Senior Digital Strategist (Health)

VML HEALTH is a leading global healthcare agency that partners with clients to build connected experiences across the healthcare ecosystem. A deep understanding of individual needs and behaviour, and how they are connected, allows us to create seamless experiences. We power connections beyond science into human behaviour. Overcoming beliefs and barriers to make life better for patients and healthcare communities is second nature to us.

Within VML HEALTH is the Global Strategy Team (GST), home to a diverse set of strategic thinkers. It represents the highest levels of strategic competency under an agile business model, working independently with clients or as part of an integrated agency team. The GST brings together four key disciplines to build brands and shape the healthcare environment from as early as pipeline development through to loss of exclusivity: Medical Strategy, Engagement Strategy, Brand Strategy, and Medical Consulting. This role sits with the Engagement Strategy team and our European Hub.

As Senior Engagement Strategist, you will quarterback a human-centered approach to translating human empathy and an understanding of the world into meaningful and impactful experiences. We work to anticipate emerging opportunities at the intersection of people, culture, technology and business, identifying where to play and how to win for our clients. You will lead by understanding the root of client business challenges, framing problems in unexpected ways, and providing inspiration and clarity through thought leadership. Engagement strategy is core to the VML Health strategy capability, providing leadership across strategy, and innovation in customer engagement practices.

The Senior Engagement Strategist often operates independently, leveraging a team of junior engagement strategists to help drive projects, organic growth and new business. You are expected to manage the discovery, synthesis, development and business impact of engagement strategies. Like all strategists on our team, you’ll be expected to inspire change through innate curiosity, a drive for impact, and an orientation that puts strategy into immediate action.

Your Day-to-Day Impact:

• Develop a deep understanding of our clients’ customers’ wants, needs, and behaviours across the full customer journey.
• Oversee the development and orchestration of engagement and omnichannel strategy – connection of strategic goals to engagement priorities to channel specific strategies (e.g. social, CRM, website, paid media, apps, rep-delivered and more).
• This includes building connected ecosystems and enabling personalisation at scale to maximise customer impact and drive business results.
• Sets expectations for how the segment/audience profile fits into the project and how it helps set the stage.
• Strong understanding of various analytical frameworks and methodologies, and the ability to analyse and translate data into a concise story.
• Lead workshop planning and proposals, development of measurement strategy and analytics approaches, execution of engagement planning and tactical exercises, and content generation and presentation strategies.

Your role with clients:

• Oversees strategic development on at least one major client and/or oversee multiple clients.
• Engages with and helps manage senior client relationships as a key strategic and business partner.
• Lead and support engagement strategy development on new business pitches.
• Constantly seeks to improve client work and actively analyses client’s challenges and opportunities.
• Provides key support and partnership in leading key strategy deliverables by guiding the strategic direction in relation to our clients’ brand development and marketing approach.

Your Role in Team Growth:

• Provide guidance and support to Junior and Mid Engagement strategists in strategy development.
• Recognise how to motivate junior strategists – what they need to learn and where they can contribute.
• Challenges team to uncover innovative tools and ideas, and to pursue growth opportunities.
• Demonstrates and inspires team to take risks and challenge convention.
• Collaborate effectively with other strategists, Client Engagement, Medical, and Creative disciplines on business, brand and communications strategies.

Who you are and what you bring:

• 7-13 years of experience in overall research and strategic planning experience.
• HCP and DTC marketing agency experience.
• Critical and analytical thinker, innovator and visionary that inspires creativity.
• Demonstrates passion, familiarity, and curiosity with the practice.
• Deep understanding of Global, Regional and local communication context, and strong experience in developing communication plans across these levels.
• A genuine passion for driving innovation within engagement strategy practices.
• Excellent collaboration skills across various business functions, from tech enablement, data, and digital and hybrid production.
• Able to develop strong client relationships and trust based on deep immersion in the client’s business.
• Highly collaborative and able to work effectively across internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a multidisciplinary background, including developing business strategy, marketing strategy, consumer insight, and/or account planning.