Sr. Strategist

WHAT WE NEED FROM EVERYONE:

Live our values & do the brave thing.

Our Values: Good Enough is Not Enough. Grab an Oar. Be More Human. Play Like a Pirate.

Doing the brave thing is about courage. It’s about never being a spectator. Speaking up with clarity and conviction and kindness. Not hedging our points-of-view with clients or each other. Saying what we think when it’s in the best interest of the idea or the people, even if it’s uncomfortable. Being willing to take smart risks. Making tough decisions without agonizing. And, being transparent and vulnerable in search of the best. This is the expectation for all of us. In turn, we commit to perpetuating a culture where bravery is rewarded and support is always within reach.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU:

 We’re looking for someone that keeps things honest, provocative, and true from start to brief to launch and beyond. Here’s what that looks like: 

• Manage the day-to-day planning needs in an independent, autonomous manner with guidance from group planning directors
• Demonstrate success facilitating the strategic creative process, including insight gathering, audience understanding and creative brief development
• Create, manage, and implement sound research to lead and support the strategic creative process
• Inspiring the team to more effective and culturally relevant work; leading most day-to-day strategic initiatives and discussions with their client and CD peers.
• Actively engage in cracking smart, disruptive, effective creative strategies, and ideas – taking mutual responsibility for the strategic & creative performance of your brand(s).
• Recommend strategies for growth and development
• Provide energy, support, ideas, and inspiration for your team
• Works with clients to formulate better briefs and tasks
• Build a relationship with clients that is positive and productive
• Zoom in on the details and zoom out to see the big picture
• Be the one doing the pushing – of the teams, the clients, the work
• Ensure your hit-rate is high and your work is exemplary. Good enough is no longer enough.

Category Experience: Have experience in setting groundbreaking and disruptive strategies for QSR or other fast-moving brands.

 Multicultural Strategy Experience (Latinx Focus): You’ve shown that you not only understand the unique dynamics of multicultural communities, but how to leverage those insights to unlock creative opportunities that meaningfully and powerfully connect diverse audiences with brands you lead. You know how to infuse multicultural insight into the core of the idea, not as a bolt on.

Cultural Beast: Be a strategist with a deep understanding of culture. Not just mainstream culture but also its many pockets (e.g., gaming, music, sneakers, goblin mode, etc.) and know how to leverage that understanding to propel our clients forward and get to great ideas. Bonus points for music or gaming expertise.

 Creative Co-conspirator. Be a true creative partner. You thrive by getting in the room with your creative teams to build work, not just feedback on it.

 Collaborative by nature. You know when to tap those around you to work together instead of being a lone wolf.

 Ace Brief Writer. Have a great track record in building clear and concise briefs that bring a unique POV to every assignment, both the big and the not so big. You aim to inspire creative teams at every turn who eagerly anticipate getting the briefs you write.

IAT Experience. You’ve worked on accounts with a dynamic, collaborative IAT. You know when to give and when to stand your ground in service of the work.

 WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Land unique and provocative brand repositioning that set the stage for disruptive work
• Be the distiller who can transform the beautiful collaborative mess into an inspiring and brave brand strategy/charter/disruption road map that unlocks creative and commercial growth for brands
• Build trusted relationships with clients to become an indispensable strategic partner and go-to brand visionary
• Uncover truly amazing creative ideas and frame strategic opportunities for creatives to do their best work in the agency
• Guide research initiatives and partner with clients to ensure research and testing initiatives support the agency’s work.

 QUALIFICATIONS:

•  4-6+ years’ experience in advertising, marketing or related field demonstrating creative work or qualitative research and/or equivalent combination of education and experience required
• Evidence of working on developing successful brands and delivering them to market
• Excellent interpersonal, organization and written communication skills
• Power-user skills in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Keynote and Google Apps
• Familiarity with a wide range of research and intelligence sources

This job requires you to have the COVID-19 vaccine.  If you have a medical or religious reason for not receiving the COVID vaccine, the agency will engage in a discussion with you about whether there is a viable accommodation that can be provided.