At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead insight-driven brand strategy projects and create clarity from ambiguity.
- Company: Join Brand Hackers, a dynamic team of marketing experts helping brands scale.
- Benefits: Flexible freelance work, competitive day rate, and access to valuable resources.
- Other info: Opportunity for ongoing collaboration and potential full-time roles.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping brand strategies that drive growth.
- Qualifications: Experience in brand strategy and strong storytelling skills required.
About Brand Hackers
Location: Remote, with occasional London meet-ups.
Commitment: 2+ days per week.
Contract Type: Part-time, freelance contract.
Salary: £400-£475 day rate.
Timings: Start ASAP with work allocated as strategy briefs arise.
Brand Hackers are fractional marketing teams for brands with big dreams. We build bespoke teams from our >25 full time Brand Hackers and a tight-knit group of freelancers who’ve worked at the top of their game. Together, we help brands scale with the right mix of pace, pragmatism and creative flair.
The Role
We’re building a bench of exceptional freelance Brand Strategists to plug into projects as and when strategy briefs land. Our work typically starts where things are unclear:
- The positioning isn’t cutting through
- The growth has stalled
- The team is doing lots, but it’s not compounding
Your role is to step into that ambiguity and create clarity. This is not a “write a nice brand book” role. It’s about using insight to diagnose the real problem, define a sharp strategic direction and make it usable for the team.
Projects might include:
- Brand positioning and messaging development
- Go-to-market strategy and launch planning
- Customer / audience insight work
- Proposition development and portfolio structuring
- Strategic input into rebrands or step-change growth moments
You’ll most likely work as a Project Lead with support of execs to deliver a strategic backbone for our cross-functional teams to then execute against to drive real growth.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Leading insight-driven strategy work:
- Designing and running qual & quant insight projects to uncover real opportunities
- Conducting customer research, stakeholder interviews, competitor and category analysis to identify the tensions, gaps and opportunities that unlock growth
- Turning insight into clear strategic direction
- Developing sharp, differentiated positioning grounded in real insight
- Creating messaging frameworks, propositions and brand platforms
- Defining clear strategic choices (what we do and what we don’t do)
- Shaping go-to-market and commercial strategy
- Translating brand strategy into clear go-to-market or plans
- Defining how strategy shows up across channels, campaigns and touchpoints
- Ensuring strategy is rooted in commercial reality (not just brand theory)
- Creating compelling strategic narratives and collaborating across teams
- Building decks that tell a clear, persuasive story
- Bringing founders and teams on the journey
- Leading or supporting workshops, presentations and key decision moments
- Managing senior stakeholders and navigating ambiguity
- Working closely with creatives, growth and social teams to bring strategy to life
- Writing clear, inspiring briefs that unlock better execution
What You’ll Need
- Significant experience as a Brand Strategist, Strategy Director or similar working with consumer brands (FMCG / DTC / lifestyle preferred)
- A track record designing and running qual & quant insight project (customer interviews, surveys etc) and ability to synthesise messy inputs into clear, powerful insights
- Ability to connect brand thinking to business outcomes
- Exceptional storytelling skills and ability to structuring thinking into clear narratives and land ideas simply and persuasively
- Comfortable parachuting into new brands quickly
- Able to operate autonomously with minimal oversight
What Success Looks Like
- Multiple brand strategy initiatives delivered smoothly, on time and to a consistently high standard
- Insight projects reveal something genuinely new and useful
- Brand strategies are clear, differentiated and unlock growth opportunities
- Founders obsessed with you and aligned with strong point of view and plan of action
- Strategy that is actually used by teams and easy to implement (not sits in a deck)
What We Can Offer
- Flexible freelance work that fits around your schedule
- Support from a lead Brand Hacker who’s got your back
- Access to tools, templates and a wider crew of Brand Hackers
- Membership to Up World while you work with us
- Many of our freelancers go on to work with us again (some even go full-time!)
Brand Strategist - Freelance in London employer: Up World
Brand Hackers is an exceptional employer that offers flexible freelance opportunities for Brand Strategists, allowing you to work remotely while occasionally connecting with a vibrant team in London. With a strong focus on collaboration and creativity, you'll have access to a supportive network of experienced professionals, tools, and resources that empower you to deliver impactful brand strategies. The culture fosters growth and innovation, making it an ideal environment for those looking to make a meaningful contribution to ambitious brands.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Brand Strategist - Freelance in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections and let them know you're on the lookout for freelance Brand Strategist gigs. You never know who might have a lead or can introduce you to someone at Brand Hackers.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work in brand strategy. Make sure it’s easy to access and share, so when opportunities pop up, you can send it over in a flash.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated with industry trends! Follow relevant blogs, podcasts, and social media accounts. This will not only help you in interviews but also show potential clients that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about the field.
✨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 serious about joining the Brand Hackers crew and ready to dive into exciting projects.
We think you need these skills to ace Brand Strategist - Freelance in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Strategic Thinking:When you’re writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in developing brand strategies. We want to see how you’ve tackled ambiguity and turned it into clear, actionable insights. Use specific examples that showcase your ability to connect brand thinking to business outcomes.
Craft a Compelling Narrative:Your application should tell a story about your journey as a Brand Strategist. We love exceptional storytelling, so structure your thoughts clearly and persuasively. Make it easy for us to understand your thought process and how you approach brand challenges.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Brand Strategist role. Mention relevant projects and experiences that align with what we’re looking for, especially in insight-driven strategy work.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re proactive and keen to join our team of Brand Hackers!
How to prepare for a job interview at Up World
✨Know Your Brand Strategy Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into your understanding of brand strategy. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past work where you’ve turned insights into actionable strategies. This will show that you can step into ambiguity and create clarity, which is key for the role.
✨Prepare Insight-Driven Questions
Think about the types of insight projects you might be involved in and prepare questions that demonstrate your curiosity and strategic thinking. Ask about their current challenges or how they measure success in their brand initiatives. This shows you’re already thinking like a Brand Hacker.
✨Showcase Your Storytelling Skills
Since exceptional storytelling is crucial for this role, prepare to present your past projects in a compelling way. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses, making it easy for the interviewers to follow your thought process and see the impact of your work.
✨Demonstrate Flexibility and Autonomy
As a freelance Brand Strategist, you'll need to operate autonomously. Share examples of how you've successfully managed projects with minimal oversight. Highlight your ability to adapt quickly to new brands and environments, which is essential for fitting into their dynamic team.
