Marketing and Communications Manager

SUMMARY:
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Sustainable Seas Trust | Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) | Fixed-Term Contract

POSITION INFO:
ROLE SUMMARY
Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) seeks an experienced, proactive Marketing and Communications Manager to lead and execute the organisation's full communications function. Reporting to the CEO, this is a high-ownership role requiring strong operational delivery, digital platform management, service provider coordination, and team oversight — all within a purpose-driven, resource-constrained NGO environment.

• Contract: Full-time, 12-month fixed-term (renewable)
• Location: Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), South Africa
• Job Grade: Paterson C (upper band)
• Salary: Commensurate with experience, aligned to the South African NGO sector
• Start Date: As soon as possible

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field
• Minimum 3–5 years' experience in a marketing and/or communications role
• Demonstrable experience managing digital platforms (website, email, social media)
• Experience working with external service providers or agencies
• Strong writing, editing, and content development skills
• Good organisational and project coordination skills
• Experience in the non-profit or development sector is advantageous
• Genuine interest in sustainability, conservation, or social impact

• Lead and execute SST's communications and content strategy across all digital platforms, ensuring brand consistency and quality
• Manage the website, email marketing, social media channels, and digital performance reporting
• Brief, coordinate, and hold external PR, communications, and design service providers accountable for quality and timelines
• Line manage the African Marine Network Coordinator and junior team members, overseeing work plans, outputs, and development
• Coordinate communications for SST events, campaigns, webinars, and stakeholder engagements
• Collaborate with programme teams to surface stories, gather content, and ensure the timely delivery of communications outputs

• Proactive and self-directed — takes ownership without waiting to be prompted
• Solutions-oriented — comfortable navigating ambiguity in a resource-constrained environment
• Detail-conscious — maintains brand and quality standards across all outputs
• Collaborative — works effectively across internal teams and with external partners
• Deadline-driven — manages multiple priorities without compromising quality
• Adaptable — adjusts to shifting organisational needs and available capacity
• Purpose-aligned — demonstrates genuine commitment to environmental or social impact