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About the Role

The Associate Director, Strategy transforms consumer, category, cultural, and business insights into communication strategies that drive measurable business outcomes. This individual serves as a strategic lead across key client accounts, guiding the development of communications architecture, audience strategy, measurement frameworks, and compelling narratives that align marketing investment with business growth. The successful candidate combines strong analytical thinking with creativity and storytelling, bringing together research, data, culture, and media to uncover opportunities, influence decision-making, and deliver transformative client solutions. They are a trusted advisor to clients and a mentor to junior team members, helping elevate strategic thinking across the organization.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of audience, category, competitive, and cultural insights that inform strategic recommendations.
Synthesize qualitative and quantitative research into clear human truths and actionable opportunities.
Partner with research, analytics, data, and platform teams to uncover emerging trends and identify growth opportunities.
Leverage first-party, syndicated, behavioural, and market intelligence data sources to deepen consumer understanding.
Translate complex datasets into concise strategic implications for clients and internal stakeholders.
Design communications frameworks that connect business objectives, audience needs, messaging, channels, and measurement.
Develop end-to-end communications architectures that guide how brands show up across the consumer journey.
Lead audience-first planning approaches that ensure media, content, commerce, and experience work together cohesively.
Establish channel roles, messaging hierarchies, and audience engagement strategies across the marketing ecosystem.
Ensure plans are rooted in consumer behaviour and aligned with brand and business priorities.
Embed effectiveness principles into strategic planning processes from the outset.
Champion an outcomes-based planning approach, shifting conversations beyond media metrics to business performance.
Transform research, data, and strategic thinking into compelling narratives that inspire action.
Lead the development of strategic presentations, workshops, and executive-level recommendations.
Simplify complex information into clear, persuasive, and insightful stories.
Present confidently to senior client stakeholders and cross-functional leadership teams.
Build strategic thought leadership that differentiates the agency and client partnerships.
Serve as a primary strategic advisor for assigned client accounts.
Proactively identify business challenges and opportunities that can be addressed through communications strategy.
Lead strategic conversations with senior client stakeholders and partner agencies.
Contribute to new business opportunities and agency growth initiatives.
Mentor and coach planners, supervisors, and managers in strategic thinking and insight development.
Create an environment that encourages curiosity, innovation, and continuous learning.
Elevate the quality of strategic outputs across the team through feedback and guidance.
Support talent development, performance management, and succession planning.
Model collaborative leadership and foster strong cross-functional partnerships.

Requirements

7–10+ years of experience in communications planning, strategy, consumer insights, research, consulting, marketing, or media.
Proven experience developing consumer-led strategies for large and complex brands.
Experience translating business challenges into actionable communications solutions.
Demonstrated success presenting to senior stakeholders and influencing decision-making.

Skills

Consumer Insights & Research
Audience Strategy
Communications Planning & Architecture
Measurement & Effectiveness
Strategic Storytelling
Business & Commercial Acumen
Data Interpretation & Synthesis
Client Leadership
Team Leadership & Coaching
Presentation & Facilitation Skills

Experience Level

7-10+ years

Salary/Compensations

$85,000 to $100,000 per year

About the Company

Spark Foundry is the agency that is shaped by ideas. We believe everyone’s ideas are powerful – big or small. Our knack for exploring them makes us better.
We strongly believe in collaboration, where a thriving working relationship leads to everyone’s best work. Luckily, this conviction attracts likeminded clients and talent to create a positive and magnetic team.
We’re constantly adapting to each of our clients’ businesses’ needs to avoid stagnation. This ensures that our clients get the best service to tackle their future-facing challenges and that our team stays on their toes.
Above all, we love to go above and beyond what’s expected of us. We’ve done this through media innovation that is recognized by both the industry and by our clients who reap the benefits.
The near future is very bright for Spark Foundry, whether that’s a result of Publicis Groupe’s investment in groundbreaking global & local tools and data solutions or because of the contagious momentum amplified by new team members and new clients.

Equal Opportunity

Spark is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We create and nurture a vibrant work environment that celebrates, values and leverages all aspects of diversity and inclusiveness, attracts world-class talent and serves as the industry benchmark for best practices. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and will provide appropriate accommodation for candidates with disabilities or accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process, upon request. Please contact our recruiter for any questions, accommodations or specific requests. We thank all candidates for their interest in Spark however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.