Strategy Business Director

Company Description

STARTUP SPIRIT + POWERHOUSE SOUL

As one of the youngest and now the fastest-growing global agency networks, Spark Foundry has never been beholden to a legacy; all we know is industry disruption and transformation. We embrace nimbleness, agility and open-mindedness as part of our Startup Spirit. But as part of Publicis Media, we tap into that Powerhouse Soul to gain access to new opportunities before anyone else alongside market-shaping clout, leading-edge AI and technology.

We have 4 simple values:

• Team driven: our superpower comes from our teams, it’s where we learn our craft and how we stay connected across the agency
• Inclusive: we know the road to representation is long but we're proud of the steps we're taking to elicit real change
• Challenger: we're proud to be an underdog, it motivates us to think differently and work harder than the competition
• Passionate: we care about what we do, and our people have the freedom to follow those passions, from designing new technologies and innovations, to developing our culture and future talent

Our Commitment

We are diverse though our experience, people and the clients we look after - and we celebrate that diversity. Our people hold us accountable to our beliefs and via regular surveys and our grass roots D&I team, The Collective, and internal next generation board, Firestarters, we hold regular events and work continually towards generating ideas, initiatives and educating our people to ensure we are a diverse and inclusive agency.

As part of our dedication to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, Spark Foundry is committed to equal access to opportunity for people without regard to race, age, sex, disability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.

Overview

We are hiring a Strategy Business Director to shape brilliant strategic planning for a leading finance client at Spark Foundry. This is an opportunity to set the standard for planning craft, turning audience, behavioural and performance data into thinking that inspires creativity and drives client growth. You'll bring strategy, planning and activation together across the communications ecosystem, while helping others develop their craft. It's a role for someone who enjoys solving complex problems, sharing knowledge and making ambitious thinking work in practice.

Responsibilities

What you'll be doing:

• Own the strategic planning standard for a leading finance client, helping teams turn briefs into consistently strong, insight-led work.
• Translate audience, behavioural and performance data into meaningful insights that unlock creative and communications opportunities.
• Lead connected communications planning across PESO, ensuring strategic thinking translates clearly across channels and touchpoints.
• Bring strategy and execution closer together, partnering with planning and activation teams to create rigorous, effective media work.
• Build effectiveness and measurement into strategic thinking, connecting brand-building ambitions with performance outcomes.
• Strengthen planning capability through coaching, feedback, learning sessions and the sharing of great work across teams.
• Take on complex briefs and planning challenges, contributing fresh thinking, innovation and new ways of working that strengthen Spark Foundry’s planning product.

Qualifications

Skills we're looking for:

• Strong strategic planning craft and a genuine interest in creating work that makes a meaningful difference for clients.
• An analytical mindset, with the ability to turn audience, behavioural and cultural insight into clear strategic thinking.
• A strong understanding of connected communications planning across PESO and how different touchpoints work together.
• Knowledge of marketing effectiveness and how measurement can be built into planning from the outset.
• Experience solving complex strategic challenges, including situations where information may be incomplete.
• The ability to communicate complex thinking clearly through compelling presentations and data-led storytelling.
• A collaborative approach to leadership, with the ability to coach others, share knowledge and constructively challenge teams, clients and senior stakeholders.

Additional Information

Spark Foundry offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You'll also have access to a range of additional initiatives.

Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week. At Spark Foundry, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition, please let us know. We'll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.