Senior Strategist

At AKQA we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful and performative ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we craft powerful storytelling, design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering meaningful returns for our clients.

As a strategist at AKQA, you work to shape an organisation's identity, positioning, communications, and growth trajectory. Actively seeking to bring consumer voice into the work, you help companies of all scales relate to their intended audience, differentiate from the category, and take the lead in the culture. You work collaboratively with the rest of the studio to grow brands creatively and effectively, through the lens of expression, experience, and business.

As a Senior Strategist, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of client projects, uncovering actionable insights, and delivering innovative solutions that drive growth. You will lead Brand and Communication Strategy initiatives, expand our strategy toolkit, and define KPIs to measure project success. This role also involves building strong relationships with clients and vendors, identifying new opportunities, and leading the pitching process. Staying ahead of industry trends, you will proactively identify growth opportunities for the studio and contribute thought-leadership outputs that inspire both clients and colleagues.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Analyze RFPs and client briefs to identify opportunities and challenges, crafting clear strategic approaches that outline project scope, deliverables, timelines, and resource allocation.
• Develop compelling reverse briefs that reframe client problems, propose innovative solutions, and address potential roadblocks to ensure alignment and impactful outcomes.

• Lead all aspects of research—from ideation and planning to execution, analysis, and delivery—to uncover actionable insights that fuel client growth and inform new studio offerings.
• Transform research findings into compelling reports and presentations, delivering clear, strategic recommendations that empower clients to make informed decisions and capitalize on opportunities.

• Define and deliver core strategic outputs for brand (e.g., architecture, values, personality) and communication (e.g., creative briefs, messaging hierarchies, communication plans) projects.
• Continuously refine and expand the studio's strategy toolkit by incorporating new frameworks, deliverables, and best practices to address evolving client needs and marketing trends.
• Establish KPIs, success metrics, and measurement frameworks to track project effectiveness, demonstrate value to clients, and optimize strategies over time.

• Cultivate collaborative partnerships with internal teams, external vendors, and clients, acting as a trusted advisor to identify opportunities and deliver creative solutions.
• Standardize the studio’s deliverables into reusable templates and frameworks, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and knowledge sharing across the team.

• Stay updated on cultural, marketing, creative, and technological trends relevant to clients and the industry, identifying opportunities where the studio can add more value.
• Lead the pitching process, from analyzing RFPs and developing strategic perspectives to briefing creatives and presenting work to clients.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 7+ years of experience in roles spanning brand consultancy, marketing strategy, integrated communication strategy, channel planning, and content excellence.
• An insatiable curiosity with the ability to observe and identify patterns, trends, and actionable insights.
• A lateral and creative thinker capable of simplifying complex topics into clear, actionable ideas.
• Strong understanding of funnel marketing and the ability to drive solutions across all stages.
• Able to see the big picture while maintaining sharp attention to detail, consistently striving for best-in-class work.
• Deep understanding of how businesses, brands, and consumers interact, and how technology shapes their behaviors and decisions.
• Skilled at identifying the core potential of an idea and experienced in evaluating its quality and impact.
• Broad sector expertise with experience across two or more industries and multi-channel media strategies.
• Proficient in collaborating with the Strategy Director for guidance, approvals, and escalation of concerns throughout project lifecycles.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to engage and influence senior clients, including Heads, Directors, VPs, and C-Suite executives.

AKQA is committed to developing wellbeing and supporting life choices for our team. We provide an extensive range of benefits. To find out more click here.

AKQA is an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe that diversity is vital to AKQA’s ability to provide our clients with the best recommendations and are committed to fostering a varied and inclusive work environment. Your race, colour, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.