At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead advertising strategy and creative effectiveness for major brands.
- Company: Join Zappi, a top martech company with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous PTO, mental health days, and flexible working arrangements.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to innovation and sustainability.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in advertising research and creative development.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in advertising effectiveness and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 135000 - 145000 £ per year.
- Senior Director, Industry Strategy (Advertising)
- Application Deadline: 27 August 2026
- Department: Marketing
- Reporting To: Melissa Coito
Compensation: £135-145K Base + £10K bonus
- Description
- CPG or QSR Advertising Research Expert-in-Residence
Zappi is looking for a senior advertising effectiveness and creative development expert to help strengthen our authority, differentiation, and commercial success in the advertising research and creative effectiveness space.
This person will serve as both
- A trusted expert, educator, and industry advocate externally
- A strategic, cross-functional SME and connective layer internally
The role is designed for someone who has helped major brands understand how advertising works, diagnose creative opportunities, improve campaign performance, and translate consumer insight into stronger creative decisions.
They should be credible with senior Insights, Marketing, Brand, Media, Creative, Commercial, and Strategy leaders, and able to connect methodological rigor with a modern, scalable approach to advertising research.
What you'll do
- Bring deep expertise in advertising strategy, creative effectiveness, campaign development, ad testing, and consumer research methodologies.
- Act as a senior subject matter expert on creative testing, campaign diagnostics, norms, benchmarks, competitive dynamics, and market trends.
- Understand how large enterprise organizations operate, including process, politics, agency dynamics, decision-making, budget pressures, stakeholder complexity, and media and creative timelines.
- Stay ahead of emerging trends in advertising effectiveness, AI-generated creative, synthetic respondents, creative volume, digital and social testing, predictive models, and connected learning systems.
- Function as a trusted internal advisor across the organization.
- Work closely with Sales, Customer, Product, Product Marketing, Marketing, and Research Science teams on strategic narratives and customer engagements.
- Help Product Marketing build messaging, frameworks, demos, POVs, enablement, competitive guidance, and customer-facing materials when expertise-level knowledge is needed.
- Support enterprise opportunities as a strategic expert and advisor, speaking directly to customers and prospects when senior advertising expertise is needed.
- Clarify where Zappi’s advertising solutions fit across the creative development lifecycle, from early creative exploration to validation, optimization, and connected learning.
- Own the competitive intelligence program for advertising research and creative effectiveness, translating market, competitor, customer, and industry shifts into internal guidance and external-facing content.
- Develop a visible external voice in the advertising effectiveness and creative development space.
- Create thought leadership on the future of advertising research, better creative decision-making at scale, AI in creative development, synthetic methods in ad testing, and connected creative learning.
- Speak at conferences, webinars, customer events, and industry forums.
- Engage with analysts, strategic customers, and industry communities.
- Co-create customer education materials and programs with Customer Marketing.
- Translate customer realities, workflow needs, agency dynamics, and competitive gaps into actionable product and GTM recommendations.
- Partner closely with Product, Research Science, and Commercialization teams.
- Align with Product Marketing, Product, and Commercialization to pressure test emerging AI, synthetic, predictive, diagnostic, and connected-learning capabilities from both methodological and commercial perspectives.
- Serve as a second voice outside of Product to help ensure product direction aligns with real-world customer workflows, buyer expectations, and unmet needs.
- What success looks like
- Zappi has a stronger, clearer, and more differentiated point of view in advertising effectiveness, creative development, and modern creative decisioning.
- GTM teams are more confident and effective in advertising conversations, with stronger discovery, sharper positioning, and better objection handling.
- Zappi’s advertising offerings are easier for Sales and Account teams to position as a strategic growth opportunity, not simply a set of point solutions or individual ad tests.
- Enterprise buyers increasingly view Zappi as a strategic partner for advertising effectiveness, creative development, and connected campaign learning.
- Product and GTM strategy are more closely aligned to customer realities, creative development workflows, competitive dynamics, and emerging market needs.
- Zappi builds greater external authority through thought leadership, customer education, industry participation, and expert-led advertising narratives.
What we’re looking for
- 10+ years of experience in creative development, ad testing, campaign strategy, consumer insights, advertising effectiveness, or market research.
- Deep expertise in advertising research methodologies, including pre-market ad testing, creative diagnostics, campaign learning, norms, benchmarking, and KPI interpretation.
- Experience working with enterprise brands and senior stakeholders across Insights, Marketing, Brand, Media, Creative, Commercial, or Strategy teams.
- Strong understanding of how enterprise teams make advertising decisions, manage creative risk, and connect consumer insight to campaign performance.
- Ability to translate complex advertising methodologies into clear commercial narratives, sales guidance, executive-level storytelling, and customer-facing POVs.
- Experience supporting strategic sales, enterprise customer conversations, thought leadership, or consultative growth motions.
- Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with comfort representing a company externally as a senior industry expert.
You may come from
- Consumer insights, brand, media, creative, or strategy teams
- Advertising research, market research, or creative effectiveness consulting
- Advertising effectiveness or creative development leadership
- Senior roles within research, insights, ad tech, creative analytics, or marketing technology providers.
Why join us
- Three company-paid mental health days of rest per year (these are pre-scheduled, so the entire company can take the same days off regularly to reset)
- Generous PTO policy - Minimum of 20 days of paid time off per year, plus national holidays. Leave over 30 days requires manager and People team approval.
- Private medical healthcare cover
- Group risk, life & disability contributions
- Flexible working arrangements, including remote (unless otherwise specified)
- Thoughtfully designed offices to support both individual work and collaboration without interrupting others
- Wellbeing benefits such as free yoga and access to trained therapists / counsellors
- Enhanced parental leave policies
- Free lunch in the office Tuesday-Thursday
- Tax efficient pension contributions via salary sacrifice scheme
- Salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme
- Salary sacrifice nursery scheme
- Tailored personal development through training allowances, coaching, mentorship and career frameworks
Why join us?
We’ve been recognized as one of the hottest martech companies in 2022 by Business Insider and named Best Place to Work by Quirk’s Media for our engaging and inclusive workplace culture.
We’re committed to both people and the planet .
Our belief in inclusion means we’re building an organisation of diverse individuals and helping brands eliminate cultural presumptions in their research.
Read our Diversity Manifesto here.
- We are a values and behaviours driven business and believe that
- Trust, Truth, Ownership, Ambition and
Humility describe Zappi employees on our best day. This is how we strive to show up for our customers, for each other and for our communities.
Earning B Corp certification assures us we’re on the right track and have structures in place to become the business we want to be.
Our commitment to minimise our impact on the environment means being honest with ourselves and transparent with you–about everything from carbon emissions to tree-planting initiatives.
We achieved our goal of becoming Net Zero in 2021!
- Zappi Company Culture Highlights
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Company for Women 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Company Work-Life Balance 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Company Compensation 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best CEO for Women 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Company for Diversity 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Company Culture 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best CEO 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Happiness 2022
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Leadership Teams 2023
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best CEOs for Diversity 2023
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Engineering Teams 2023
- Winner of Comparably’s Award for Best Company Outlook 2023
- Winner of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces in the UK 2022 & 2023
- Recognised by Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators 2023
- Winner of Best Marketing Insights Platform in the Mar Tech Breakthrough Awards 2023 & 2024
- Equal Opportunity
Zappi is an equal opportunity employer; our diversity is a major strength.
We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.
We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce fosters innovation, creativity, and success.
Our hiring decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, and abilities, ensuring fairness and equity throughout our recruitment process.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.
Join our team and contribute to an inclusive environment where everyone’s unique perspectives and talents are valued and respected.
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Senior Director, Industry Strategy (Advertising) employer: ZappiStore
Zappi is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and supportive work culture, where collaboration and creativity are at the forefront. With generous benefits including mental health days, flexible working arrangements, and tailored personal development opportunities, employees are empowered to thrive both personally and professionally. Located in London, our team enjoys a vibrant city atmosphere while partnering with leading B2C brands to drive meaningful impact in marketing and innovation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director, Industry Strategy (Advertising)
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for ZappiStore and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like ZappiStore are looking for.
✨Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase your passion for marketing communications. Share insights, articles, and your own content that resonates with the industry. Tagging or interacting with ZappiStore on these platforms can catch the eye of recruiters and show you're genuinely interested in them.
✨Attend Industry Events
Keep an eye out for marketing conferences and workshops. These are great places to meet potential employers face-to-face and make connections that could land you a full-time role at ZappiStore. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director, Industry Strategy (Advertising)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit ZappiStore. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of ZappiStore:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about ZappiStore’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at ZappiStore
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at ZappiStore will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At ZappiStore, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
