At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead creative strategy and coach senior strategists to elevate performance across major accounts.
- Company: Join the UK's #1 independent Meta agency group, known for innovation and creativity.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days holiday, private health insurance, and a flexible hybrid work model.
- Other info: Be part of a vibrant team focused on continuous learning and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in creative strategy with a strong coaching mindset and performance expertise.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
Department: Creative Strategy | Performance Creative
Reports to: Head of Creative Strategy (with dotted line to the Chief Creative Officer on domain alignment)
Location: Hybrid, Central London (Camden Roundhouse)
Compensation: Competitive Base + Benefits Scheme + 28 Days Paid Holiday + Private Health
KPIs You'll Own
- Blended Dept hit-rate - average creative hit-rate across all pods. Your headline KPI.
- Percentage of spend through ECD-produced ads - share of total Meta client spend flowing through creative we produced.
- Senior CS development trajectory - measurable craft uplift across all four Seniors over 12 months.
- New CS onboarding quality - time-to-billable and first-90-day output quality for every new joiner.
About Soar Group
The Soar Group is a UK performance agency group comprising three specialist agencies. With over £100M+ in annual ad spend under management and a team of 120+, we work with 7-9 figure DTC and e-commerce brands across Meta, TikTok, and Google.
We were nominated for Meta's Creative Diversity Award 2025 and were named the UK's #1 independent Meta agency group. Our creative department is the group's biggest growth lever - and this role is central to where it goes next.
Our values: Extreme Ownership. Radical Curiosity. Kind Candour. Outcome Obsessed.
The Opportunity
We're hiring a Creative Lead to join the Creative Strategy leadership team at the UK's largest performance creative department.
Hambi Media (ECD) is the creative engine of the Soar Group - the UK's #1 independent Meta agency group. Our Creative Strategy department is the group's single biggest revenue driver, producing performance creative across High Production video, UGC, and Static for 7-9 figure DTC and e-commerce brands. We manage over £100M in ad spend yearly and operate 13 creative pods.
You'll join a six-person Creative Strategy leadership team: the Chief Creative Officer, the Head of Creative Strategy, three other Creative Leads, and you. Your remit is cross-departmental rather than pod-specific - you'll coach our Senior Creative Strategists layer to help increase strategic ability, and drive strong performance outcomes for our biggest brands. You will raise the creative quality bar across the pods you manage, and own the craft layer of how the department stays ahead of the game.
This is a Creative Lead role with a department-wide focus. You won't own a pod or run an account directly, but 40% of your time is still billable - embedded in the strategic support of up to four senior strategists, coaching their thinking on the accounts they own. The other 60% is split across tier 1 account risk mitigation, departmental training sessions, new-joiner onboarding, and self-development.
If you're a creative strategist with 5+ years of experience who has been deep in the trenches and ready to become a leader, has deep craft instincts, and genuine energy for coaching, this is the role where your impact compounds across every client in the book.
Requirements
What You'll Own
- Senior CS Strategic Coaching (Billable, 40%) - Embedded coaching and management of 4-5 Senior Creative Strategists on the strategic work of their biggest accounts.
- Help every Senior CS find the next layer of their craft: research depth, strategic synthesis and creative authority.
- Coach intentionally - reverse-engineer your approach from knowing each individual.
- Risk Mitigation, Audits & Bottleneck Identification - Cross-pod craft authority on Gold and Silver tier accounts.
- Identify performance bottlenecks before they hit monthly review.
- Run regular creative audits across the department.
- Departmental Creative Quality Bar - Set and uphold the quality bar for creative strategy output across the team.
- Drive the rollout of new craft skills in-line with market shifts, including AI adoption.
- Team Domain Trainings & Frameworks - Translate frameworks, methodologies, and AI workflows set by the CCO into team-wide up-skilling sessions.
- New CS Onboarding - Own the craft component of every new Creative Strategist's onboarding across their first 30-60 days.
How You'll Spend Your Time
- Senior CS coaching on their biggest accounts (billable) - 40% of scope.
- Risk mitigation audits, bottleneck identification - 25% of scope.
- Departmental training + framework rollout - 20% of scope.
- New CS onboarding ownership - 10% of scope.
- Self training + market scanning - 5% of scope.
What You'll Bring
- 5+ years in Creative Strategy in a performance creative agency, growth team, or DTC brand-side environment.
- Deep performance creative expertise.
- Strong growth and paid social fluency.
- Coaching mindset.
- Risk mitigation instinct.
- Continuous research mindset.
- Outcome Obsessed.
- Kind Candour.
- Extreme Ownership.
- AI-literate and tech-enabled.
Nice-to-Have (Not Required)
- DTC / e-commerce business model literacy at 7-9 figure scale.
- Track record running training sessions or workshops with creative teams.
- Familiarity with our internal frameworks.
Who You Are
- Outcome Obsessed.
- Leverage-aware.
- Intentional coach.
- Curious by nature.
- Calm under pressure.
- Structured thinker.
- Mentorship mindset.
- Owner mentality.
Benefits
- Enjoy 28 days of annual leave.
- Benefit from our long-service reward scheme.
- Work in a flexible hybrid model.
- Access private health and life insurance.
- Participate in our company pension scheme.
- Take advantage of a one-month annual work-abroad allowance.
Creative Strategy Lead in London employer: Soar With Us
Soar Group is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration in the heart of Central London. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have access to extensive training opportunities and a supportive environment that encourages mentorship and innovation. Enjoy competitive compensation, a generous benefits scheme, and the unique advantage of a flexible hybrid working model, allowing you to balance your professional and personal life effectively.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Creative Strategy Lead in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy to reach out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work. Whether it’s campaigns you’ve led or creative strategies you’ve developed, make sure it’s easily accessible. A strong portfolio can speak volumes and set you apart from the competition.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews like it’s game day! Research the company, understand their values, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. Practice common interview questions and think about how you can showcase your coaching mindset and outcome obsession.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team. Don’t forget to follow up after applying; a little persistence can go a long way!
We think you need these skills to ace Creative Strategy Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Creative Strategy Lead role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that align with our values like Extreme Ownership and Radical Curiosity. We want to see how you can bring your unique flair to our team!
Showcase Your Creativity:Don’t just list your past roles; show us your creative side! Include examples of successful campaigns or projects you've led, especially those that demonstrate your performance creative expertise. We love seeing how you think outside the box!
Be Authentic:When writing your application, let your personality shine through. We value Kind Candour, so be honest about your experiences and what you can bring to the table. Authenticity goes a long way in making a memorable impression!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining our awesome team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Soar With Us
✨Know Your Creative Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your performance creative expertise. Be ready to dissect a winning Meta ad in seconds and explain why it works. This role is all about raising the creative quality bar, so show them you know your craft inside out!
✨Show Off Your Coaching Skills
Since this position involves coaching Senior Creative Strategists, think of examples where you've empowered others to improve their work. Prepare to discuss your coaching mindset and how you tailor your approach to individual needs.
✨Be Data-Driven
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends and insights in performance creative. Bring along some macro reports or creative insights that you've identified recently. This will demonstrate your continuous research mindset and your ability to leverage data effectively.
✨Embrace Kind Candour
Practice giving direct, honest feedback in a way that empowers others. Think of scenarios where you've had to provide constructive criticism and how you did it while maintaining a positive atmosphere. This aligns perfectly with the company's values!
