Reporting Lines: Reports to Brand Director, Girl Effect Trading, Ethiopia
Contract: Full-time fixed term contract (12 months; with the option to extend)
About Girl Effect Trading
We are a creative, social business which specialises in launching and managing culturally resonate youth brands through various media products and brand campaigns in target markets. Girl Effect deploys innovative market research tools to create a product design cycle that ensures our brands are consumer driven and speak to the audience in a creative, compelling way.
We are an unusual organisation and bring together a diverse group of people from across a range of disciplines including media brands, digital, consumer insight and distribution.
Girl Effect Trading have recently opened a Commercial Representative Office in Ethiopia in 2017 to independently lead, scale and sustain the ‘Yegna’ brand. This is a new, commercial set-up that will provide ‘Yegna’ a platform to thrive and expand its reach, increase engagement and consumption in line with our strategic objectives and business plan.
About Yegna
Yegna is Ethiopia’s most successful youth brand, which today reaches 8.5 million people, or 50% of the population in Addis and the Amhara region. Whilst now owned by Girl Effect Trading, located in the UK, Yegna is a truly Ethiopian creation. It is managed and led locally in Addis. The creative design, content creation, production, and distribution are all done through local Ethiopian business partners.
Yegna is a multi-media platform. The brand is carefully designed to be rooted in Ethiopian culture and reflects the realities of the youth in Ethiopia today. Connecting all of the media products under the umbrella of the brand allows us to communicate a shared identity across the products. Our success lies in using a branded approach that allows us to reach large audiences in a compelling way through fantastic content and storytelling.
To continue Yegna’s growth, we will primarily focus on the following areas:
Media Property: Strengthening and expanding the media platform and development of branded content to optimise it’s reach and deepen its impact;
Insights: Using consumer driven insights to improve the quality of our content and accelerate reach and brand awareness
Partnerships: Building partnerships in the private and public sector to allow, enable and expand the reach of Yegna so that it can achieve greater impact at scale.
Context of the role
As a newly created role, we are looking for a highly experienced candidate who has a strong background in Artist management, preferably working with commercial media brands.
Working closely with the Brand team in Ethiopia, the focus will be to extend the reach, of the Yegna band and facilitate the appearance of the band in as many platforms that can reach young people as possible. A deep understanding of the Ethiopian entertainment sector, its nuances and progressive nature are hugely desirable.
Key Responsibilities
Organization/Scheduling Focused Tasks
Being the core point of contact for old and new talent, ensuring they are kept safe, heathy and happy at all times
Manage and oversee talents day to day schedule making sure they are on time and present for all production, PR, training and performance needs
Maintaining clear lines of communication with talent, keeping them informed about activities, where they need to be and product plans
Organizing logistics for talents public appearances and performances including clothing, hair/makeup, equipment rental, venue, crew or vehicle hires
Being the point of contact on site to negotiate with sound crew, show producers and venue staff at public appearances and performances to negotiate load in, sound check, presentations and load out.
Organizing rehearsals and ensuring talent are prepared for shoot dates, recording sessions and public performances
Chaperoning talent for all engagements including performances, recording, filming, media appearances, etc.
Overseeing financial activities for talent, including submitting any invoices, per diem payments,
Ensuring the talent comply with the agreed code of conduct and do not fail in their duties to act as Yegna ambassadors at all times
Overseeing the provision of short-term accommodation for talent relocating to Addis Ababa and providing support for transition into their self-funded long term accommodation as well as any other orientation support required
Collection of behind the scenes/live video and photo content for social media.
Attending and contributing at GEE production meetings
Other tasks as requested
Business/ Development Focused Tasks
Sets the overall strategy for the talents success. Which requires having a deep understanding of how things work in the entertainment business, and access to the best available resources, to formulate the appropriate strategy for the act to follow.
Developing a rigorous training program/plan for talent (including music, drama, dance, child protection, gender, media, life skills and business skills) and insuring ongoing training is provided as needed
Manages the overall yearly schedule for the talent ensuring adequate time for rehearsals, recording/production and marketing of the content.
Supports planning, logistics and backline for tours
Works with GEE brand team on creative direction, image and branding of talent for record, public appearances, merch and music videos
Supports marketing and PR activities of talent and advises on suitable approaches and tactics in collaboration with label/production company marketing staff.
Tracks who the artists’ “super fans” are, and how to leverage that relationship to generate more sales or awareness. This may include the management and oversight of fan clubs.
Salary package and benefits: A competitive salary package plus the opportunity to work in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Job Requirement
Strongly Desired: A deep understanding of the Entertainment sector in Ethiopia to support our brand objectives to create culturally resonant, compelling content is highly desired. In country experience, cultural understanding and existing contacts in the Entertainment sector are highly critical for this role.
Background of working on events and handling talent.
Experience of managing difficult situations and managing crisis.
Knowing what’s happening in the Entertainment sector in terms of performances and events organized and keeping up to date with trends.
Ability to make quick decisions in difficult situations.
Understanding of sound system and quality assurance experience.
Able to build strong relationships whilst maintaining respect.