Application for Marketing Director
Results-driven marketing & operations professional with over 15 years of experience.
The following written responses address the three screening questions provided by O'Connor Law, PLLC. Each response draws directly from my professional experience and is supported by specific outcomes and measurable impact.
Throughout my career, I have consistently managed multiple, complex marketing programs concurrently across all channels simultaneously. The most comprehensive example is my role at ITHUBA: NATIONAL LOTTERY, which was a startup environment — meaning there were no existing frameworks, systems, or processes in place. I was responsible for building and managing the entire integrated marketing function from the ground up, while simultaneously executing live campaigns across ATL, BTL, and digital channels. The integrated strategy I developed and executed was directly tied to a R9.8 million sales target, which was achieved within the first year.
At Optimal Technology, the Marketing Operations Manager role itself did not exist before my appointment — which meant the first challenge was not just managing programs, but creating the infrastructure to manage them at all. The core objective was to integrate multiple siloed information streams and departments into a single, unified operational system that could clearly translate work input versus work output into a measurable ROI for the organisation. A key deliverable was identifying whether the business could eliminate its reliance on a third-party supplier that was being used for ATL digital rollout campaigns and social media — and to determine whether those functions could be brought in-house more cost-effectively.
To achieve this, I conducted a comprehensive audit of existing marketing processes, identified inefficiencies, and rewrote workflows to create a better operational structure. By consolidating all campaign activity, supplier costs, and output metrics into one integrated view, I gave the business full visibility of the marketing function as a defined cost unit — enabling leadership to make informed decisions about spend, liability, and return. I managed all concurrent campaigns using Pipefy for project management, Ziflow for creative approvals, and SharePoint for version-controlled file management, while coordinating internal teams across design, copy, and stakeholder approvals simultaneously. At DAWN MARKETING and Decorex SA, I similarly managed point-of-sale materials, new product launches, trade show branding, and multi-channel advertising campaigns across four regions — all concurrently and within budget.
A highly personal and direct example of a paid social media campaign I have executed is the launch and growth of my own brand, Niche Alchemy — a niche fragrance brand I built entirely from scratch on TikTok and Instagram. This is not a theoretical exercise; it is a live, active, self-funded campaign that I have conceived, produced, and managed entirely independently.
On TikTok, the brand achieved 493K post views and 7,358 total followers (with 7,300 net new followers) over the period March 2025 to February 2026. The content reached 438K total viewers, of whom 310K were new, cold audiences. The account generated 26K likes, 256 comments, and 277 shares — with 81.3% of all traffic driven organically through TikTok’s For You Page, demonstrating strong content resonance and algorithmic performance. Search queries leading to the account included branded fragrance terms such as “Roberto Cavalli perfume” and “Montale perfume,” confirming that the content was attracting a genuinely interested, purchase-ready audience.
On Instagram, I layered paid ad campaigns on top of the organic strategy to accelerate reach beyond existing followers. Over 1 February to 2 March 2026, the account generated 1,254 views with 65.3% driven by paid ads, reached 896 accounts, and resulted in 4 direct message contacts — all meaningful signals of purchase intent. Content was distributed across Reels (48.8%), Stories (44.0%), and Posts (7.1%), reflecting a deliberate multi-format strategy. This cross-platform campaign was built, executed, and analysed entirely by me — from creative direction and ad targeting to performance monitoring and reporting.
493K
Post Views
Mar 2025 – Feb 2026
7,358
Total Followers
all time
7,300
New Followers
net growth
438K
Total Viewers
unique viewers
310K
New Viewers
cold audience reached
26K
Likes
engagement
256
Comments
community interactions
277
Shares
organic amplification
81.3%
For You Page
of traffic from FYP
My most significant example of building a marketing system from scratch was at ITHUBA: NATIONAL LOTTERY — a startup environment where nothing existed. There were no Key Performance Indicators, no Standard Operating Procedures, no reporting structures, no supplier frameworks, and no departmental processes of any kind. I was brought in to build the Winner Services and Customer Relations function entirely from the ground up, while simultaneously contributing to the broader integrated marketing and sales strategy.
I began by developing the department’s full KPI framework and SOPs from scratch, defining measurable performance standards, compliance requirements, and operational workflows. I then recruited and managed a team of nine staff members and rolled out the department across all nine provinces of South Africa. I implemented a CRM system to manage winner information and track all interactions, established a supplier database for regional operations, and introduced digital channels — including USSD and mobile apps — to modernise the winner pay-out process. All departmental reporting structures were designed by me and fed directly into the Sales, Marketing, PR, and Product teams.
The results were both immediate and lasting. The integrated marketing and sales strategy I contributed to drove the achievement of a R9.8 million sales target within the first year — a remarkable outcome for a startup operating in a highly regulated, nationally visible industry. The Winner Services Department achieved a 95% audit compliance rate across all product validations, establishing an operational benchmark that protected the integrity of the National Lottery brand. The “After Care” programme I designed significantly improved the winner experience and public trust, while the systems and processes I built continue to underpin the department’s operations.
"I am confident that my experience aligns strongly with the requirements of the Marketing Director role at O'Connor Law, PLLC, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications further."
Lerato Maroo
084 671 1322 · [email protected]