Strategy & Performance Lead

About the role

The Strategy & Performance Lead is a senior position responsible for connecting business strategy, brand strategy, marketing strategy, and performance measurement into one cohesive approach that drives measurable business growth. We're looking for a strategic, curious, and results-driven leader who thrives at helping organizations answer the question, "What does success actually look like?" before determining how to achieve it. This role serves as the connective tissue across our agency, bringing together strategy, creative, technology, commerce, media, social, PR, and account service into a unified direction.

This leader is known for creating clarity in complex environments, connecting data with decision-making, and helping clients confidently invest in marketing that drives growth. They build trusted relationships with client teams while guiding internal teams and seeking alignment. This person must be located in the Kansas City or Columbia, MO, area.

Responsibilities

• Business & Marketing Strategy Leadership
  • Translates business objectives into measurable marketing outcomes to help define what success looks like
  • Leads and collaborates on the development of integrated marketing strategies
  • Brings together research, analytics, market intelligence, and audience insights to shape strategic direction
  • Helps internal teams prioritize strategies, tactics, and initiatives that create the greatest business impact
  • Supports business development efforts through strategic consultation and proposal development
• Audience Strategy & Customer Insight
  • Helps cross-functional teams develop a deeper understanding of priority audiences beyond demographics
  • Guides targeting and customer journey strategies that improve marketing effectiveness
  • Ensures audience insights influence every phase of planning and execution
  • Leads the planning, execution, and analysis of primary research studies, leveraging research platforms to uncover audience insights
  • Manages relationships with third-party research partners, overseeing the execution of qualitative and quantitative research studies
• Performance Strategy & Measurement
  • Defines and owns measurement frameworks that connect marketing performance to business outcomes
  • Defines KPIs that matter rather than simply reporting marketing metrics
  • Leads the development of reports for CEOs, CMOs, and senior leadership teams
  • Fosters a culture where performance measurement fuels creativity, informs decision-making, and drives continuous improvement
  • Leads cross-functional teams through performance reports, uncovers insights, and shapes future recommendations
  • Oversees the integrity of marketing data, ensuring analytics platforms (including GA4) and reporting tools are properly implemented, maintained, and accurately tracking performance
  • Analyzes and synthesizes data from multiple channels and platforms to uncover opportunities and guide strategic decision-making
• Cross-Functional Strategy Leadership
  • Serves as the strategic lead on key clients, partnering closely with account service peers
  • Collaborates with creative, technology, commerce, media, social, PR, and account service teams throughout planning and execution
  • Leads strategic workshops, annual planning sessions, strategic marketing plan development, and executive presentations
• Team Development
  • Builds, mentors, and develops high-performing strategists and performance marketers
  • Establishes scalable strategic planning frameworks that improve consistency across the agency
  • Coaches teams on connecting insights and business strategy into actionable recommendations
  • Elevates strategic thinking throughout the agency by encouraging curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning
• Supervisor Expectations
  • Sets expectations, including working with direct reports on new staff orientation, training, and work assignments
  • Handles departmental responsibilities, including policy enforcement, OOO requests, and adhering to hiring criteria
  • Ensures regular communication, including one-on-ones, conflict resolution, philosophy guidance, and ongoing coaching and mentoring
  • Supports employee enrichment, including goal setting, timely performance reviews, and ongoing feedback

Requirements

• 8+ years of relevant experience in marketing strategy, business strategy, performance marketing, or integrated marketing leadership
• Agency experience is strongly preferred
• Experience leading a cross-functional team
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field

Skills

• Demonstrated success developing marketing strategies that produce measurable business outcomes
• Ability to connect analytics, customer insights, and channel execution into actionable recommendations
• Exceptional presentation and communication skills
• Experience leading cross-functional teams
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and build trusted relationships
• Working knowledge of analytics platforms including GA4
• Strong strategic planning, facilitation, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to simplify complexity and create clarity across organizations
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for continuous improvement
• Naturally curious and always seeking to understand the "why" behind business challenges

Leader Behaviors

• Open-minded and active listener
• Continually grows people and business
• Truthful and transparent
• Decisive and accountable
• Forward-thinking
• Proactive and communicates in a positive manner

Benefits

• Flexible work setup — choose hybrid work or join us in our Kansas City or Columbia, MO, offices
• "Freedom Fridays" — no meetings on Friday mornings/Friday afternoons to use as you see fit
• Diverse, meaningful work — contribute to projects across a wide range of industries
• Collaborative, growth-focused culture — work with a supportive team that helps you build new skills
• Wellness support and peer recognition