We’re McCann New York. This is where, for over a century, three simple words have led the way: Truth Well Told. It’s our belief that consumer insights based in truth are crucial to building brands that last. We helped Coca-Cola teach the world to sing and Mastercard celebrate the things in life that are “Priceless.” We’re passionate and persistent, inclusive, and inquisitive. Also, we like to laugh. And all of this finds its way into what we do best: creating culture-defining work that moves business. We’re proud to have been named the Cannes top performing New York and North America agency in 2023, Campaign US BIG agency of the year in 2022. We are also honored to have made Ad Age's A-List four years in a row and been named Fast Company World’s most innovative agency.
The Role:
As a Strategy Director, you will be responsible for the development and leadership of strategic visions for clients as well as play a role in new business and growth. will be essential to the continued success of our creative work which is fully integrated across experiential, social, digital and traditional, in both B2B and B2C.
You will lead strategic development, pushing for strong insights and strategies that manifest in great work that impacts the brand and business and be able to confidently thread the strategic story from opportunity through truth and impact.
What You’ll Do…
Develop strategies and major market initiatives for a variety of brands across a portfolio: you are able to ‘land the plane’ and develop succinct, sharp strategic insights and stories.
Stay on top of the business and cultural context around your brand (s), proactively coming to the table with challenges, opportunities and solutions
Contribute to the agency creative acceleration process: uncovering relevant data (consumer, cultural, category) that could be fueled for client business progress.
Infuse your brand, digital, social, comms, data and experiential expertise into the briefing process to keep the brand at the forefront of culture.
Be well versed in social platforms and exhibit an understanding of the consumer cultures that fuel them.
Partner with your counterparts in Creative and Business Leadership, inspiring fresh, original ideas that are rooted in culture, and in human and business insight.
Be adept at giving constructive creative feedback to ensure ideas breakthrough and are mapped to business and commercial opportunity, audience insight and impact.
Develop relationships with counterparts in Business Leadership, Growth and with Clients, to drive business forward, stewarding creative ideas from theory to reality.
Integrated approach via a range of tools and practices including Truth Central, Truth 2 Impact, McCann Content Studio and the Audience and Connections Practice.
Embrace the role as manager and mentor: invest in the growth of your team and adapt development approach so that a diverse group of strategists can learn to grow, thrive and drive our business for today and tomorrow.
What You Bring …
6+ years of relevant experience required, including previous agency experience
A track record of brilliant thinking that leads to unexpected, truly creative work
Culturally plugged in; nimble, inspired and scrappy gatherer of information
Crisp thinker and communicator – verbally, visually and in writing.
Mastery of storytelling and presenting.
Strength of conviction for your thinking, well balanced by an open ear and mind
See strategy as a team sport, drawing on your expertise and others’ in brand, digital, social, comms, data, behavioral and experiential strategy…and whatever comes next
Collaborative with creative and account management leads, with partner agencies and clients
Versatile in modern strategy principles: creative, audience and business.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area required (not necessarily advertising)
How you know you’re on the right track:
You are confidently making the jump from manager to dept leader, as your colleagues and clients trust you to deliver and inspire consistently.
You’re driving GROWTH: of the team, of clients business, of agency reputation and agency business.
You demonstrate the power of ‘Yes&’- bringing integrated thinking to the table.
A powerful storyteller: can command a room and land a story with ease.
Consistently deliver proactive thinking and are sought out to enhance all aspects of the strategic and creative process.
Conscious flexibility in your approach to strategy and development of the team.
Strong manager who is comfortable with giving feedback (positive and negative) to make the work better and help the team grow.
How You’ll Uphold McCann Values …
Integrity and Generosity: You bring to the agency your own unique flavor of modern strategy, infused with these values which will be reflected in the strength of your relationships and the output of your work.
McCann New York, each team member plays a significant role in our success. We recognize that our team members' contributions may extend beyond this job description. The job description is designed to outline primary responsibilities, qualifications, and role scope. It does not restrict team members or the organization to only those specified duties.
Salary Range
The salary for this position is $140,000 - $170,000. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; the associated discipline market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee’s/applicant’s background, pertinent experience, and qualifications.
How We Care for McCanners
Competitive insurance coverage – inclusive of medical, dental, and vision
21 paid company holiday days
Time Well Taken
80 hours of Paid Sick Time per calendar year
Access to Degreed – a learning and skill platform
401k Retirement with 6% employer matching
Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Parental Leave
Wellness resources –including free access to Headspace.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The strength of our creative capability and innovative thinking has led to some of the world's most celebrated, effective, game-changing work for top brands. Maximizing that strength means bringing together an extensive mix of socially, culturally, and cognitively diverse talent - and creating conditions where they feel empowered to boldly share the fullest expression of their unique worldview. We fiercely believe in the power of creativity and innovation to positively influence society and inspire greater equity and inclusion within the communities we serve. So, every day we deliberately and intentionally choose to embody our global philosophy of Conscious Inclusion and, in turn, fuel our mission to help brands earn a meaningful role in people's lives.
Location
McCann New York team members must reside in or be willing to relocate to the New York Tristate area unless otherwise agreed upon by their manager and McCann New York’s Human Resources team. McCann New York is a hybrid workplace with three days in office a week.
McCann is an EEO M/F/Disability/Vet Employer
Seniority level
Director
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Advertising and Strategy/Planning
Industries
Advertising Services
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