Director, Creative Strategy

Company Description Adjective & Co. is an award-winning branding and advertising agency headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, Florida with satellite offices in New York. We specialize in brand strategy, brand identity and design, advertising, digital, social media, and brand management. Notable un-sucky clients include Gatorade, Insomnia Cookies, Chipotle, Sweetwater, New York Islanders, THE PLAYERS, and many others. Us trapped in a bulleted nutshell The Un-agencyAd Age "Small Agency of the Year" Southeast GoldAward winning creative (Over 250 gold and silver ADDY awards)Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in AmericaKiller portfolio of brands and clients that don't suckNot on FacebookThink Winston Wolf, but in agency formOut to take over the world Job Description Adjective & Co. is looking for a Director, Creative Strategy who can see the big picture, set a clear direction, and bring teams together to make it happen. You understand that a brand is more than a campaign. It’s the full experience people have with it—from what it stands for and how it communicates to where it shows up and how it performs. You know people don’t experience brands one channel at a time. A social post, website, email, event, platform, partnership, or sales experience can all shape what someone thinks, feels, and does next. You understand how those touchpoints work together and can help teams create an experience that feels connected and purposeful. You can quickly get to the heart of a client’s business challenge, identify the most important problem to solve, and turn audience, cultural, and performance insights into a clear path forward. You know when an opportunity calls for a big idea—and when a smaller, smarter improvement could make a bigger difference. And you don’t disappear once the strategy or brief is written. You stay close to the work, keep teams aligned, challenge assumptions, make decisions, and redirect when necessary to ensure the final execution delivers on the larger vision. Most importantly, you know how to turn what we know into what we should do next—and lead the team in doing it. About You You’re a strategic thinker who can see the forest and the trees. You have a strong point of view, but you’re collaborative enough to know the best ideas rarely come from one person sitting alone in a room. You can confidently challenge a client, inspire a creative team, simplify complex information for an executive, and create forward momentum when the path isn’t immediately clear. You: Understand how business, brand, audience, creative, channel, and performance strategies work togetherTurn research, data, and cultural observations into meaningful insights and actionable directionNaturally look for the big idea and strategic opportunity behind every assignment, while recognizing that not every challenge requires a “big idea”—and that sometimes the smartest, smallest wins can make the greatest impactCan lead multidisciplinary teams without needing to control every detailRecognize when work is stalled, fragmented, or moving in the wrong direction—and know how and when to interveneGive clear, constructive feedback that improves both the thinking and the workBring recommendations and solutions rather than simply identifying problemsHave exceptional communication, facilitation, presentation, and storytelling skillsAre self-directed, organized, decisive, and accountableThrive in a fast-moving environment where priorities can change quicklyHave the confidence to lead a room and the humility to listen to itHave what it takes to be part of the A-Team What You’ll Do Own the Strategic Direction Lead strategic thinking across priority accounts and agency initiativesExamine clients’ businesses, industries, audiences, competitors, and marketing ecosystems to identify opportunitiesDefine the most important problem to solve and translate business objectives into actionable brand and marketing strategiesDevelop positioning, messaging, strategic frameworks, campaign platforms, creative territories, and briefsBring a strong strategic point of view to every assignment—and know when to challenge or reframe the briefLead audience, market, cultural, competitive, and consumer research as needed Lead Integrated Teams Provide strategic and cross-functional leadership across Account, Creative, Content, Digital, Media, Production, and Project Management, bringing a strong understanding of how digital platforms, channels, experiences, and audience behaviors influence the workAlign teams around the business challenge, audience opportunity, strategic direction, and desired outcomeLead internal working sessions, strategic reviews, and cross-functional discussionsCreate clarity when priorities, assignments, or stakeholder expectations are ambiguousDrive decisions, define next steps, and maintain momentum across complex initiativesRecognize when work is stalled or moving in the wrong direction and intervene appropriatelyResolve routine strategic questions independently and bring senior leadership clear recommendationsHold teams accountable for delivering work that supports the agreed-upon strategy Strengthen the Creative Work Partner closely with Creative leadership from initial briefing through final executionHelp teams understand not only what we are trying to communicate, but why it mattersEvaluate concepts through the lens of the business challenge, audience insight, brand, and desired responseProvide clear feedback that makes ideas more relevant, distinctive, and effectiveChallenge and redirect work that does not solve the right problem or fulfill the strategic opportunityEnsure the strategic intent remains intact throughout creative development and execution Connect Strategy to Results Establish KPIs and success measures tied to business, brand, audience, and marketing objectivesUse data and performance analytics to inform strategic and creative decisionsIdentify what is working, what isn’t, and whyTranslate performance findings into actionable recommendationsDevelop test-and-learn approaches that improve campaigns, content, CRM, digital, and social executionBalance short-term performance with long-term brand and audience building Lead Clients and Elevate the Team Become a trusted strategic advisor to clientsLead strategic presentations, workshops, discovery sessions, and recommendationsTranslate complex information into clear, compelling business recommendationsConfidently defend strategic recommendations while remaining open to collaborationIdentify opportunities to add value beyond the immediate assignmentMentor strategists and strengthen strategic thinking across the broader agencyHelp establish practical tools, standards, and best practices for how strategy is developed and brought to lifeFoster a culture of curiosity, rigor, collaboration, accountability, and a willingness to do the damn thing What Great Looks Like You aren’t simply the person who writes the strategy. You’re the person who makes the strategy matter. You give teams clarity, improve the creative work, make clients smarter, and help move both the work and the people doing it forward. You connect: Business → Audience → Insight → Strategy → Big Idea → Execution → Results Qualifications 8–10 years of progressive strategy experience, preferably within an integrated, digital, or creative agency environmentAt least 3 years of experience directly managing, mentoring, and developing strategists or other agency talentExperience independently leading complex brand, marketing, creative, digital, or integrated strategy engagementsDemonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, create alignment, provide clear direction and feedback, and hold others accountable without requiring ongoing oversightMeaningful digital agency experience, including developing strategies for digital platforms, websites, social, content, CRM, paid media, and integrated campaignsStrong understanding of brand strategy, integrated marketing, creative development, digital experiences, customer journeys, engagement, conversion, and retentionExpertise in audience research, competitive analysis, cultural trends, consumer behavior, and performance analyticsAbility to translate research and performance data into compelling strategic frameworks, creative briefs, and actionable recommendationsStrong understanding of the creative process and the ability to evaluate and strengthen work through a strategic lensExceptional presentation, facilitation, communication, and storytelling skills, including experience advising senior clients and key stakeholdersProven ability to manage multiple priorities, navigate ambiguity, and drive work forwardBachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experienceWillingness to travel as necessaryLocal/on-site preferred, but open to remote candidates Additional Information