Strategy Director

Overview 

The Strategy Director (SD), Comms will shape our new communications planning practice within the strategy group, collaborating closely with social and creative leadership. This role will leverage modern comms strategy thinking to help us achieve unfair attention for our clients’ brands by driving more and better creative work into the market, and add significant value in new business opportunities. The SD will take a leading role in guiding our clients' communication ecosystems, pushing creative ideas to new and exciting spaces, ensuring seamless integration across all touchpoints and driving measurable business impact. As the first dedicated comms strategist at McKinney, the SD will look for innovative comms planning methodologies to bring in as part of our process, be a mentor to junior team members, and serve as a trusted collaborator to creative teams while also being a key influencer to clients.

Responsibilities 

This is what the job entails, versus what the job requires, which are listed below as Competencies.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop and articulate comprehensive communication strategies that align with clients' business objectives and brand goals.
• Primarily responsible for development of integrated communication architectures, encompassing paid, owned, earned, and shared media, in partnership with other brand team members.
• Identify emerging communication trends and technologies, and translate them into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (creative, account management, data) and IAT/Cheil Agency Network partners to ensure seamless execution of communication strategies.

Client Relationship Management:

• Earn trust of clients, acting as an expert advisor on all communication-related matters.
• Present strategic recommendations and insights to clients in a clear, compelling, and persuasive manner.
• Work with account management and strategy team to identify and address client needs and challenges.

Business Development:

• Contribute to new business pitches and proposals, showcasing the agency's comms planning expertise.
• Help organize new business ideas to feel like true go-to-market plans

Team Leadership & Partnership:

• Over time, help bring comms thinking approaches to other members of the strategy team and help build a practice of comms at McKinney
• Become a sought out partner to creative teams to further their ideas beyond the expected
• Inspire and motivate the team to deliver exceptional work that exceeds client expectations.
• Stay abreast of the latest developments in communication planning, media, and technology.

Competencies 

Now that you know what the role entails, here’s what you need to be able to do to thrive in it.

• Systems Thinking. Able to organize strategic ideas and marketing imperatives into clear frameworks to help guide creatives and clients alike.
• Creative Perspective. Has a clear creative point of view and the ability to evaluate work, make lateral connections between ideas, and provide pointed direction to make the creative better.
• Efficient problem solving. It’s not enough to be a resourceful and nimble thinker, you have to be able to do it on myriad projects and clients, juggling multiple priorities at a time. To do this, you have to know questions to ask, how to ask them, and of whom to ask them to get what is needed, fast. 
• Interpersonal Savvy. Demonstrates high EQ and the ability to relate to all kinds of people—on the team and off, inside the agency and out—as well as build rapport that can be leveraged to create consensus and diffuse tense situations.
• Writing and Storytelling. Has proven persuasive narrative, logic, and presentation skills.
• Media/Platform Acumen. Can speak to a breadth of media, especially social media experience, including non-traditional and up & coming channels. 
• Growth Orientation. Eager to learn from experiences—both wins and losses—and can speak to examples of how s/he has taken learnings from one experience into the next.
• Perseverance. Demonstrates resolve and resilience that can inspire the team at large.

Experience 

7-9+ years of strategy work at a creative agency, with proven experience in comms strategy, and success at new business.

Salary Range

Our estimated range for this role is $145k - $165k

Compensation packages are based on the skill level and experience each candidate brings to their role. There may also be a more senior or junior position available that could be a better fit with your expertise. Each level has its own compensation range.

We pride ourselves on competitive salaries, and ensuring pay equity exists across our organization. We benchmark each position against existing employee competencies and 4As compensation data which includes geographic and agency size benchmarks. We also meet with department leaders 3x/year to ensure we are supporting employees in living into their full potential.  Our promotions are not limited to a specific time per year. Promotions are tied to performance.  

Right To Work In The US

You must be authorized to work in the US for any employer.  At this time, we are not sponsoring or providing assistance with obtaining work authorization.

McKinney is a place where everyone can grow. Studies have shown that marginalized communities  such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. However you identify, and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day.

We are in the office Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on a hybrid schedule. We look forward to meeting you!