At GSD&M, we’re on a mission to build First & Only brands, meaning the first to do it and the only ones who can. We’re able to do this because we set a high bar for ourselves and our work. We care about what we put out in the world. We’re humans who like other humans. Our ideas make a difference. Shift culture. Create a smile. Inspire change. Initiate belly laughs. Deepen our understanding of the world and ourselves. We grow. We learn. We get better. We do it all over again. Because that’s what it takes to build and be First & Only.
- Department: Strategy
- Reports to (Position): Associate Strategy Director
- Supervisory Responsibilities (Y/N): Yes
- FLSA Status (Exempt vs Nonexempt): Exempt
- Travel (%): 10-20%
Endlessly curious, GSD&M Strategy team members focus on bringing insightful context, uncommon sense and clear inspiration to our clients. They rely on a strong understanding of how people think and behave, what’s happening in popular culture, how to build memorable brands, and what’s going on in the business, marketing, communications and experience landscapes.
As a Senior Strategist, you’re comfortable being the strategic voice internally and are learning to exercise that in a client-facing capacity. You are responsible for creating strategic artifacts and will play an integral role in the day-to-day strategic operations of your clients. You’re passionate about building your client’s business and help pave the way forward with deep knowledge, fresh perspective and ideas that make a difference.
Position-Specific Responsibilities
- Having a finger on the pulse. You’ll stay abreast of emerging consumer trends, technologies and behaviors, and you have a perspective on the opportunities they may present for our clients.
- Connecting dots. You are good at connecting the dots between sometimes disparate information (like marrying a media insight with a consumer insight in a way that 1 + 1 = 3), and you can turn them into compelling stories.
- Designing and conducting primary research. You love getting to know consumer perspectives and can moderate focus groups and interviews with little oversight. You have a proven ability to not only report research results based on what was learned but also what it means.
- Developing actionable strategies. You have a keen understanding of how people make decisions—how they interact with different channels and touchpoints, the brand, the marketplace, the business, and popular culture—and you can frame these developments up in simple frameworks for your clients.
- Writing and delivering creative briefs. You love getting a new client brief and digging into the business and communication challenge. You are adept at reframing the ask in new ways, based on consumer and category behavior to inspire creatives, and you can do so with limited oversight.
- Collaborating with other agency disciplines. You leave your ego at the door and collaborate closely with creatives, media and account management to make your and their work better. You have strong, yet loosely held convictions.
- Supporting new business. You will regularly contribute to new business pitches through research, strategy development and story development.
- Thinking on your feet. You should have experience in a client-facing role and are comfortable interacting and collaborating with the agency leadership team.
Minimum Qualifications
- 3–8 years of experience in a client-facing brand strategy role or brand management
- Proven track record of effective and inventive use of consumer data and research to develop strategic deliverables or creative execution.
- A love of advertising, communications, media channels, popular culture, and how people consume and act on all of them
- Insatiable curiosity that compels you to keep learning about consumers, clients and your collaborators
- Open to giving and receiving feedback without ego
- Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills
- High emotional intelligence
At GSD&M, inclusion is our superpower. An inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are encouraged and empowered makes the work better, makes our agency better and ultimately makes the industry better. That’s why we’re proud to be recognized by the Advertising Federation’s Mosaic Awards year after year for our efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion.
We consider ourselves lucky. Every day we wake up and get to build First & Only brands in an inclusive environment where everyone matters, all while enjoying generous benefits, plenty of time off, and opportunities for growth whether you’re just starting out or have been in the biz for a while.
GSD&M is an equal opportunities employer and will never favor or discriminate against anyone based on their age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, gender identity, expression, or realignment. If you require a medical or religious accommodation during the job application process, please reach out to [email protected] for support.
This role requires regular in-office presence with a minimum of three days per week, to engage and collaborate in in-person team interactions and meetings as required.
What We Do
GSD&M is a creatively driven, full-service agency born and raised in Austin, TX. Our strategy? We’re in the business of growing our clients’ businesses and have helped grow some of the world's most successful brands. We’re a full-service advertising agency, but our work goes beyond just making ads. We are a company that uses the power of purpose to drive success with our clients. We partner with our clients to discover, define and articulate their core purpose beyond making money and translate that vision into the marketplace. The return for us? Our work makes a difference for our people, our clients and our communities.
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