Associate Director, Creative Strategy & Planning (Advertising)
About The Position
THE·TEAM is seeking an Associate Director, Creative Strategy to uncover consumer insights, connect them with cultural and industry trends, and develop strategies that create meaningful brand opportunities and measurable impact. The role works across insights and analytics, account, and creative teams to turn consumer, category, culture, and company information into clear strategic points of view and creative briefs for substantial client projects across social, creator, project, and brand disciplines. The position contributes to business development, including strategic and creative pitch development and onboarding new business. It also helps grow client businesses by anticipating trends, developing actionable insights and ideas, evolving brand and communications strategy, and guiding creative work from briefing through ideation and concept development. The role monitors trends, particularly across sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and culture, and leads long-term creator strategy, campaign planning, and creator archetype and tier identification. This is a full-time hybrid position, working in the office three days per week at either the Los Angeles or Dumbo, Brooklyn office.
Requirements
- 4–6 years of experience in brand, social, digital, or communications strategy.
- Agency experience and experience working with national or global brands, especially in technology or quick-service restaurants.
- Curiosity, proactiveness, and creative strategic thinking that accounts for client objectives, key insights, and practical parameters.
- Ability to identify emerging creators and trends before they break.
- Ability to develop creative strategic solutions that address client business challenges and goals.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to build rapport.
- Demonstrated ability to lead effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
- A track record of trend forecasting and cultural analysis that informs strategic recommendations.
- AI fluency and comfort using AI-powered tools for research synthesis, insight development, brainstorming, and presentation development.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with insights and analytics, account, and creative teams to distill consumer, category, cultural, and company information into actionable insights and compelling points of view for client projects.
- Develop briefs across multiple disciplines, including social, creator, project, and brand briefs.
- Contribute to new-business responses, including preparing and delivering pitches, driving strategic and creative setup, and onboarding new business wins.
- Anticipate trends and cultural shifts and bring forward actionable insights and ideas to proactively grow client business.
- Evolve brand and communications strategy to strengthen positioning and align with business and campaign goals.
- Develop and present creative strategic ideas internally and to clients.
- Guide creative ideation and concepts after the briefing process to help ensure the work drives client business outcomes.
- Understand client and sector landscapes, industry contexts for client investments, brand values, direction, and broader objectives.
- Monitor creative trends across categories and industries, especially in sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and culture, and provide relevant recommendations.
- Lead high-level, long-term creator strategy and vision, including campaign planning and identification of creator archetypes and tiers.
- Champion collaboration between the agency and clients and help the team build relationships with account handlers.
Benefits
- Learning and development programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement support.
- Generous paid time off and holiday allowances.
- Paid parental leave.
- 401(k) plan with contribution matching.
- Medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, life, and disability coverage options.
- Critical illness coverage, identity protection, pet insurance, 529 plans, and other ancillary benefits.
- Commuter benefits, where available.
- Potential bonus, if applicable for the role.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
