Director, Strategic Planning

Weber Shandwick is an engagement agency working at the cutting edge of the new media landscape. We’re storytellers and content creators who engage people in the story, building brands and reputations through creative, collaborative, and client-focused strategies.

About The Role

Weber Shandwick is seeking a Director of Strategic Planning to join our Chicago team. In this role, you will act as the strategic engine for a diverse range of CPG, food & beverage, brand, and consumer accounts, fueling their brand positioning and creative strategies. You will drive day-to-day creative strategy for key clients—including a major CPG brand—across both social and earned media. Chicago area residency is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Drive the day-to-day creative strategy for key accounts, crafting brand narratives, creative briefs, and messaging frameworks that serve as a true "north star" for client communications.
• Assist in the crafting and evaluation of primary quantitative and qualitative research to segment audiences, identify influencers, communities, and uncover actionable insights.
• Maintain a deep understanding of fast-moving cultural issues, leveraging emerging events and insights to proactively reshape client assignments.
• Translate performance data, emerging cultural trends, and real-time insights into actionable strategy, proactively optimizing client assignments.
• Build and deliver clear, high-impact client reports and presentations that drive decision-making.
• Seamlessly integrate Weber Shandwick’s proprietary AI tools and industry-standard subscription data tools (e.g., Acxiom, Talkwalker, Mintel) into your daily workflow.
• Actively contribute to client meetings, creative brainstorms, and strategy sessions while cultivating relationships with creative and digital strategists, research/analytics experts, account teams, and junior strategists.

Requirements

• Proven professional experience in strategic planning, creative strategy, or account planning, ideally within an agency setting.
• Demonstrated experience developing creative briefs, persuasive pitch decks, and cross-platform creative strategies (specifically across social and earned media).
• Familiarity leveraging consumer data platforms and social listening tools (such as Acxiom, Talkwalker, Mintel).

Skills

• Analytical Storytelling: The ability to frame a problem, develop succinct “ah-ha” insights, and translate complex data into a simple, compelling story.
• Cultural Savvy: A deep passion for and understanding of the nuances of culture and trends.
• Curiosity & Empathy: An open-minded, inclusive, and empathetic approach, driven by an endless curiosity about consumer behavior and mindsets.
• Agility: The ability to pivot quickly and seamlessly navigate the unpredictability of fast-changing cultural environments.
• Future-Forward Mindset: A proactive willingness to adopt and integrate emerging AI technology into your daily workflow.

Pay

$100,000–$125,000

Schedule

Omnicom’s policy requires employees to work in the office for a minimum of three days a week, unless additional in-office days are directed by their agency or manager.