Director - Innovation & Brand Strategy

About the role

The role involves leading brand strategy, innovation, and business development efforts. It requires end-to-end engagement in client projects, growing accounts over time, and working with a supportive team.

Responsibilities

• Own a set revenue target by identifying new opportunities and growing a book of business through proactive account expansion.
• Evaluate all proposals through a cost-benefit lens to ensure strategic solutions are both precise for the client's marketplace needs and profitable for the agency.
• Oversee the synthesis of research, data, and trends into story-driven insights that provide effective strategic recommendations.
• Guide junior team members in primary and secondary research and complex problem-solving, ensuring the creation and delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Lead high-impact workshops, internal brainstorms, and collaborative client sessions to foster understanding, adoption, drive consensus, and meet company standards under tight deadlines.
• Utilize design thinking, whitespace analysis, and market trends to develop actionable roadmaps and bespoke frameworks for growth.
• Transform complex data and ambiguous client objectives into structured, story-driven narratives and high-value workstreams.
• Advance agency offerings by integrating AI-informed tools and evolving methodologies beyond traditional research boundaries.

Requirements

• At least 10+ years of previous related experience, with preference for 5+ years of hands-on experience at an insight-led strategy consultancy, innovation firm, ad agency, or brand experience agency.
• Familiarity with interpreting cultural trends, consumer journey mapping, and facilitating ideation workshops.
• Experience designing and delivering insight-led strategic approaches, such as Brand Architecture, Brand Positioning, Innovation Sprints, Market Entry, and Jobs To Be Done.
• Ability to drive organic account growth through 'insight-led' business development.
• Ability to break down a client's business problem to its fundamental truths.
• Existing long-term partnerships with clients that can be leveraged.
• Ability to lead large accounts under challenging situations; flexible to the constraints and considerations of timelines, internal dynamics, and client pressure.
• Expert skill set in creating tools and frameworks and strength in coaching others to do the same.
• Strong writing skills are an absolute must – as compelling and impactful storytelling is at the heart of our philosophy.
• A commercial and advisory mindset; someone who excels at giving decisive advice, not just presenting options.
• Facilitation and consensus-building, ability to guide large groups through ambiguous conversations.
• Courage to voice concerns and leverage radical candor and influence to gain alignment.
• Culturally-savvy and curious; eager to experiment with new methodologies, inputs, and tools.

Qualifications

• Foundational skills: Strategic mind and change agent who knows how to build, critical thinker to uncover the "problem behind the problem," and has a proven track record of growing project opportunities into lasting partnerships.
• Technical Skills: Ability to work with and leverage Qualitative and Quantitative data and insights to inform the development of innovation and strategy projects.
• Leadership skills: A commercial and advisory mindset; someone who excels at giving decisive advice, not just presenting options; facilitation and consensus-building, ability to guide large groups through ambiguous conversations; high emotional intelligence and capacity for self accountability; highly collaborative and works well in groups; courage to voice concerns and leverage radical candor and influence to gain alignment; culturally-savvy and curious; eager to experiment with new methodologies, inputs, and tools.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving.
• Client relationship management and account growth.
• Project management and leadership.
• Research and data analysis.
• Storytelling and communication.
• Team mentoring and development.
• Use of AI and innovative methodologies.

Benefits

Market-competitive salary anticipated around $140,000 - $160,000 base (dependent on experience and role). Generous health and ancillary benefits, retirement match program, and tuition/continuing education programs. Flexible work schedule with hybrid model available.

Pay

$140,000–$180,000 (est. base depending on experience)

Schedule

Preferably based in the Chicagoland area; with option to be Remote / travel-open.