Example Director of Strategy Job Description

Director of Strategy

As Strategy Director, you’ll take ownership in driving the impact of our business, leading the charge for us to become a more influential partner to CMOs and CEOs through the quality of our ideas and our creative work. The Director of Strategic Services will be responsible for the development and leadership of our strategic practice. Director of Strategic Services reports to the Agency partners along with senior creative leadership in a highly collaborative and team-oriented environment with the aim of winning new business as well as managing the strategic marketing development for some of the most recognized brands in the world.

We are looking for someone to lead our strategic offering, building brand platforms for our clients with the collective ambition to make real brand and behavioral changes not just through advertising campaigns. We’re moving towards multidisciplinary teams that can bring the consumer experience to life including:

• Marketing and business strategy

• Customer experience design and digital innovation

• Content development

• Product and service positioning

• Value proposition development

The Role 

You will help create and maintain relationships with existing and potential clients, developing strategic solutions and plans that best fit the agency and clients’ needs. You will be responsible for creating brand identities through research and applying experience to uncover an in-depth knowledge of the organizational process, competitive threats and opportunities of a client’s business. In partnership with the media team, will also manage the campaign measurement process to ensure that clients and agency are aligned on key performance metrics, establishing realistic business goals, and providing accountability through reporting and analytics, and providing optimized strategies moving forward. In this role, the DSS insures that the agency provides:

• A strategic anchor for our multidisciplinary team: understanding business context, uncovering insights and category white space, exploring and defining growth opportunities, architecting strategy, leading working sessions, communicating vision, and ultimately helping turn our client’s ideas into market-ready products/ experiences.

• Innovator and influencer level communications.

• Deliver a consistently superior creative product.

• Work that is strategic and above all creative.

The Requirements / What we would like you to have:

• MBA preferred, or Masters in Business or Marketing, commensurate experience in building agency client strategic portfolios.

• Interest in and aptitude for creative business and marketing solutions

• Minimum of ten years experience brand/marketing/communications strategy experience in integrated, brand and digital communications.

• Ability to identify strategic needs, lead all aspects of planning with sound business recommendations, and generate alignment with key business partners

• A talent for telling great stories—verbally and visually—and able to deliver insights about people and behavior in a way that generates empathy, emotion, and engagement

• A demonstrated fluency of the people-centered design process and tools is a plus.

• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills

• Excellent presentation skills that encompass clear, compelling communications

• Track record of experience managing and mentoring with high integrity and the ability to inspire others

• Experience navigating large and complex organizations, including gaining access to key executives and stakeholders and successfully managing relationship building dynamics and processes

• Ability to manage multiple business initiatives in an entrepreneurial environment

• Expert knowledge of all functional agency departments, capabilities and service areas

• Deep understanding of a wide range of industries, markets and brands, and what it takes to stand out and service them

• Self motivated and willing to expand knowledge

What you do:

• Partner with the Creative Director in providing inspiration for the Creative Department

• Take a lead role in generating ideas and content for corporate positioning around ‘Behavioral change’ within new business and marketing materials as well as in presentations.

• In 2018/19 play a lead role in creating an evolved new strategic / planning process and help educate the agency (to develop consumer experience as an integral part of the agency).

• Leading the charge to create and champion our own original strategic ideas

• Managing and mentoring other strategists and rising strategy talent

• Serving as both an anchor and springboard for the other strategic capabilities: Marketing, Media & Strategy & Data Analysis

• Acting as Guardian angel for Relationship Leads, a trusted partner to Clients, and an ally for New Business

• Act as strategic lead and oversee all accounts – understand the business situation and challenges, set the strategic vision, and proactively surface opportunities. 

• Uncover actionable and powerful insights that drive innovative ideas and inspire creative. 

• Act as a brand architect to craft inspiring briefs and lay out actionable roadmaps to lead agency and clients to creative business solutions. Develop fresh insights to understand the brand, category, culture and audience. 

• Play an active role as subject matter expert on integrated communications planning, helping to plan the consumer journey through brand interactions within the digital/social ecosystem and beyond. 

• Apply research skills and methodologies to create relevant, breakthrough customer insights and identify omni-channel opportunities. 

• Manage the Strategy group and plan, assign, direct, and prioritize strategy work. Ensure team is meeting chargeability targets. 

Responsibilities and Duties

The Director of Strategic Services has four areas of responsibility (specific duties of each are explained below)

1. Planning, Analyzing, Evaluating

• Develop workable budgets, work plans and realistic timetables.

• Collaborates with the Account Supervisor or Manager, Client Services, and the Media Department on preparation of marketing recommendations, strategies and actions for the client.

• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the following, relative to the client’s needs and objectives: media output, creative output, research reports and client data.

• Defining project scope (as it relates to strategy and data efforts), estimate and writing proposals, works with project manager in the creation of project specifications and time plans.

• Identify and develop target list of clients and partners

• Responsible for departmental vision, structure, and management while providing leadership, accountability, and mentorship to brand strategy.

• Develop in collaboration with the leadership team, innovative and / or differentiating products and services to enhance strategic and data offerings. (Including Consumer Experience, data and analytics POV, paths and workshops),

1. Team Leading, Coordinating, Managing

• Be the agency’s lead strategic evangelist, embodying the agency’s core values and differentiating perspectives

• Identify the right opportunities across industry sectors and media that align with the agency’s ongoing strategy

• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives

• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences

• Represent the agency at conferences, events and symposiums

• Provide market research, analyses and insights into latest industry trends

• Position the agency with key industry influencers and though leaders

• Lead and manage new business strategic presentations as assigned

• Monitoring and enforcing risk and constraints (schedule / scope / resources)

• Champion internal systems for higher productivity working

1. Strategic Project Management

• Manage agency strategy efforts and projects, involved with projects from start to finish, ensuring successful project completion against deadlines.

• Product manage long term properties (Strategic offerings and data products, i.e.) including: positioning development, marketing plans, manufacturing or development needs, timeline and roadmap planning, stats analysis and reporting

• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives using Consumer Experience as the key level

• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences

• Design, execute and manage research

• Manage measurement, analytics, data gathering, and reporting for clients’ and agency

• Provide strategic branding thought leadership and expertise to expand business relationships

• Oversee development of marketing plans and creative briefs

• Training and developing staff (direct reports), and influencing  cross-functional internal partners to create and execute effective research, analysis, and strategy

• Developing and implementing new processes to increase efficiencies and effectiveness of research, measurement, and strategy work for teams

• Work with all departments to develop integrated solutions and expand the services BG provides to clients

• Actively participates in client presentations

• Help lead research initiatives and manage outside consultants

• Seeking new opportunities to add value to existing clients

• Identifying and nurturing new business opportunities

Strategic Process - to The Creative Brief

This is an example of traditional strategic process within an agency, ultimately to get to the creative brief. This example shows is for projects that require a lot of different types of tactics to be developed, not just interactive ones. 

Note that it does not show the creative deliverables as part of the process.

Click on the image to open up a pop-up window with the pdf.

Social Media / Content Strategist - Job Description

Social Media / Content Strategist

The Social Media & Content Strategist develops paid and non-paid social media and content strategies, helping to grow a client’s business through a variety of online and social channels. The strategists helps to grow the client’s business and ensuring the team execution meets and exceeds client expectations. In this role, the Strategist insures that the agency provides:

• Sound and responsible social media / content strategy and planning.
• Proper and innovative execution of work in all areas on schedule.
• A consistently superior creative product.

The Requirements

• Bachelors Degree in Marketing, Advertising or Business preferred.
• Interest in and aptitude for developing social media and content strategy solutions
• Minimum of 4 years experience as a strategist in a creative agency or digital agency environment
• Possesses understanding of Social advertising campaign management and optimization practices across the biggies, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pintrest, Vine and Instagram.
• Monitors the latest trends in social media, including advertising formats, channels and technologies in order to improve campaign performance and provide recommendations on how clients can best leverage new tools and services
• Compile data across several social media platforms and create weekly/monthly reports, including analysis for insights, optimizations and future strategy development
• Demonstrates strategic insight to develop long term execution plans from client’s stated business objectives and implement those plans
• Displays organizational capabilities to track progress, execution and consistency of social advertising campaigns
• Exhibits solid communication skills in order to effectively present strategic and tactical plans to clients and internal teams - new business experience a plus.
• Demonstrates understanding of and ability to facilitate and manage forecasting, budgeting and pacing, campaign creation and optimization
• Displays understanding of business concepts and client objectives in order to identify campaign expansion opportunities
• Possesses well developed analytical ability to extract insight from data and plan next steps across multiple marketing mediums
• Ability to self-manage while managing assigned teams and projects under tight deadlines.

Major Contacts

The Strategist’s position requires ongoing and in-depth interactions with the following:  The Strategist reports to the Head of Account Services. As assigned, the Strategist has overall responsibility for leading the client content and social media strategy effort. Within the agency, the Strategist is the leader/coordinator for the client’s social media and content programs and works closely with all agency personnel in determining project scope, estimating, planning, executing and monitoring assigned projects and deliverables. The Strategist will have direct client contact with assigned agency clients and participate in the agency’s new business efforts.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Social Media and Content Strategist has four areas of responsibility (specific duties of each are explained below)

Planning, Analyzing, Evaluating

• Develop workable budgets, media, content and editorial plans and realistic timetables.
• Collaborates with the Account Team in creation of marketing recommendations, strategies and actions for the client.
• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the following, relative to the client’s needs and objectives: all assigned creative projects, internal agency projects and assigned new business projects.
• Provide client platform / business updates on a regular basis to demonstrate upcoming opportunities and threats to their business
• Defining project scope, estimate and writing scope of works and technical specifications, works with account team in the creation of project specifications and time plans.
• Educates account team and clients and manages their needs and expectations.
• Determines project risk on an ongoing basis, escalates issues as needed.
• Experience in leading complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Employ a variety of research techniques to understand and analyze online data and provide insight about relevant online conversations and voices in those conversations
• Monitors out of scope requests, initiates additional estimates and approvals.

Team Leading, Coordinating, Managing

• Provides leadership within the agency and monitors work scope against all variables.
• Monitors all strategic activity on assigned projects and communicates status of each project to appropriate agency and client personnel in order to meet project deadlines.
• Act as the team leader on all assigned projects.
• Maintains communications with appropriate agency and client personnel to ensure positive workflow. Escalating exceptions and issues to Director level as required.
• Presenting content and social media strategy deliverables to clients
• Monitoring and enforcing project constraints (schedule / scope / resources)
• Champion internal systems for higher productivity workin

Strategy and Content Development 

• Competitive site analysis and benchmarking in content breadth, organization and presentation.
• Creating development plans for online content; recommending content types and organization based on user needs and marketing goals, identifying content gaps
• Selecting and evaluating content; developing site content matrix.
• Defining research requirements for web strategy.
• Developing content attributes and classification schemes (content models)
• Understanding of relational databases is desirable.
• Content development and editorial calendar planning
• Familiarity with content management and editorial processes preferred
• Initiates and leads all appropriate project meetings.
• Conduct online media, influencer & partnership outreach.
• As needed assist in the execution of on-going content for clients

Financial & Administrative

• Work with internal and external managers to identify goals and metrics and integrate those metrics into the content development process.
• Build, track and monitor assigned strategic projects.
• Monitor and analyze online media and other relevant digital communications channels.
• Work closely with clients and account teams on the development of social media programs and strategies
• Prepare reports summarizing the results of social media campaigns
• Strong business and personal ethics

Researcher /Junior Strategist - Job Description

Researcher / Junior Strategist

The Researcher / Junior Strategist will be responsible for the assisting in the development of programs for our strategic practice. The Researcher reports to a senior strategist in a highly collaborative and team-oriented environment with the aim of winning new business as well as managing the strategic marketing programs.

The Researcher / Junior Strategist (RJS) performs research, develops reports and supports the development of strategic programs and thinking for our clients on an ongoing and project basis. S/he will create and maintain relationships with existing and potential clients, supporting the development of strategic solutions and plans that best fit the agency and clients’ needs. S/he is responsible for analyzing existing brand identities,  perform research to develop knowledge of the personas, organizational process, competitive threats and opportunities of a client’s business. The RJS will also support the campaign measurement process to ensure that clients and agency are aligned on key performance metrics, establishing realistic business goals, and providing accountability through reporting and analytics, and providing optimized strategies moving forward. In this role, the RJS insures that the agency provides:

• Sound and responsible marketing counseling and planning.
• Innovator and influencer level communications.
• Deliver a consistently superior creative product.
• Work that is strategic and above all creative.

The Requirements

• BS or BA in Business, Marketing or Statistics,
• Interest in and aptitude for creative business and marketing solutions
• Minimum of three years experience brand/marketing/communications strategy experience in integrated, brand and digital communications.
• Highly motivated, with a proven track record of building clients and expansion of client accounts
• Ability to identify strategic needs, proactive in nature. 
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills that encompass clear, compelling communications
• Ability to manage multiple project work in an entrepreneurial environment
• Knowledge of all functional agency departments, capabilities and service areas
• Deep understanding of a wide range of industries, markets and brands, and what it takes to stand out and service them
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills
• Flexibility with schedule to meet client commitments.
• Great project management abilities

Major Contacts

The Researcher position requires ongoing and in-depth interactions with the following: The RSJ reports to the Head of Strategic Services or is paired with a senior strategist. Within the agency, the RSJ is a team member of our strategic programs and client integration efforts. As assigned, the RSJT has project responsibility for assigned client strategic services effort. Within the agency, the RSJ works closely with all agency personnel in developing plans, recommendations and deliverables. The RSJ will have direct client contact with new and existing assigned agency clients, PR and consultants, media partners and potential agency partners, & consumers.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Researcher has four areas of responsibility (specific duties of each are explained below)

Planning, Analyzing, Evaluating

• Develop workable budgets, work plans and realistic timetables.
• Collaborates with the Account Supervisor or Manager, Client Services, and strategy team as needed.
• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the following, relative to the client’s needs and objectives: media output, creative output, research reports and client data.
• Helps define project scope, estimates and writing proposals, works with producer in the creation of project specifications and time plans.
• Understand business objectives, challenges and opportunities of target and industry
• Develop in collaboration with the The agency team, innovative and / or differentiating products and services 
• Understands and can analyze a client’s personas, marketing positions, and consumer journeys.

Team Leading, Coordinating, Managing

• Helps to develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Provide market research, analyses and insights into latest industry trends
• Position Impact with key industry influencers and though leaders
• Maintain, grow and develop existing client accounts.
• Monitoring and enforcing strategic program risk and constraints (schedule / scope / resources)
• Champion internal systems for higher productivity working

Strategic Project Management

• Manage assigned agency strategy research efforts and projects, involved with projects from start to finish, ensuring successful project completion against deadlines.
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Design, execute and manage research
• Ability to measurement, analytics, data gathering, and reporting for clients’ and agency
• Provide strategic branding thought leadership and expertise to expand business relationships
• Actively participates in client presentations
• Help lead research initiatives and manage outside consultants

Example of an Analyst - Job Description

Senior Analyst / Analytics & SEO (It depends on who you find, typically two different people, this is a SEO version.)

The Position

The Senior Analyst will be responsible for developing SEO strategies for our strategic practice. The senior analyst reports to the Director of Strategy in a highly collaborative and team-oriented environment with the aim of providing SEO leadership in managing the strategic marketing programs for some of the most recognized brands in the world.

The Role 

The Senior Analyst (SA) develops SEO thinking for our strategic programs for our clients on an ongoing and project basis. S/he will create and maintain relationships with existing and potential clients, developing strategic solutions and plans that best fit the agency and clients’ needs. The senior analyst will translate clients’ business goals into successful search engine optimization strategies, perform technical site analysis, competitive/keyword research, and link analysis. They will also be responsible for optimizing various site elements, including site structure, content based marketing campaigns and guiding the development of reports which highlight the qualitative and quantitative trends from ongoing SEO efforts. The SA will also manage the campaign measurement process to ensure that clients and agency are aligned on key performance metrics, establishing realistic business goals, and providing accountability through reporting and analytics, and providing optimized strategies moving forward. In this role, the SST insures that the agency provides:

• Sound and responsible marketing counseling and planning.
• Innovator and influencer level communications.
• Deliver a consistently superior creative product.
• Work that is strategic and above all creative.

The Requirements

• BA/BS Business, Marketing or information technology, minimum of three years of advertising or interactive agency SEO experience.
• Interest in and aptitude for creative business and marketing solutions
• Have an understanding of all digital media disciplines.
• Proven ability to synthesize data/results, identify trends/key findings and present innovative integrated SEO recommendations that go beyond existing scope of work to achieve clients' marketing and communications objectives
• Strong technical knowledge of backend and front-end development and design (Intermediate knowledge of HTML and JavaScript is required, working knowledge of PHP and/or Python a big plus). 
• Able to apply creativity in engineering and guiding technical teams towards implementing solutions regardless of, but informed by a client’s technology stack
• Knowledge of SEO platforms including BrightEdge, Conductor Searchlight, Raven Tools, Advanced Web Ranking, and/or SEOmoz.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills that encompass clear, compelling communications
• Ability to manage multiple business initiatives in an entrepreneurial environment
• Expert knowledge of all functional agency departments, capabilities and service areas
• Deep understanding of a wide range of industries, markets and brands, and what it takes to stand out and service them
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills
• Flexibility with schedule to meet client commitments, traveling as required.
• Great project management abilities
• Self motivated and willing to expand knowledge
• Ability to self-manage while managing assigned teams and projects.

Major Contacts

The Senior Analyst position requires ongoing and in-depth interactions with the following:  The SA reports to the Head of Strategic Services. Within the agency, the SA is a project leader for our SEO strategic programs and client integration efforts. As assigned, the SA has overall project responsibility for leading assigned client strategic services effort. Within the agency, the SA works closely with all agency personnel in developing plans, recommendations and deliverables. The SA will have direct client contact with new and existing assigned agency clients, PR and consultants, media partners and potential agency partners.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Senior Analyst has four areas of responsibility (specific duties of each are explained below)

Planning, Analyzing, Evaluating

• Develop workable budgets, work plans and realistic timetables.
• Collaborates with other members of the strategy department, Account Supervisor or Manager, Client Services, on preparation of marketing recommendations, strategies and actions for the client.
• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the following, relative to the client’s needs and objectives: SEO & SEM needs and programs, media output, creative output, research reports and client data.
• Defining project scope, estimate and writing proposals, works with producer in the creation of project specifications and time plans.
• Understand business objectives, challenges and opportunities of target and industry
• Develop in collaboration with the The agency team, innovative and / or differentiating products and services 
• Understands and can analyze a client’s personas, marketing positions, and consumer journeys.

Team Leading, Coordinating, Managing

• Develop integrated SEO marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Represent the agency at conferences, events and symposiums
• Provide market research, analyses and insights into latest industry trends
• Position Impact with key industry influencers and though leaders
• Maintain, grow and develop existing client accounts.
• Monitoring and enforcing new business risk and constraints (schedule / scope / resources)
• Champion internal systems for higher productivity working

Strategic Project Management

• Manage assigned agency strategy efforts and projects, involved with projects from start to finish, ensuring successful project completion against deadlines.
• Product manage long term properties including: positioning development, marketing plans, manufacturing or development needs, timeline and roadmap planning, stats analysis and reporting
• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive SEO insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Design, execute and manage research
• Manage measurement, analytics, data gathering, and reporting for clients’ and agency
• Provide strategic branding thought leadership and expertise to expand business relationships
• Oversee development of SEO related marketing plans and creative briefs
• Developing and implementing new processes to increase efficiencies and effectiveness of research, measurement, and strategy work for teams
• Work with all departments to develop integrated solutions and expand the services BG provides to clients
• Actively participates in client presentations
• Help lead research initiatives and manage outside consultants

Senior Strategist - Job Description

Senior Strategist

The Senior Strategist is responsible for the development of programs for your strategic practice. The senior strategist reports to the Director of Strategy in a highly collaborative and team-oriented environment with the aim of winning new business as well as managing the strategic marketing programs for some of the most recognized brands in the world.

The Role 

The Senior Strategist (SST) develops and strategic programs and thinking for our clients on an ongoing and project basis. S/he will create and maintain relationships with existing and potential clients, developing strategic solutions and plans that best fit the agency and clients’ needs. S/he is responsible for creating brand identities through research and applying experience to uncover an in-depth knowledge of the personas, organizational process, competitive threats and opportunities of a client’s business. The SST will also manage the campaign measurement process to ensure that clients and agency are aligned on key performance metrics, establishing realistic business goals, and providing accountability through reporting and analytics, and providing optimized strategies moving forward. In this role, the SST insures that the agency provides:

• Sound and responsible marketing counseling and planning.
• Innovator and influencer level communications.
• Deliver a consistently superior creative product.
• Work that is strategic and above all creative.

The Requirements

• MBA preferred, or Masters in Business or Marketing, commensurate experience with a BS will be considered.
• Interest in and aptitude for creative business and marketing solutions
• Minimum of five years experience brand/marketing/communications strategy experience in integrated, brand and digital communications.
• Highly motivated, with a proven track record of building clients and expansion of client accounts
• Ability to identify strategic needs, lead all aspects of planning with sound business recommendations, and generate alignment with key business partners
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills that encompass clear, compelling communications
• Ability to manage multiple business initiatives in an entrepreneurial environment
• Expert knowledge of all functional agency departments, capabilities and service areas
• Deep understanding of a wide range of industries, markets and brands, and what it takes to stand out and service them
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills
• Flexibility with schedule to meet client commitments, traveling as required.
• Great project management abilities
• Self motivated and willing to expand knowledge
• Ability to self-manage while managing assigned teams and projects.

Major Contacts

The Senior Strategist position requires ongoing and in-depth interactions with the following: The SST reports to the Head of Strategic Services. Within the agency, the SST is a project leader for our strategic programs and client integration efforts. As assigned, the SST has overall responsibility for leading assigned client strategic services effort. Within the agency, the SST works closely with all agency personnel in developing plans, recommendations and deliverables. The SST will have direct client contact with new and existing assigned agency clients, PR and consultants, media partners and potential agency partners.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Senior Strategist has four areas of responsibility (specific duties of each are explained below)

Planning, Analyzing, Evaluating

• Develop workable budgets, work plans and realistic timetables.
• Collaborates with the Account Supervisor or Manager, Client Services, on preparation of marketing recommendations, strategies and actions for the client.
• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the following, relative to the client’s needs and objectives: media output, creative output, research reports and client data.
• Defining project scope, estimate and writing proposals, works with producer in the creation of project specifications and time plans.
• Understand business objectives, challenges and opportunities of target and industry
• Responsible for departmental vision, structure, and management while providing leadership, accountability, and mentorship to brand strategy.
• Develop in collaboration with the The agency team, innovative and / or differentiating products and services 
• Understands and can analyze a client’s personas, marketing positions, and consumer journeys.

Team Leading, Coordinating, Managing

• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Represent the agency at conferences, events and symposiums
• Provide market research, analyses and insights into latest industry trends
• Position Impact with key industry influencers and though leaders
• Lead and manage new business presentations as assigned
• Maintain, grow and develop existing client accounts.
• Monitoring and enforcing strategic program risk and constraints (schedule / scope / resources)
• Champion internal systems for higher productivity working

Strategic Project Management

• Manage assigned agency strategy efforts and projects, involved with projects from start to finish, ensuring successful project completion against deadlines.
• Product manage long term properties including: positioning development, marketing plans, manufacturing or development needs, timeline and roadmap planning, stats analysis and reporting
• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Design, execute and manage research
• Manage measurement, analytics, data gathering, and reporting for clients’ and agency
• Provide strategic branding thought leadership and expertise to expand business relationships
• Oversee development of marketing plans and creative briefs
• Developing and implementing new processes to increase efficiencies and effectiveness of research, measurement, and strategy work for teams
• Work with all departments to develop integrated solutions and expand the services Impact provides to clients
• Actively participates in client presentations
• Help lead research initiatives and manage outside consultants

Head of Strategy - Job Description

Head of Strategy (adapt as needed to your organization)

The Director of Strategic Services will be responsible for the development and leadership for the agency's strategic practice. The Director of Strategic Services reports to the Agency partners along with senior creative leadership in a highly collaborative and team-oriented environment with the aim of winning new business as well as managing the strategic marketing development for some of the most recognized brands in the world. In addition, typically responsible for helping to build and grow awareness of the The agency Brand by acting as an outward facing thought leader.

The Director of Strategic Services (DSS) maintains and grows our agency's business and client base on an ongoing and project basis. S/he will create and maintain relationships with existing and potential clients, developing strategic solutions and plans that best fit the agency and clients’ needs. S/he is responsible for creating brand identities through research and applying experience to uncover an in-depth knowledge of the organizational process, competitive threats and opportunities of a client’s business. The DSS will also manage the campaign measurement process to ensure that clients and agency are aligned on key performance metrics, establishing realistic business goals, and providing accountability through reporting and analytics, and providing optimized strategies moving forward. In this role, the DSS insures that the agency provides:

• Sound and responsible marketing counseling and planning.
• Innovator and influencer level communications.
• Deliver a consistently superior creative product.
• Work that is strategic and above all creative.

The Requirements

• MBA preferred, or Masters in Business or Marketing, commensurate experience in building agency client portfolios.
• Interest in and aptitude for creative business and marketing solutions
• Minimum of ten years experience brand/marketing/communications strategy experience in integrated, brand and digital communications.
• Highly motivated, with a proven track record of building clients and expansion of client accounts
• Ability to identify strategic needs, lead all aspects of planning with sound business recommendations, and generate alignment with key business partners
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills that encompass clear, compelling communications
• Track record of experience managing and mentoring with high integrity and the ability to inspire others
• Experience navigating large and complex organizations, including gaining access to key executives and stakeholders and successfully managing relationship building dynamics and processes
• Ability to manage multiple business initiatives in an entrepreneurial environment
• Expert knowledge of all functional agency departments, capabilities and service areas
• Deep understanding of a wide range of industries, markets and brands, and what it takes to stand out and service them
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills
• Flexibility with schedule to meet client commitments, traveling as required to pursue business development
• Great project management abilities
• Self motivated and willing to expand knowledge
• Ability to self-manage while managing assigned teams and projects.

The Director of Strategic Services position requires ongoing and in-depth interactions with the following: The DSS reports to the agency partners. Within the agency, the DSS is a co-leader for our new business and client integration efforts. As assigned, the DSS has overall responsibility for leading assigned client strategic services effort. Within the agency, the DSS works closely with all agency personnel in developing plans, recommendations and deliverables. The DSS will have direct client contact with new and existing assigned agency clients, PR and consultants, media partners and potential agency partners.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Director of Strategic Services has four areas of responsibility (specific duties of each are explained below)

Planning, Analyzing, Evaluating

• Develop workable budgets, work plans and realistic timetables.
• Collaborates with the Account Supervisor or Manager, Client Services, on preparation of marketing recommendations, strategies and actions for the client.
• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the following, relative to the client’s needs and objectives: media output, creative output, research reports and client data.
• Defining project scope, estimate and writing proposals, works with producer in the creation of project specifications and time plans.
• Identify and develop target list of clients and partners
• Understand business objectives, challenges and opportunities of target and industry
• Responsible for departmental vision, structure, and management while providing leadership, accountability, and mentorship to brand strategy.
• Develop in collaboration with the The agency team, innovative and / or differentiating products and services 

Team Leading, Coordinating, Managing

• Be the agency’s lead brand evangelist, embodying Impact’s core values and differentiating perspectives
• Identify the right opportunities across industry sectors and media that align with the agency’s ongoing strategy
• Maintain and develop prospective client and key strategic partners network
• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Represent the agency at conferences, events and symposiums
• Provide market research, analyses and insights into latest industry trends
• Position Impact with key industry influencers and though leaders
• Lead and manage new business presentations as assigned
• Grow and develop existing client accounts.
• Monitoring and enforcing new business risk and constraints (schedule / scope / resources)
• Champion internal systems for higher productivity working

Strategic Project Management

• Manage agency strategy efforts and projects, involved with projects from start to finish, ensuring successful project completion against deadlines.
• Product manage long term properties including: positioning development, marketing plans, manufacturing or development needs, timeline and roadmap planning, stats analysis and reporting
• Develop integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans to meet and exceed the client’s marketing and business goals and objectives
• Generate and drive insight for internal and client audiences around media, brands, consumers, and experiences
• Design, execute and manage research
• Manage measurement, analytics, data gathering, and reporting for clients’ and agency
• Provide strategic branding thought leadership and expertise to expand business relationships
• Oversee development of marketing plans and creative briefs
• Training and developing staff (direct reports), and influencing  cross-functional internal partners to create and execute effective research, analysis, and strategy
• Developing and implementing new processes to increase efficiencies and effectiveness of research, measurement, and strategy work for teams
• Work with all departments to develop integrated solutions and expand the services BG provides to clients
• Actively participates in client presentations
• Help lead research initiatives and manage outside consultants
• Seeking new opportunities to add value to existing clients
• Helps with identifying and nurturing new business opportunities