Director, Strategic Planning

Company description

TWINOAKS is a shopper marketing agency, with a point of view. We strive to create meaningful connections between shoppers and brands, driving long term consumer purchases. TWINOAKS hand selects top talent, with expertise and experience with the nation's largest brands and retailers.

Overview

We are seeking a Director, Strategic Planning. As a Director, Strategic Planning, you are a key standard bearer of strategic thought within the business. Candidates must reside in a commutable distance to one of our hub locations:
Chicago, Dallas, Stamford, CT or New York.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Growing Client Brands and Business:

* Serve as senior-level contact on individual client businesses and brands. Demonstrate a solid grasp of current industry dynamics and be able to provide agency perspective on the impact, influence, and implications of these dynamics on brand or agency health.

* Provide long-term perspective for brand and business growth that exceeds the scope of individual projects. Be able to clearly articulate a strategic vision in a confident and persuasive manner to clients and teams; connect the vision to business imperatives and measures.

* Develop working hypotheses and methods to test/apply thinking to a variety of marketing challenges that leads to the discovery of new insights.

* Ensure proactive strategic thought leadership across the integrated marketing mix; be able to effectively apply and integrate strategy into agency process.

* Raise the bar of Mars United Commerce's work for clients. This includes instituting research and testing methods and practices using insights to inspire, guide, and evaluate work.

* Identify unmet research/planning needs and knowledge gaps in clients' business. Lead the solution and develop into out-of-scope revenue opportunities for the agency.

* Grow the role of Strategic Planning through the development of effective working relationships with key clients and Senior Management.

Agency Initiatives/Growth/Management:

* Make original contributions to company growth through contributions to original research/thinking, participation in internal cultural initiatives, and development of new professional capabilities and perspectives.

* Supervise and advance the growth of Strategic Planning staff. Oversee the quality of their work.

* Create dialogue and share innovations and new methods across internal teams (account service, creative, customer development, media, production, etc.).

* Understand company's business model and be able to work with senior colleagues to manage the agency investment in Strategic Planning resources, secondary research providers, and other Strategic Planning relevant suppliers.

* Intellectual property - develop and adapt to the business, all Mars United Network intellectual property ensuring it helps to deliver on Mars United goals and positioning.

Demonstrations:

Agency Growth:

* Responsible for client relationships at senior level.

* Participates in new business pitches.

* Develop and merchandise Strategic Planning "products".

* Responsible for a functional, productive, and happy team. Also, responsible to maintain healthy team culture.

* Attract, train, and develop talent, ensuring Strategic Planning keeps a diversity of skills, backgrounds, and experience.

Agency Initiatives:

* Continues to assist in knowledge sharing through internal communication events, training, and other written materials.

* Develops and participates in training and teaching and other initiatives.

Original & Proprietary Intellectual Property:

* Conducts primary research, client, or agency.

* Uses proprietary strategic models, helps to drive their development, use, and institutionalization.

* Develops and participates in client presentations.

* Leads and develops people on the team (indirectly and directly).

* Coaches and mentors others within the department.

* Identifies new opportunities for revenue growth with clients.

* Supports annual planning initiatives with clients.

* Supports award efforts with account & creative.

* Supports new business RFP & pitching efforts.

* Identifies unmet needs within the department, develops proposals to satisfy needs.

* Supports wider…