Overview
Apply promptly! A high volume of applicants is expected for the role as detailed below, do not wait to send your CV.
Our agency brand strategy team, the Client Strategy Group (CSG) is looking for a senior strategic planner to join the team on a permanent basis. This position will report to the Head of Client Strategy and will support the work of the group across both existing accounts and BD opportunities in applying rigorous, imaginative, insight-driven thinking to both properly define, then creatively solve, clients' strategic challenges.
The Senior Strategic Planner is expected to spend time supporting the VP, Client Strategy on a major existing account in gastro-enterology and the Head of Client Strategy on a significant piece of business in the CVRM category likely to come into the agency sometime in Q3.
Responsibilities
Work as an enthusiastic and collaborative member of the CSG
Act as an advocate and ambassador for the group's philosophy around the power of reductive thinking , landing simple solutions to complex problems
Support the lead brand strategist on our major account in gastro-enterology, a fast-paced and demanding piece of business for which the CSG acts as an extension of the client marketing department, helping the client to deliver go-to-market plans, structure and run multi-party workshops and conduct detailed competitive (wargaming) analyses, among numerous other strategic marketing tasks
Act as support strategist on large/global RFP responses/pitches and as lead strategist on smaller ones, across all of Advertising, PR and MedComms
Act as pitch thought leader on those smaller pitches, quickly coming to a clear point of view regarding the optimal strategy for the problem at hand and having the confidence and interpersonal skills required to stick to it under challenge, bringing other team members along with them
Fully understand and comfortably work with the group's key strategic processes and tools, both domestic EU and global (US) ones, as appropriate
Work collaboratively with the creative department, ensuring that its members fully understand both the marketing problem and proposed solution and feel both engaged and heard at all points
Write and present slides/other appropriate presentational materials that powerfully and engagingly explain the proposed strategic solution at client presentation(s)
Help design, interpret and present primary and secondary market research, converting data into novel and useable insights that can help solve client marketing problems or convert new business opportunities
Review research decks provided by the client or segmentation studies, analyst reports, etc. relevant to either an in-line account or new business opportunity and extract, then summarise, the salient points for practical application by other team members
Consult when appropriate with Business Development and other disciplines (Finance, Managed Markets, Recruiting, Consulting, etc.) within our broad, integrated team
Proactively seek out industry and market intelligence that may impact in-line account and BD success
Job Requirements
Experience working in a strategic role at agencies or management/brand consultancies
Solid experience working across at least one of Advertising, PR or MedComms disciplines, and ideally more than one: while multiple experience is not mandatory, enthusiasm and curiosity to start doing so when working with the CSG very much is
Healthcare and/or pharmaceutical industry experience ideal: but, again, curiosity/appetite to understand the category a must
Background in medical strategy would be welcomed, but is not mandatory
Customer research experience and expertise: working understanding of statistical techniques as apply to research design and interpretation
Proven experience developing actionable insight and solutions from data, data models and other information sources
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, including development of PowerPoint slides and other visual aids that summarise findings/insights in attention-grabbing and memorable ways
Ability to work in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment and to determine what, amidst a sea of data and information, matters most - and the confidence to discard what doesn't
Strong interpersonal skills, ability to get along with a wide range of disciplines
Strong presentational skills, the ability to both educate and inspire others
Proficient in Excel, Power Point, Word
Ability to ask imaginative and probing questions and to listen fully and open-mindedly to the responses
Key Competencies for Position:
Analytical ability
Ability to synthesise and summarise
Creative flair
Being articulate in writing and verbally expressive
Ability not just to develop insights, but to apply them to solve specific client problems
Skilled at rendering complex problems simple - and never the reverse
Curious mind with a hunger to learn
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