports as required.

Stakeholder Relations Management - Build, maintain and nurture mutually beneficial relationships with all relevant stakeholders; Build and maintain effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to enable alignment and collaboration.

Financial Management - Manage expenditure in line with business priorities and objectives, and withing approved financial parameters; Provide input into the development of the budget, and strive to minimise the cost to income ratio; Manage and monitor the departmental budget and control cost as per company policy; Ensure compliance to Finance policies and processes in utilisation of the approved budget; Ensure accountability and reporting on all costs incurred against the approved budget including possible variances.

People Management - Manage employees in accordance with HC policies and processes; Ensure that new employees have been properly on-boarded prior to commencing work; Monitor the time and attendance of subordinates, take appropriate action in the case of absenteeism, and report to management and Human Capital; Ensure availability of skilled and competent staff for the Corporate Affairs and Communications function to meet the current and future needs of the various function; Promote high levels of governance and performance to achieve the function's performance targets and objectives; Manage performance outputs of the function’s team through implementation of the organisation’s performance management system; Drive employee engagement and retention within the Corporate Affairs and Communications function.