Associate Strategy Director

At AKQA, we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients. Strategists at AKQA make our client’s business their business. Working with client service, UX, creative, and tech teams, they are the voice of both the client’s business and the consumer. Drawn from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, our strategists develop and apply market insights, data and trends to communicate and drive innovation opportunities. We are currently seeking an Associate Strategy Director for our London Studio. You possess a brand, communications and social background, love data and insight, and develop brand building experiences across channels and ecosystems. The ideal candidate will also be able to comfortably work in one or more other areas of strategy: communications, creative, content, business, and/or experience. As part of the AKQA team, you will work in an environment that fosters a dynamic and meritocratic culture, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in their fields. You will report to the Group Strategy Director, London and collaborate on leading the strategy team.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Understand the client’s audiences, objectives, and priorities, and lead the definition of solutions to meet these needs.
• Provide strategic direction on product, experience, and/or communications initiatives, identifying the key value proposition, consumer needs, and value to the business.
• Translate strategic recommendations into actionable tactics campaigns, products and experiences.
• Collaborate closely with the creative team to craft beautiful, effective work that delivers results for our clients.
• Identify key opportunities to drive client value and collaborate with clients to bring them to life.
• Ability to conduct both primary and secondary research, and adjust approach depending on resources.
• Be proactive, provoke debate, and identify what the agenda for future discussion should be.
• Plan and lead client workshops and research sessions.
• Craft compelling narratives in presentations and to sell your work to clients.
• Own large streams of strategic work and work autonomously.
• Own your area of strategy and become the go-to person in the agency for that work.
• Earn the trust of clients and build strong relationships with them.
• Help lead our talented junior and midweight strategists, including line management responsibilities where possible, taking charge of major projects.

QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

• 7+ years of experience in a relevant role.
• Devoted to work across digital, creative, communications, marketing and/or innovation environments.
• You have an insatiable curiosity and can observe and identify patterns, trends and insights.
• You are a lateral and creative thinker with the ability to make complex topics simple.
• A robust understanding of funnel marketing and how to drive creative solutions across each stage.
• Extensive experience in communications strategy, channel planning, social and content strategy.
• You are passionate about collaboration, open-minded, and experienced in working with people from diverse cultures.
• You understand the big picture and have a sharp attention to detail, while always striving for best-in-class work.
• An impressive ability to turn research and data into effectiveness and performance.
• An understanding of how business, brands, and consumers interact, and how technology is impacting their lives.
• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to inspire and persuade.

Explore our extensive range of benefits here. We believe great work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in-office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. AKQA is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.