Associate Director

As an Associate Director, Content Strategy at VML, you will lead the development of clear, actionable content strategies for a leading CPG client in the food and beverage space. You’ll balance hands-on execution with strategic guidance, ensuring content connects with audiences, ladders to business objectives, and empowers creative teams to deliver their best work. This role requires a proactive, collaborative strategist who thrives in fast-moving environments and knows how to translate insights into simple, effective briefs and recommendations.

What You’ll Do

Content Strategy

• Create clear, concise creative briefs that outline objectives, key problems to solve, and deliverables, ensuring teams are set up for success.
• Translate organic search insights and audience research into strategic recommendations that guide content development.
• Conduct content audits and competitive reviews, identifying gaps, redundancies, and opportunities to optimize across web, email, and other digital touchpoints.
• Participate in quarterly trend planning, synthesizing SEO and analytics inputs into actionable content needs (e.g., editorial, recipes, imagery).
• Ensure brand consistency and content best practices across the client’s owned digital channels, including websites, email programs, and culinary/lifestyle content.

Client Partnership & Team Collaboration

• Serve as a strategic partner to clients and agency teams, confidently presenting insights, briefs, and recommendations.
• Actively contribute in meetings, offering a clear point of view and guiding conversations toward content solutions.
• Partner closely with the Organic Search lead to merge search-driven insights with strategic storytelling.
• Provide feedback and guidance to creative and development teams, ensuring content execution aligns with strategy.

Department Responsibilities

• Manage junior content strategists, providing feedback and coaching to elevate team output.
• Proactively manage your workload, consistently meeting deadlines without repeated reminders.
• Step in as a driver of strategic initiatives, not just a participant, helping to pave the road for long-term growth.

What You’ll Need

• Experience: 6–8 years in digital content strategy, brand strategy, CX, communications, or related fields, with proven experience in omnichannel content planning.
• Strategic Skills: Ability to translate insights (SEO, analytics, competitive audits, brand strategy) into actionable recommendations and briefs.
• Executional Strength: Hands-on ability to create briefs, conduct audits, and synthesize insights into clear next steps. A “do-er” mindset.
• Collaboration: Track record of being an active, vocal participant in meetings and workshops, building strong relationships with clients and creative teams.
• Communication: Strong writing and presentation skills, especially in developing clear, concise PowerPoint briefs.
• Innovation & Curiosity: Interest in emerging trends, AI, and content optimization techniques to keep work fresh and relevant.