Director, Brand Experience Social Strategy, DIG, Ruder Finn

Ruder Finn•Chicago, IL

8d•$98,000 - $115,000

About The Position

Ruder Finn is seeking an experienced Director of Social Strategy to join our growing Digital (DIG) practice. In this role, you will be responsible for developing social strategies and social-first content programs for our Brand Experience clients, including food, CPG, QSR, lifestyle and adjacent categories. This is a role for someone who thrives at the intersection of social strategy, creativity, and culture. The Director will bring a deep understanding of culture across entertainment, sports, food, fashion, lifestyle, and other relevant categories, with the ability to identify emerging conversations and translate cultural moments into timely, distinctive social opportunities for brands. You will lead social strategy and campaign development, generate culturally relevant ideas, guide content creation, and oversee the execution of integrated digital initiatives across a range of client accounts. The ideal candidate combines strong cultural instincts with a sophisticated social/digital skillset and a proven ability to create programs that spark conversation, strengthen brand relevance, and deliver measurable results. As a Director, you will have direct contact with clients, partners, and other practice groups across the country and globally. This role will allow for growth, giving you the opportunity to apply your creativity and skills across key areas.

Requirements

A minimum of 6+ years working in the social strategy space with experience in consumer, brand, CPG.
Experience with QSR preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in advertising, communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field preferred.
A strong passion for social media marketing, coupled with the ability and curiosity to leverage emerging industry trends to effectively coordinate digital campaigns.
Expertise in social strategy and content development, as well as the execution of social listening, marketing, data analysis, and insights reporting.
Expert-level knowledge of the role that paid, influencer and owned play in the brand social ecosystem.
Deep knowledge of and genuine enthusiasm for culture, with the ability to connect developments across multiple categories to consumer behavior and brand opportunities.
Demonstrated experience translating cultural insights, social trends, and real-time moments into compelling brand ideas, content strategies, and integrated campaigns.
Strong cultural judgment and instincts, including recommending authentic ways for your clients to participate in conversations.
A firm understanding of the creative process and what makes strong social content.
Experience should include working with creative production teams to deliver high-impact creative and content to clients.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to work across multiple high‐profile and high‐budget programs in a fast‐paced, consistently changing environment.
Ability to multitask and operate with flexibility in a fast‐paced environment to meet tight deadlines.
Proven experience managing and coaching a team.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience creating content is a plus, but not mandatory.
Experience managing influencer campaigns with talent is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

Strategically plan social content strategy and communications, integrating both paid and organic tactics supported by data-driven insights for consumer and brand experience clients.
Lead social content and strategy, ensuring alignment with broader communications programs and social media integration while exploring new opportunities in digital tools and technologies.
Monitor and interpret social trends across entertainment, sports, fashion, food, lifestyle, and other relevant cultural categories to identify timely opportunities for client brands.
Develop proactive, culturally relevant ideas that enable brands to participate credibly in emerging conversations, cultural moments, and social trends.
Counsel clients on how and when to enter the cultural conversation, balancing speed, brand relevance, audience expectations, and other considerations.
Serve as a key contact for clients, acting as key social and digital expertise to support their digital knowledge ongoing.
Support in the operational performance of accounts, ensuring high-quality deliverables, adherence to deadlines, and budget optimization.
Deliver superior client service by aligning digital objectives with senior management direction, providing clear updates on project timelines, and ensuring seamless coordination across internal teams and external stakeholders.
Mentor and develop junior team members, fostering expertise in digital and cutting-edge campaign strategies.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure cohesive execution across all digital channels and platforms.
Review and analyze campaign performance to develop client-facing reports and provide actionable insights for enhancement of client reputation and strategic improvements.
Partner with external vendors to strengthen the delivery of high-impact crisis communication strategies and digital reputation management.