Strategist / Senior Strategist

We are looking to appoint an experienced Strategist / Senior Strategist, working across brand, content and campaign projects and reporting to our Strategy Director.

Summary

Salary range to be provided to candidates prior to interview

Job type

Full time

Holidays

34 days

Location

Edinburgh

November 20, 2026

Working model

Hybrid / Flexible (minimum 3 days in our Edinburgh office)

Group life insurance

Annual team away day

Pay Living Wage

Cycle to Work scheme

1. Company description

We create impact

At Rationale, we create impact by making the complex compelling. We are a strategic brand and content agency supporting clients in regulated markets to define, articulate and amplify what matters most to their audiences. We solve challenges with robust, strategic thinking. We’re relentlessly focused on results. And we’re creative with good reason.

Impact is fundamental to our agency culture as a certified BCorp. We have an emphasis on training and development, team empowerment and creative expression. We work with people who live our core principles: who are in it for the long-term; who find a way; who have high standards; and who have fun.

Every agency says they are doing things differently. So we won’t say that. But we are absolutely driven to make a difference.

We’re in it for the long-term

We’re focused on the sustainable, strategic growth of Rationale and the related development of our people. Thinking long-term is fundamental to the ongoing stability of our business and is what allows us to make the most impact for our team, for our clients, and for the wider world.

This approach underpins everything we do in terms of our decision-making – and it also applies to how we cultivate lasting, supportive relationships with clients, partner organisations, and suppliers.

We’re building something strong at Rationale – something that will endure, and something of which we can all be proud.

We find a way

Rationale is made up of a talented and unique team of tenacious problem-solvers who are curious about uncovering what’s possible.

No matter how complicated the ask, we will do our best to find a way to make it happen.

We deliver on our promises at Rationale by being considerate and proactive, not only in how we approach our work, but in how we treat and respect each other’s needs at work.

We have high standards

Rationale’s success comes from having a happy and fulfilled team of people who are trusted and empowered to do their jobs well.

In doing this, we hold ourselves and each other accountable to the highest standards of quality, relevance and creativity in every single piece of work that leaves the agency.

Keeping this aim front-of-mind results in a value exchange – our people drive the success of our business and this feeds back into each individual’s personal and professional growth.

We have fun

Work is where we spend most of our time, so why shouldn’t it be fun? While we take our work very seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

We will always take time to lighten the load, to keep perspective, and to make each other – and our clients – feel relaxed, secure in expressing themselves and able to have a laugh.

2. Role Description

We are looking to appoint an experienced Strategist / Senior Strategist, working across brand, content and campaign projects and reporting to our Strategy Director.

It’s preferable that you have a proven track record of working with senior marketing clients, have solid understanding of B2B audiences and what engages them, and it’s likely that you will have previous experience in brand/go-to-market/content/comms strategy, journalism and/or marketing planning. However, we’re open to people with diverse backgrounds and varied qualifications and experience – so if you think you’ve something to offer, please do get in touch.

We’re looking for an entrepreneurial team player who is able to work well with our creative and account teams, as well as all other areas of the business, including the Rationale founders. As our agency continues to grow and evolve, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape what strategy looks like at Rationale and build new ways to deliver inspiring, effective work for our clients.

You’ll be joining a fun and motivated team who are ambitious and excited about the opportunities ahead of them!

The role will involve working from our office in Leith for a minimum of 3 days a week with the option to work from home 2 days a week.

Development of brand, go-to-market and campaign strategies

• Build an in-depth understanding of client challenges and interrogate client briefs to ensure we are solving the right problem and deploying the best approach to meet the client’s objectives
• Develop insight-led strategies and plans across a wide range of projects, including brand development, go-to-market, advertising campaigns, content marketing, client lifecycle and customer experience, EVP and internal comms
• Be responsible for briefing and leading the generation of big ideas and compelling, insight-driven campaigns, translating strategies into actionable plans and quality outputs

Insight and research skills

• Monitor, analyse and interpret the external environment (market intelligence, competitor activity, etc) – identifying the needs of, and issues that impact on, clients’ target audiences
• Identify, utilise and contribute to the development of planning tools, models and online analytics, as required
• Lead primary research – quantitative and qualitative, where required, to deepen understanding and inform ideas
• Lead client and stakeholder workshops, both in person and online, to inform and validate strategic approaches

Production of editorial content

• Lead in editorial planning tasks, such as theme and topic setting, infographic narratives, brand narratives and proposition development, video scripting, etc
• Undertake all preparatory work required prior to interviewing clients or client customers or contacts. This may require research and the preparation of interview questions
• Conduct professional and time-efficient interviews with contributors.

Client development and new business

• Build strong and enduring consultative relationships with client marketing teams and contribute to client development activities, developing strategies and solutions to strengthen and expand our client relationships
• Lead strategic planning input to prospecting and pitches
• Research and prepare client proposals. Lead strategic presentations to clients, bringing in support from appropriate internal stakeholders, as required.

Collaboration, inspiration and leadership

• Effectively brief and work closely with our creative studio and in-house and freelance writers, ensuring what we provide is relevant and engaging, and exceeding expectations
• Be a team player, adept at presenting strategies and ideas to clients – telling a strong story of our work, underpinned, of course, by strong rationale!
• Work with the wider team to ensure content strategies, solutions and service delivery achieves the highest levels of client satisfaction at all times, as identified by client satisfaction surveys
• Work with the account team to monitor creative quality and relevance, ensuring appropriate processes are followed
• Set a strong example to junior members of the agency, mentoring where appropriate and promoting strategic effectiveness more widely within the agency
• Take on line management responsibilities in the future as the strategy team grows

4. Skills & Experience

• Minimum 4 years’ experience, preferably with a strong track record in agencies or a relevant industry role
• B2B experience, preferably in financial services, healthcare and/or technology and innovation
• Excellent understanding of all strategic marketing channels, both on and offline
• Sophisticated appreciation for marketing principles, models, methodologies, techniques and effectiveness
• Ability to brief – and productively critique – creative output, with good judgement around what makes strong, impactful work
• Excellent desk research and polished presentation skills with the digital skills to articulate recommendations persuasively online and in real life.
• High standards of written and spoken English
• Ability to work on multiple projects at same time and work to tight deadlines.

5. Personal Qualities

• Self-motivated, proactive, curious and creative
• Adaptable and enthusiastic
• High attention to detail
• High standards: wants to produce precise, high quality work
• Enjoys building rapport with different types of people
• Takes an accurate and systematic approach to work
• Professional with a can-do attitude

5th birthday party, 2024

Sports Day, 2024

Manchester Away Day, 2024

“This campaign marks an important milestone for Bupa B2B, representing our biggest ever push to help SMEs realise their growth potential by finding a partner who can support their people’s health and wellbeing, and realise the benefits of workplace healthcare.”

Daniel Sullivan Director of B2B Marketing, Proposition & Product Delivery Bupa UK Insurance

“Rationale’s teamwork and collaboration has been second-to-none. They met our challenges head-on in a way that made working with them enjoyable and productive. Rationale is much more than an agency; they’re an indispensable part of our success story.”