COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Smollan
2026/09/04   Gauteng

Job Ref #: SM-7855
Industry: Motor Industry
Job Type: Contract
Positions Available: 1
At Smollan, we’re on an evolutionary journey where we’re shifting our story. We’re looking for truly unique people who believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. Where our people are cared for, happy and inspired in building an extraordinary place to work.
Job Description

The External Affairs & Communications Manager is responsible for developing and executing Castrol Southern Africa's external affairs, stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, reputation management, advocacy, and social impact agenda.

The role safeguards and enhances Castrol's reputation, supports the company's licence to operate, drives strategic engagement with government and industry stakeholders, and ensures effective internal and external communications aligned with business priorities. The position will play a key role in supporting B-BBEE, sustainability, corporate citizenship, and corporate brand positioning initiatives across Southern Africa.

Key Responsibilities

External Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement

  • Develop and implement an integrated external affairs strategy aligned with business objectives.
  • Build and maintain strategic relationships with:
    • National, provincial, and local government stakeholders.
    • Industry associations.
    • Regulatory bodies.
    • Community organizations.
    • NGOs and opinion leaders.
  • Monitor legislative, regulatory, political, and socio-economic developments that may impact the business.
  • Support business advocacy efforts and represent Castrol in external forums where appropriate.
  • Coordinate stakeholder engagement plans and maintain stakeholder mapping and risk assessments.

Corporate Communications

  • Develop and execute comprehensive internal and external communication strategies.
  • Create and manage communication plans for major business initiatives and organizational changes.
  • Lead employee communications and engagement campaigns.
  • Manage executive communications, speeches, presentations, and thought leadership content.
  • Ensure consistent messaging across all communication channels.

Reputation & Brand Management

  • Protect and enhance Castrol's corporate reputation.
  • Manage corporate positioning and visibility programmes.
  • Track reputational risks and develop mitigation strategies.
  • Drive proactive media engagement and positive corporate storytelling.
  • Monitor public sentiment and stakeholder perceptions.

Media Relations & Crisis Communication

  • Act as the primary communications contact for media enquiries.
  • Develop relationships with key journalists and industry publications.
  • Prepare media statements, press releases, and corporate announcements.
  • Develop and maintain crisis communication plans and protocols.
  • Support leadership during crisis situations and high-profile issues.

Transformation, Sustainability & Social Impact

  • Support B-BBEE and transformation initiatives through stakeholder engagement and communications activities.
  • Lead corporate citizenship and community investment programmes.
  • Develop communication strategies that showcase Castrol's contribution to society and economic development.
  • Support sustainability and ESG communication initiatives.

Leadership & Strategic Advisory

  • Provide strategic communications counsel to senior leadership.
  • Support leadership visibility programmes and executive profiling.
  • Ensure alignment between business objectives and communication priorities.
  • Manage external agencies and specialist service providers.
  • Oversee communication budgets and campaign performance.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Reputation & Communications

  • Corporate reputation improvement metrics.
  • Employee engagement and communication effectiveness scores.
  • Positive media sentiment and share of voice.
  • Successful delivery of communication campaigns.

External Affairs

  • Effectiveness of stakeholder engagement programmes.
  • Strength and quality of government and industry relationships.
  • Early identification and mitigation of regulatory or reputational risks.
  • Advocacy outcomes supporting business objectives.

Corporate Citizenship & Transformation

  • Delivery of community and social investment initiatives.
  • Support of B-BBEE and transformation programmes.
  • ESG and sustainability communication outcomes.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Bachelor's Degree in:
    • Communications
    • Public Relations
    • Journalism
    • Political Science
    • External Affairs
    • Corporate Communications
    • Marketing
    • Business Administration

Preferred

  • Postgraduate qualification in Communications, Public Affairs, Public Policy, Sustainability, or Business Management.
  • Professional accreditation in communications or public relations.

Experience

Essential

  • 5-10 years' experience in communications, public affairs, external affairs, stakeholder management, corporate affairs, or public relations.
  • Experience engaging with government and regulatory stakeholders.
  • Experience in media relations and reputation management.
  • Experience managing communication campaigns and agency partners.
  • Strong writing, presentation, and executive communication capabilities.

Preferred

  • Experience in the energy, lubricants, FMCG, industrial, automotive, or manufacturing sectors.
  • Experience supporting B-BBEE, ESG, sustainability, or transformation programmes.
  • Experience in crisis communications.

Key Competencies

Technical Competencies

  • Strategic communications planning
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Government relations
  • Media relations
  • Crisis communications
  • Reputation management
  • Public affairs and advocacy
  • Executive communication
  • Social media and digital communications
  • Project and budget management

Leadership Competencies

  • Business acumen
  • Influencing and negotiation
  • Strategic thinking
  • Collaboration
  • Relationship building
  • Resilience
  • Decision making
  • Cultural awareness

 

Job Requirements

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is a highly credible communicator and relationship builder who can confidently engage with government officials, regulators, media, customers, employees, and senior executives. They combine strong commercial awareness with exceptional communication skills, understand the South African stakeholder landscape, and can help position Castrol as a trusted and responsible corporate citizen while protecting and enhancing its reputation.