Global Strategy Director (FTC to cover mat leave)

We think big. And act bigger. Stay versatile and interconnected. We approach everything with an inventive spirit and rigorous mindset. Individually we’re great, but as a team we’re unstoppable. Together, we seek out opportunities, frame problems and solve complex challenges. Our collective brilliance exposes breakthroughs. Our capability unleashes creativity. We pursue a new perspective and deliver a new kind of ROI.

Zenith International is the central team, primarily based in London, supporting our local Zenith markets, leading new business efforts, developing thought-leadership, and driving network development for our 250 offices across 95 countries with over 8,000 staff worldwide. We house a large team of multi-faceted communications planners, digital and innovation specialists and client leadership teams. Our global client portfolio comprises a range of category leaders including Adobe, Reckitt, TikTok, Edrington, Coty and Electrolux.

At Zenith International, we believe that fostering an inclusive culture where all talent can thrive makes our company stronger and helps drive invention in the work we do for our clients better. We also believe it enables a greater idea exchange that fuels innovation and best reflects diverse consumer experiences. We are committed to encouraging our talent to participate in Publicis Groupe’s wide variety of talent engagement and inclusion programming, which includes professional development experiences and participation in the company’s many business resource groups. These include VivaWomen!, Égalité, MOCA (Men Of Colour Alliance) and more than a dozen others that are thriving across our network. Through advocacy, education and inclusion we foster greater collaboration among our people, which in turn inspires work that provides better experiences for our clients and their consumers.

We are looking for a Strategy Director who is an open minded and free thinking media strategist with global experience, who has previously led campaigns for a range of clients and categories and has a track record of delivering innovative and creative communications solutions. You need to be passionate about tackling the challenges that face brands in the modern marketing landscape. With a deep understanding of how the changing media landscape can enable brands to engage with consumers and influence their behaviour you will have the ability to articulate new concepts and topics in a way that inspires and educates, but also translates to tangible activation. You will enjoy working with a wide range with data and have very strong attention to detail.

As a strong team player who is keen to learn and results-driven, you will come into this role ready to take responsibility for driving the effective implementation of activity within a range of client accounts and be eager to share your knowledge with the wider team. You should exude confidence and be able to motivate, educate and aid the development of other members of the team. Whilst the successful candidate will be well supported, it is expected that you are be able to ‘hit the ground running’, and for the most part be able to manage their workload autonomously. The role reports to the Head of Strategy with responsibility to Global Account Leads and broader teams in place to support delivery. This is a 12 months maternity cover role.

Job Overview:

• Lead, support and orchestrate recommendations to clients for media-driven outperformance
• Focus on one client: Essity (key brands: Tena, Bodyform, Tork, Cushelle, Plenty)
• Across four areas:

• Develop and sell-through media growth-focused strategies as part of their overall marketing plan
• Develop Global Guidelines to support more innovative and effective media planning by Zenith network planning colleagues
• Develop multi-market and portfolio-level media investment recommendations
• Develop and sell-through major multi-market campaign launch recommendations

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop effective, efficient and exciting cross channel media strategies, rooted in unquestionable rationale, typically in Powerpoint format.
• Analyse and draw-out implications from research, media planning tools and other data sources to evidence recommendations.
• Take the lead on responding to strategy briefs and driving strategic projects.
• Ensure strategy alignment and support to account, specialist and network teams.
• Accountable for leveraging past campaign data and learnings to develop, refine and deliver implementation guidelines and improve future campaigns.
• Move “experience led” approaches combining lower and upper funnel media to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
• Responsible for staying on top of media and digital trends.
• Responsible for leading the collaboration with creative agency partners.
• Responsible for working closely with Zenith Local Market and Centralised Digital Teams to support them with the media strategy and execution.
• Forging strong working relationships with those teams.
• Responsible for working closely with teams in the development of the Global Media Strategy, ensuring that the European, Americas and Australasia requirements are being considered.

Key requirements:

• Demonstrable experience in media planning and strategy, with international exposure
• An assured presenter, confident and collected.
• Excellent communication skills are critical.
• Naturally interested in people, what makes them tick and how to influence their behaviours with an ability to understand human behaviour, think laterally, problem solve, ask difficult questions
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in media planning tools
• Simple and effective use of power-point for selling through recommendations and producing guidelines
• Fluency in English; additional languages a plus
• Willingness to travel internationally
• Passionate about multi-media channel planning based on data-led insights.
• A basic familiarity with Marketing Mix Modelling and other predictive or analytic methodologies
• Familiarity with FMCG sector clients
• Media pitching experience
• A confident multitasker, comfortable in fast paced environments.
• Will take great pride in delivering outstanding work across every campaign.
• Strong account management skills to ensure seamless delivery, build trust and develop an effective working relationship with Client and internal stakeholders.
• Ability and desire to manage, coach and grow junior talents.
• Keen on new challenges and able to operate in a changing and flexible environment.

Additional information:

Zenith International has fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees. In addition to the classics, Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical and Income Protection Plans we also offer:

• WORK YOUR WORLD: opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
• REFLECTION DAYS: Two additional days of paid leave to step away from your usual day-to-day work and create time to focus on your well-being and self-care.
• HELP@HAND BENEFITS: 24/7 helpline to support you on a personal and professional level. Access to remote GPs, mental health support and CBT. Wellbeing content and lifestyle coaching.
• FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIES: We provide 26 weeks of full pay for the following family milestones: Maternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental Leave.
• FLEXIBLE WORKING, BANK HOLIDAY SWAP & BIRTHDAY DAY OFF: You are entitled to an additional day off for your birthday, from your first day of employment.
• GREAT LOCAL DISCOUNTS: This includes membership discounts with Soho Friends, local restaurants and retailers in Westfield White City and Television Centre.

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office-based three days during the working week. We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process.

Please make sure you check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).