Brand Strategist (Health Communications)

ICF • Washington, DC

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

At ICF Next, we are fearless in finding new ways to solve problems, relentless in making sure it pays off for our clients and committed to making a positive change in the world. Join our community of mission-driven creatives, communicators, strategists, and technologists to challenge the status quo. ICF is seeking a Brand Strategist to help lead strategic thinking for our government clients and their marketing and advertising campaigns. The ideal candidate can meld both the science and art of finding insights to help our teams and clients better understand customer mindsets and brand opportunities to develop smarter campaigns. You will collaborate with account and creative teams in not only advancing campaigns and overall positioning, but keeping our teams informed of the ever-changing dynamics impacting the industry and its customers. The ideal candidate is a creative thinker with a strategic mindset and a passion for research, building narratives, positioning, and great campaigns. If you excel in working collaboratively to develop innovative brand strategies that improve customer engagement, we invite you to apply for this role. This role is contingent upon a contract award. While it is not an immediate opening, we are actively conducting interviews and extending offers in anticipation of the award.

Requirements

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a public trust clearance.
• U.S. Citizenship required (required by federal government for the position).
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, market research, journalism, sociology or related fields. (applicants can substitute one year of related experience for one year of education).
• 8+ years of experience developing brand strategies and campaign strategies within an agency or a client marketing team.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with HHS and/or CDC programs.
• Experience with private and public marketing programs highly preferred.
• Deep skills in supporting the development of advertising campaigns and writing creative briefs.
• Experience using AI as a tool to make our research and deliverables smarter and more efficient.
• Primary and secondary research experience and demonstrated ability to use the data to turn insights into actionable strategy.
• Knowledge of consumer behavior psychology.
• Significant experience developing secondary research on consumer, company, category and competitors, writing PPT decks, and presenting them to clients.
• Knowledge of the healthcare, public health, disaster management, and energy industries a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to design and lead workshops as part of strategy development.
• Corporate brand platform and strategy development expertise.
• Experience working in cross-functional marketing teams.
• Strong writing and client-facing presentation skills.
• Previous roles should include client facing role as a subject matter expert.

Responsibilities

• Lead campaign strategy development for key clients and campaigns, working closely with account and creative leaders.
• Write and socialize creative briefs with clients, internal teams, and partners.
• Check for strategy and brand consistency in creative concepting and delivery.
• Collaborate with research teams and colleagues to unlock audience insights.
• Identify true customer insights and help interpret them through creative ideation and channel planning.
• Develop and facilitate workshops as part of strategy development.
• Write and socialize message frameworks.
• Develop brand positioning frameworks and value propositions that differentiate our clients.
• Contribute strategies, write content, and deliver persuasive presentations for new business opportunities.
• Work with Senior Strategists and Leaders to advance strategic planning tools and processes in support of the Division and client delivery.

Benefits

• ICF is an equal opportunity employer.
• Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior