At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic projects and create actionable roadmaps for top-tier clients.
- Company: Join a multi-award winning digital marketing agency with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, private medical insurance, and generous leave policies.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by solving complex business challenges for global brands.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in digital strategy and exceptional narrative leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 60000 £ per year.
Impression is a multi-award winning, high growth digital marketing agency based in Nottingham, London and Manchester. Our agency wouldn’t be what it is today without our incredible people. Our diverse team encompasses expertise across the digital landscape which enables us to accelerate change and results, driving business growth faster. Our collaborative, creative and inclusive culture helps build our reputation as a leading digital employer and we are committed to nurturing and developing people to their full potential.
We’re looking for an ambitious Associate Director, Strategy to join the team and help us continue to deliver award-winning results for our clients. Impression were recently ranked fourth in UK’s Best WorkplacesTM for Wellbeing (medium‐size companies), and we continuously strive to ensure the best possible work‐life balance for our team. As a successful candidate, you will be given a clear progression path. We want talent to grow with us and there is ample opportunity for you to progress to the next level.
The Associate Strategy Director is a senior individual practitioner and strategic architect for the agency’s most complex, global, and enterprise‐level partnerships. This role is designed for a specialist who thrives on solving high‐stakes business challenges and is dedicated to the craft of digital strategy. As an expert practitioner, you will define the roadmap for the agency’s highest‐value clients, helping them solve their biggest marketing challenges, and ensuring that marketing investment is directly aligned with overarching business objectives. With a demonstrable background in digital and performance media, you’ll move beyond tactical execution to provide the long‐term planning and rigorous measurement required to de‐risk bold commercial shifts. You act as a high‐level consultant to the wider agency, developing sophisticated planning methodologies and providing senior expertise to elevate the quality of work across all accounts.
Responsibilities
- Strategic Transformation & Maturity: Lead the agency’s highest‐stakes consulting projects, auditing client digital maturity to reframe ambiguous briefs into actionable transformation roadmaps across media, data, and creative.
- Design and deliver compelling stories for C‐suite stakeholders, building the consensus and belief needed to secure investment for mid‐to‐long term growth plans.
- Evidence‐Led Architecture: Pressure test all strategic roadmaps using data and measurement intelligence, ensuring every recommendation, from creative messaging to technical data infrastructure, is rooted in commercial reality.
- Integrated Subject Matter Expertise: Act as the primary architect for cross‐discipline solutions, ensuring that Digital Media, Data/Measurement, and Performance Creative are integrated into a single, resilient engine.
- Media Effectiveness & De‐risking: Design advanced measurement frameworks, utilising methodologies like MMM, Incrementally, and ITSA, to provide the evidence required for transformative shifts in client investment.
- Pitch Leadership: Lead the strategic response for high‐value new business opportunities, articulating how integrated strategy across media, data, and creative drives P&L impact for a prospect’s business.
- Methodology Development: Translate bespoke, high‐value strategic solutions into repeatable frameworks and methodologies that can be utilised to raise the standard of work across the wider agency.
- Commercial Stewardship: Apply rigorous commercial logic to all strategic decisions, ensuring every initiative is backed by a robust financial case that supports agency growth and stability.
- Industry Authority: Represent the agency’s strategic expertise externally through opinionated thought leadership and industry engagement to build market reputation and inbound interest.
Required Skills and Experience
- Extensive experience in turning commercial business challenges into actionable strategic roadmaps for global or enterprise brands.
- Exceptional narrative leadership with a proven track record of navigating C‐suite environments to build belief, secure investment, and influence senior‐level decisions during planning and pivots.
- Authoritative knowledge of cross‐channel dynamics and advanced measurement techniques across digital media, data, and creative to prove the commercial impact of integrated strategy.
- Strategic foresight to anticipate trends and platform risks, with demonstrated experience in developing original frameworks, digital maturity models, and consultancy‐led service offerings.
- Rigorous commercial acumen in leading integrated strategic visions for high‐value new business pitches and ensuring all initiatives are backed by robust financial cases.
- Ability to inspire strategic excellence by defining a clear craft North Star, providing senior practitioner mentorship, and establishing the logic required for technically resilient cross‐functional teams.
Salary: £50,900 (Full‐Time Equivalent), plus a £6,000 London Allowance where applicable.
What makes us different?
- Flexible, hybrid working options - as per ways of working charter
- 4.5 day working week
- Private medical insurance with access to EAP
- Impression funded specialist therapy sessions, up to 6 sessions where Impression funds 50% of the cost
- Enhanced sick pay
- Access to OpenUp, a virtual therapy platform
- Enhanced parental leave
- 28 days annual leave, plus bank holiday
- Life leave – when something unexpected happens in your life and you need some paid leave
- Pregnancy loss and parental bereavement leave
- Compassionate leave
- Eye‐care vouchers
- Opportunity to save on and spread the cost of new tech through Techscheme
- Travel to work scheme
- Railcard salary sacrifice scheme
- Budget for books, tools and software
- A full social calendar
- Summer and Christmas party (off‐site)
- Chance to attend national and international conferences
- Top Apple equipment to use at work
- Savings on bikes and accessories through Cycle Scheme
- Contributory pension scheme
- The usual agency stuff – office dogs, drinks fridge, ping pong and foosball, tea and coffee and office snacks
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We’re listening and we’re learning. We’re committed to embracing diversity and promoting equal opportunities, both within our teams and through the services we provide. But we know we still have work to do. Improving fairness – in our agency and our industry – is something we’re passionate about, and we’re committed to having the conversations, making the changes and helping other businesses to do the same.
We pledge to promote equal opportunities and, as per the Equality Act 2010, will not tolerate discrimination on the grounds of: gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, caring responsibilities or beliefs. We’ll also make every effort to represent different genders, ethnicities, socio‐economic backgrounds and sexualities at the events, panels and discussions we run.
Agencies
Strictly no recruitment agencies.
Associate Director, Strategy in London employer: Impression Digital Limited
Impression Digital is an exceptional employer, renowned for its commitment to employee wellbeing and professional growth. With a collaborative and inclusive culture, the agency offers flexible working options, a clear progression path, and a range of benefits including private medical insurance and enhanced parental leave, making it an ideal place for ambitious professionals to thrive in the vibrant cities of Nottingham, London, and Manchester.
Contact Details:
Impression Digital Limited Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director, Strategy in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with yours. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to articulate your experience and how it relates to the role. Highlight your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, especially since this role is all about tackling high-stakes challenges.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our brand.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director, Strategy in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Strategic Thinking:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your strategic mindset. We want to see how you can turn complex challenges into actionable plans, just like the role requires. Use examples from your past experiences to showcase your ability to navigate high-stakes environments.
Tailor Your Narrative:Craft a compelling narrative that aligns with our agency's values and culture. We love creativity and collaboration, so don’t hesitate to share stories that reflect your unique approach to teamwork and problem-solving. Make it personal and engaging!
Be Data-Driven:Since this role involves evidence-led architecture, ensure your application reflects your analytical skills. Mention any experience you have with data-driven decision-making and how you've used metrics to inform your strategies. We appreciate candidates who can back up their ideas with solid evidence.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications better and ensures you get the attention you deserve. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Impression Digital Limited
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into Impression's work and values. Familiarise yourself with their recent projects and awards. This will not only show your genuine interest but also help you align your strategic vision with theirs.
✨Craft Your Narrative
Prepare a compelling story that showcases your experience in turning complex business challenges into actionable strategies. Highlight specific examples where you've influenced C-suite decisions and secured investment, as this aligns perfectly with the role's requirements.
✨Data is Your Best Friend
Brush up on advanced measurement techniques and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive marketing strategies. Impress them with your knowledge of methodologies like MMM and Incrementality, as these are crucial for the Associate Director role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Be prepared to talk about how you've mentored others and inspired strategic excellence in your previous roles. Impression values collaboration and growth, so demonstrating your ability to lead and develop teams will resonate well with them.
