VP, Brand Strategy

As our VP, Brand Strategy, you will…

Independently lead the development of large-scale and complex brand strategy deliverables for Consumer brands, ensuring excellence across all stages of the process. This includes crafting segments and personas, and producing core brand strategy outputs, and delivering insightful reports and points of view from qualitative research. You will also oversee communication and campaign mapping and develop comprehensive measurement plans. Restaurant, Retail and/or Technology brand experience is a plus. 

Be Accountable and Responsible 

• Applicable outputs/deliverables across the group
• Lead the development and implementation of appropriate workshops, including: - Internal and client brainstorming - Strategic deliverable workshops 
• Present a range of strategic outputs to appropriate clients, including: - Creative Briefs - Core brand strategy deliverables

• Ability to develop a deep understanding of client business and market/customer/brand information to support the development of insights and strategic solutions
• Develop expertise in at least one of the marketing strategy disciplines
• Demonstrate consistent curiosity about learning new products, new technologies, and new offerings within Merge that can help support our work for clients
• Identify collaboration opportunities across the different strategy roles—as well as across the Merge organization—to maximize value for clients
• Support a collaboration mindset among junior Strategy personnel
• Work independently to drive the development of research elements as directed
• Conduct online research and develop learning and insights 
• Assist in aggregation, prep, and synthesis of research output for presentation
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data such as audience segmentation, competitive research, and market data and translate that information into insights and strategies that will impact client brands
• Self-drives smaller stand-alone strategy tasks, owns discrete units within a larger strategy, or build project
• Work independently to identify and use available data to create presentations /deliverables that marry data with storytelling in support of brand goals and objectives
• Champions and innovates upon the Strategy discipline principles, and develops unique positioning for MERGE both in front of our clients and for our clients within their industry
• Able to develop an expert understanding of client business and market/brand information in one of the key Merge Practice Areas to support the development of strategic solutions 
• Maximize program-level collaboration opportunities across the different strategy roles—as well as across the Merge organization—to maximize value for clients. Support a collaboration mindset among junior Strategy personnel
• Creates large-scope narratives based on multiple data sources and presents them to C-level clients on all assigned accounts. Delivers a broad vision of business/brand change, and the implications for structure, positioning, product, organization, and more
• Expert at integrating storytelling and presenting stories persuasively in support of a range of client-facing deliverables and able to support the development of strategic storytelling with direct reports for all assigned accounts

These are the qualifications we’re looking for

• 12+  years of experience in a relevant field with 5-7 years in a leadership role, within an advertising or consultancy agency 
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, and/or equivalent work experience
• Strong understanding of the principles of the primary areas of the Brand Strategy discipline and has some experience using agency methodologies and offerings for each: 
• Engagement Strategy 
• Audience definition and segmentation
• Journey mapping
• Communications planning 
• Integrated digital ecosystems
• Omnichannel marketing, including advertising, social, CRM, media, events, in-store, e-commerce, etc
• Customer Experience Strategy and optimization
• Content Strategy and development 
• In-Store and Path to Purchase 
• Performance Marketing 
• Measurement and analytics planning

• Proficiency with software, tools, and templates as applicable to Brand Strategy
• Examples include: 
• Collaboration/workshop tools e.g. Miro, Mural, Jamboard
• Research tools and platforms as available e.g. SurveyMonkey, Resonate, MRI/Simmons, Statista, You.gov, Kantar 
• Agency processes and methodologies: Strategy Foundation development, Journey Maps, Creative Briefs, Ecosystems

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At MERGE, we’re committed to fostering an environment where our team members can thrive in both their careers and personal lives, ensuring they feel supported and empowered to succeed.

MERGE believes in transparency and equity. In accordance with state regulations, we’re proud to include salary ranges in our job postings to ensure fair compensation practices.

MERGE is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401K, Lifestyle Spending Account, Employer Paid Life & Disability Insurance, Flexible Time off & Holidays plus many other benefits and rewards.

Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.