Strategist

Acosta • San Francisco, CA

6d • $70,000 - $84,000

About The Position

We are seeking a creative Brand Strategist with hands-on food and beverage experience to help shape internal and client visions. The role calls for critical thinking about restaurant brands and F&B businesses, the ability to craft inspiring strategic narratives, and skill in developing clear solutions to ambiguous problems. It is suited to someone with experience in restaurants, foodservice, F&B brands, hospitality, or a related environment who is interested in building future brands and experiences. The Strategist should be curious about how people eat, drink, shop, dine, and experience brands, and able to turn that curiosity into meaningful business and brand strategy. Collaboration, adaptability, and a passion for the food and beverage industry are central to the role.

The Strategist works with a diverse group of collaborators to develop strategies for food and beverage experiences, supports Senior Strategists from problem definition through strategic recommendation, and translates consumer, cultural, competitive, and category insights into strategic opportunities. The role also collaborates with internal teams on strategic narratives, frameworks, and presentations, contributes knowledge of the restaurant and F&B landscape to client work, and identifies emerging trends and their implications for brands and businesses.

Requirements

• At least 2 years of professional experience in brand strategy, consulting, marketing strategy, innovation, product development, or a related strategic discipline.
• Hands-on experience in food and beverage, ideally with a restaurant, foodservice company, F&B brand, hospitality business, or agency or consultancy serving these industries.
• Genuine passion for restaurant and F&B brands and interest in how consumers experience them.
• Strong understanding of consumer trends and their business implications, with the ability to distinguish meaningful trends from fads, particularly in food.
• Passion for brand storytelling and ability to turn complex thinking into compelling, accessible narratives.
• Strong presentation skills and visual sensibility, including the ability to create effective presentations that integrate content, narrative, and imagery.
• Confidence working directly with clients and presenting strategic thinking clearly and enthusiastically.
• Ability to write and deliver concise, memorable, impactful presentations.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and willingness to learn.

Nice To Haves

• Restaurant, foodservice, hospitality, food and beverage CPG brand, or related industry experience is highly valued and prioritized.
• Experience working at an agency or consultancy serving food and beverage industries.

Responsibilities

• Co-create compelling, grounded strategies with collaborators to create food and beverage experiences for brands of all sizes.
• Support Senior Strategists in guiding projects from problem definition through strategic recommendation.
• Translate consumer, cultural, competitive, and category insights into clear strategic opportunities.
• Collaborate with internal teams to develop strategic narratives, frameworks, and presentations using storytelling and visual sensibility.
• Bring an understanding of the restaurant and F&B landscape to client challenges and strategic conversations.
• Identify emerging food, beverage, restaurant, hospitality, and consumer trends and understand their implications for brands and businesses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed