Senior Strategist, Integrated Strategy

dentsu•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a rare strategy role that keeps you sharp across two genuinely different businesses — one fast and cultural, one built on trust and considered decision-making. The ideal candidate thrives on variety and can toggle between fast cultural work and deeper strategic thinking—while championing meaningful brand impact. At Dentsu, we believe great work happens when we’re connected. Our way of working combines flexibility with in-person collaboration to spark ideas and strengthen our teams. Employees who live within a commutable distance of one of our hub offices, currently located in Chicago, metro Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York City, are required and expected to work from the office three days per week (two days per week for employees based in Los Angeles). Dentsu may designate other Hub offices at any time. Those who live outside a commutable range may be designated as remote, depending on the role and business needs. Regardless of your work location, we expect our employees to be flexible to meet the needs of our Company and clients, which may include attendance in an office.

Requirements

4+ years experience developing digital‑led and integrated brand strategies
Proven track record of strong, consistent strategic ideas
Deep understanding of how brands earn attention and trust online
High standard for clarity, craft, and detail
Strong storytelling and presentation skills — equally comfortable with creative teams and more conservative stakeholders
Ability to simplify complex challenges for varied audiences
Confident with both creative teams and more conservative stakeholders
Curious, culturally informed, and insight‑driven-seeks out what they don't know as much as they build on what they do
Experience with social listening, trend analysis, SEO, UX, and related tools
Seen as a trusted partner to mid‑senior clients and a supportive mentor to juniors

Nice To Haves

Cross‑category experience (retail, CPG, financial services) is a plus
We're looking for someone who will grow with the discipline as it evolves — curious about what strategy looks like in two years, not just today

Responsibilities

Lead qualitative research, from quick cultural inputs to deeper exploratory studies.
Develop clear, inspiring creative briefs and guide others in doing the same.
Build digital architectures, brand frameworks, and consumer journeys across categories.
Synthesize signals across data, culture, and category to give creative and client teams a clear point of view — not just information, but interpretation
Surface new growth opportunities and strategic value for creative and brand teams.
Guide multi‑disciplinary teams in measurement and learning work.
Provide thought leadership on culture, human behavior, and category dynamics.
Build strong knowledge of each client's industry and competitive landscape.
Thoughtfully apply AI to sharpen strategy, speed insights, and improve output quality—while preserving a strong strategic POV and human judgment.
Help shape awards submissions by crafting compelling case studies, defining the strategic idea and impact, and collaborating across teams to tell the story effectively.