Digital Ad Operations Manager – Rainmaker Media Value Proposition Powered by Africa’s largest retailer, Rainmaker Media reaches over 80% of South Africa’s shoppers through digital and physical media channels. With exclusive access to the continent’s largest retail audience and advanced analytics, we offer the first precision retail media service in Africa. Join our collaborative, passionate team and shape our culture and delivery ambitions. Role Purpose The Digital Ad Operations Manager leads the development and enablement of our precision marketing proposition. Within budget and agreed timeframes, the role traffics and manages campaigns, working with sales, advertisers, technology teams and clients to ensure smooth delivery. The manager performs quality assurance, generates reports, and drives a team of specialists across ad platforms, revenue products, and traffic operations. Role Description Lead and drive the smooth execution of day‑to‑day activities within the department. Own the full campaign process: set‑up, technical integration, quality assurance, delivery, optimisation, reporting, and issue resolution. Serve as the main point of contact between advertising operations and the rest of the business. Effectively manage the team – allocate work, set priorities, manage performance, and ensure the team is guided, equipped and enabled to deliver on objectives. Build relationships within the team, across the team, and with other stakeholders. Collaborate with sales, content, and strategy teams on planning, inventory management, prioritization, testing, scheduling, and delivery of advertising programs and campaigns. Establish processes and protocols for pre‑launch prep work, including quality assurance on ad tags and creatives. Monitor campaign delivery to ensure campaigns run as expected and provide troubleshooting support for traffic issues. Review dashboards and campaign performances to generate fact‑based solutions that increase client campaign performance. Use data from existing campaigns to influence strategies for upcoming campaigns, considering metrics, behavioural and transactional targeting to improve ROAS. Troubleshoot tracking problems, develop solutions, and document internal procedures for the campaign management team. Perform quality assurance checks to ensure campaigns are set up correctly and deliver across platforms. Analyse data, generate insights, prepare recommendations, and perform periodic optimisations that drive sales and meet business objectives. Identify, establish, and implement best practices for campaign set‑up, optimisation, measurement, and reporting. Consult with stakeholders on platform capabilities and enhancements. Keep up to date with market trends and contribute insights to enable continuous improvement. Qualifications and Experience Degree or Diploma in Marketing, Advertising, Media, Sales or related – essential. +5 years’ experience in advertising operations, with at least 2 years in a management role, and depth in ad‑serving, rich media, mobile implementation, creative processes, dynamic ads, campaign management and digital media planning/buying at a leading retailer, brand, or agency – essential. Strong knowledge of the latest digital media platforms and solutions – essential. Strong commercial acumen and understanding of media landscape and pricing structures (CPC, CPM, CPA) – essential. Solid knowledge of marketing principles, audience targeting, data collection and programmatic methods – essential. Knowledge of AdTech products, data vendors, industry, third‑party technology, and market trends – essential. Proficiency in HTML, JavaScript, XML and standard ad systems such as Google Ad Manager, Google Analytics, DV360 and social media advertising – essential. Experience troubleshooting ad‑serving technical issues, identifying tag types and investigating delivery – desired. Strong knowledge of analytical methodologies and tactics for optimising data‑driven marketing campaigns – desired. Strong proficiency in MS Office – essential. Key Competencies and Work Flexible thinker who makes decisions and executes tasks in a fast‑paced environment, absorbing, analysing, and integrating data to create solutions. Commercial awareness, understanding the advertising operations landscape, key risks, and their impact on profitability. Strong leadership skills – able to motivate and drive a unified team toward campaign goals from conception to achievement. EEO and Diversity Statement Our Group and all its operating companies are committed to creating and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. Everyone matters and feels included. Employment Equity We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally. Privacy Notice By responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Rainmaker Media and its subsidiaries to process your personal information for the purpose of considering your application for this position. Personal information you provide will be used solely for recruitment purposes and, where possible, will be securely destroyed. Information will only be retained if required by law or if you have provided consent for longer retention. Seniority level Not Applicable Employment type Full‑time Job function Other Industries Advertising Services and Retail #J-18808-Ljbffr