The Role
Lead strategic thinking across client portfolios, setting direction and quality standards for insights and strategies while partnering with creative teams and clients to deliver impactful ideas that drive behavioral change and commercial results.
Summary Generated by Built In
ROLE: SENIOR DIRECTOR, STRATEGY
TEAM: STRATEGY
LOCATION: TORONTO, ON (HYBRID - 2 DAYS ONSITE WEEKLY)
COMPANY OVERVIEW
Salt is a North American marketing agency that creates connected experiences through creative, digital & media innovation.
Our mission is to “Earn the World’s Attention” and Salt is built to find, develop, execute, and amplify the ideas that are worthy of our clients’ audiences. We’ve structured our agency to do what’s right for our clients – to connect different perspectives, to work across mediums, and to focus on delivering meaningful, effective results.
We’re committed to living up to the values in our name. “Salt of The Earth” means we value collaborative, humble, hard-working people here. We’re looking for people who are as smart as they are kind because we believe the right talent and the right culture help us do what’s right for our clients.
ROLE OVERVIEW
We are looking for a Senior Director, Strategy to lead strategic thinking across multiple client portfolios and creative pods.
This role is responsible for setting the strategic direction, standards and ambition for the Strategy team — ensuring our work translates human insight, culture and behaviour into ideas that drive both creative impact and commercial results.
The Senior Director will act as a senior partner to Creative, Accounts and Clients, shaping the thinking behind the work — from defining the real problem to crafting inspiring briefs and guiding ideas through execution.
You will oversee the development of insight-led strategies, creative briefs, audience and cultural POVs, connections strategies and measurement frameworks that ensure every program is grounded in behaviour change and designed to move people to act.
This role requires someone who can simplify complexity, sharpen the thinking, and inspire great creative work.
The Senior Director is both a strategic leader and cultural catalyst — someone who elevates the work, develops the team, and helps clients see new opportunities for growth.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership
- Lead the strategic direction across multiple clients and creative pods
- Define and uphold the quality bar for strategic thinking and output
- Ensure strategy consistently identifies the real business problem and human tension
- Guide the development of insights, strategy narratives and opportunity territories
- Translate complex inputs into clear, simple strategic direction
- Ensure all work connects human behaviour, cultural relevance and commercial impact
Creative Partnership
- Act as a senior strategic partner to Creative leadership
- Develop creative strategies and briefs that inspire great ideas
- Help shape ideas from concept through execution
- Provide strategic feedback that strengthens the work, not slows it down
- Champion work internally and externally by grounding ideas in human truth and strategic clarity
Client Leadership
- Serve as a senior strategic voice in client relationships
- Lead high-level strategic conversations with senior client stakeholders
- Present compelling strategy narratives that connect insight, idea and business impact
- Help clients reframe challenges and uncover new growth opportunities
Connections Strategy
- Lead the development of behaviour-led connections strategies
- Define channel roles, consumer triggers and influence points across the journey
- Ensure strategy integrates media, creative, commerce, retail and experiential
- Guide teams in mapping how ideas travel across platforms and moments
Team Leadership & Development
- Collaborate with a team of senior strategists
- Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, creativity and strategic rigor
- Be part of a team known for clarity of thinking, strong briefs and inspiring insights
- Encourage experimentation and new approaches to strategic thinking
Business Growth
- Lead strategy on new business pitches and opportunities
- Identify areas for organic client growth and expanded partnerships
- Contribute to the evolution of Salt’s Experiential Commerce™ strategic offering
- Help position Salt as a strategic thought leader with clients and in the industry
EXPERIENCE & SKILLS
- 7-10+ years of experience in strategy, planning, connections planning, or integrated marketing
- Experience leading strategy across complex, integrated marketing programs
- Proven ability to turn insights and human truths into inspiring creative strategy
- Strong experience connecting culture, behaviour and commerce
- Deep understanding of media ecosystems, consumer journeys and modern marketing channels
- Strong creative briefing and idea development experience
- Exceptional storytelling and presentation skills
- Experience leading senior client relationships and strategic conversations
- Experience collaborating and mentoring high-performing strategy teams
- Ability to simplify complexity into clear strategic direction
MINDSET & LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
The ideal candidate:
- Finds the real problem rather than accepting the assignment
- Is relentlessly curious about people, culture and behaviour
- Thinks in ideas and opportunities — not just analysis
- Believes strategy should inspire creativity, not constrain it
- Has the confidence to make decisions and take a point of view
- Is comfortable navigating ambiguity and complexity
- Brings both creative instinct and commercial pragmatism
- Raises the ambition of the work while helping teams focus on what matters most
PERKS & BENEFITS THAT SET US APART
We don’t just talk about balance, growth, and culture, we build for it:
- Work-Life Flexibility: Hybrid setup, up to 28 paid days off, winter holiday shutdowns.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Health, dental, and vision plans, plus Salt Bucks to spend on what matters to you—wellness, RRSPs, or extra time off.
- Growth-Driven Culture: Dedicated Salt Days, top-tier learning access, and formal leadership development.
- Celebration-First Mentality: Legendary team trips, seasonal socials, and Salt Swag that reps your squad.
- Real Rewards: Referral and new business bonuses, exclusive lifestyle perks, and personalized wellness options.
- Culture of Belonging: DEI programs, active ERGs, and a workplace where every voice counts.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
- Salt of the Earth: We lead with humility, honesty, and heart—always.
- Do What’s Right: No shortcuts. We choose integrity over ease, every time.
- Earn Your Salt: We roll up our sleeves, chase results, and celebrate the journey.
- Make Things Better: We’re solution-seekers, always pushing for smarter ways forward.
- Seek Different Perspectives: Diversity fuels our thinking. Inclusion drives our impact.
Salt XC is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting and retaining the most qualified employees regardless of race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability.
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The Company
What We Do
Salt XC is an agency driven by the philosophy of Experiential Commerce™. Our unique framework for designing better consumer experiences that earn attention and drive action. We take an integrated approach that connects your consumer’s online and offline experiences through data, media and the memorable moments that drive brand transactions.
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