Associate Strategy Director
Job Summary
Planning is the generation and application of human insights to inspire and improve creative and agency output. Strategic planning’s foundation is built on market research and consumer insights. The work includes: knowledge generation, analysis, testing, cultural observation and specialized techniques (e.g., shopper marketing, segmentation, etc.), but focuses those insights towards the work of a creative agency. The output can be impact on creative—more grounded, human, engaging, connected work—or stand-alone strategic deliverables, e.g., targeting models, brand positioning, etc. These outputs parallel the two faces of a planner: the internal face as educator, ideator, briefer, and inspirer, and the external face (client directed) of strategic advisor, research partner, and brand consultant.
Acting as the voice of the consumer at Agency, the Associate Strategy Director acts as a strategic leader for assigned brands and teams. They are responsible for driving day-to-day engagement on behalf of the agency with clients. This person provides research, insight and strategic guidance to a variety of accounts, consumer profiles, and industry verticals.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
The Associate Strategy Director is responsible, in the area of Strategy, for:
- Being a planning subject matter expert in the eyes of internal counterparts and clients.
- Develop strategies that inspire innovative work, including brand strategies, journeys and comprehensive multichannel plans.
- Serve as primary strategic thinker in annual planning process.
- Facilitate ideation work sessions internally and with the client.
- Propose and fields secondary, quant and qual research.
- Participate and occasionally lead strategy development for new business opportunities.
- Ensure team continuously meets planning standards.
- Look for opportunities for subject matter experts (SMEs), agency and creative to add value and for clients to buy into our work.
- Rally teams and drive agenda, provide impactful direction and set team goals.
- Form and maintain solid relationships with department and account leads.
- Embody the Agency culture.
- Manage agency resources.
- Guide career development of direct reports.
- Performing other duties as required or assigned that are reasonably within the scope of duties enumerated above.
Qualities that make for success at OKRP:
- High-motor, self-motivated:
- OKRP caters to an entrepreneurial spirit. We want proactive, high-energy, positive people.
- Have huge passion for what communication and creativity can achieve in the world.
- Thrives in ambiguity
- Can help clients, creatives, business partners identify and articulate needs and parameters when they are unable.
- Provides structure around abstract concepts.
- Can handle dynamic, evolving project parameters and inputs
- Turn ideas into action plans.
- An open, proactive problem-solver
- We’re not looking for planners who have all the answers. We want planners who will help to guide clients and creatives on a journey and learn along the way.
Education
- Bachelor’s required, preferably in a social/human-oriented field (e.g., Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, etc.) or communication/marketing (e.g., Integrated Marketing, Brand Planning, etc.). Master’s degree or higher is desirable.
Experience
- Bachelor’s required, preferably in a social/human-oriented field (e.g., Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, etc.) or communication/marketing (e.g., Integrated Marketing, Brand Planning, etc.). Master’s degree or higher is desirable.
- Minimum of 8 years of experience in planning, strategic planning, and related communications experience; advertising agency experience is a huge plus.
Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Proven ability to think creatively; evidence of success in developing digital multichannel strategies for brands and delivering them to market.
- Strong digital and analytical capabilities are a must.
- Storytelling and persuasive presentation skills
- Deep understanding of digital channels and knowledge of the various roles and contributions of other strategic disciplines such as CRM and social media
- Digital “fluency” is expected, given the speed of changes in communication
- Experience with multicultural marketing (primarily Hispanic or African-American) is a positive.
- Able to thrive in an entrepreneurial culture where creativity and data are both highly valued.
- Flexibility and adaptability in the face of ambiguity and change
- Organizational and time-management skills
Physical and Medical Standards
- Standing, walking, reaching, stooping, crouching, twisting, bending, crawling
Working Conditions and Environment
- Typically, this is an office environment which can involve periods of sitting, standing, bending, twisting
Hours Worked
- Full-time employees are required to work a minimum of 40 hours per week. Work hours vary by customer need and role.
Brand Strategist
Job Summary
The Strategic Planner has a solid understanding of his / her client’s business. S/he demonstrates critical thinking and confidence while distilling down research and data analytics into meaningful insights and strategic recommendations. They have the courage to take ownership and can produce quality deliverables over multiple assignments, often concurrently. Framing, exploring and reframing are keys to solving complex business challenges, in addition to clearly articulating the thinking behind the work, ideas, POVs and why it makes sense for the client’s business. The Strategic Planner is an engaging storyteller with effective communication skills, who has the ability to convince, inspire and motivate our clients and peers, while leveraging an appropriate mixture of facts, logic and enthusiasm to persuade.
A successful OKRP Strategic Planner is an idea generator who is always looking for new solutions and innovative approaches to solve our client’s problems. They are constantly striving to understand and mentor others on new technologies and opportunities beyond the client’s ask.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
The Brand Strategist is responsible, in the area of Strategy, for:
- Independently producing client-ready documentation seeking senior-level review as needed.
- Participating in client meetings as needed. May present materials to internal teams without prior review, and may be asked to present planning material to clients with consent of account leads.
- Understanding and starting to impact agency planning process, associated deliverables and correct utilization of research resources.
- Proactively screening the marketplace for news, e.g., tech, research, insights, competitors, etc., and shares this inspiration with the Planning team.
- Supporting senior Planning staff in the development of POVs and exploration of new strategic approaches.
- Demonstrating great initiative and energy in pursuing strategic assignments.
- Possessing the ability to confidently explain a strategic approach and source data, as well as provide solid rationale to support an idea of strategy.
- Proactively engaging with the Planning and greater project team while always seeking to contribute and collaborate.
- Always bringing a positive, problem-solving attitude.
- Performing other duties as required or assigned that at are reasonably within the scope of duties enumerated above.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in a social / human-oriented field (e.g. Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, etc) or communication / marketing (e.g. Integrated Marketing, Brand Planning, etc). Master’s degree or higher is desirable.
Experience
- 4-6 years work experience of years in marketing either in creative agency or market research, working in a strategic insights function, digital marketing experience a plus
- Experience outside of marketing and advertising that provides value, expertise, and fresh perspective to Agency is desirable: digital shop, ethnic agency, ethnography, research house, retail or promotions agency, university lab, etc.
- Excellent communication and strong writing skills.
- Digital “fluency” is expected, given the speed of changes in communication. Familiarity with the latest trends and development in social media and interactive and is appreciated.
- Experience with multi-cultural marketing (primarily Hispanic or African-American) is a positive.
- Curious and passionate about understanding and researching the behavior of the consumer.
- Able to thrive in an entrepreneurial culture where creativity and data are both highly valued.
- Strong recommendations
Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
- Flexibility and adaptability in the face of ambiguity and change
- Organizational and time-management skills
Physical and Medical Standards
- Standing, walking, reaching, stooping, crouching, twisting, bending, crawling
Working Conditions and Environment
- Typically, this is an office environment which can involve periods of sitting, standing, bending, twisting
Hours Worked
- Full-time employees are required to work a minimum of 40 hours per week. Work hours vary by customer need and role.