CREATIVE STRATEGY DIRECTOR (US)

Building A Brand Starts With Our Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. Operating as a full-service agency partner or through embedding specialist talent into client teams, FIRST brings brands and people together through creative, connected experiences. Spanning 12 countries with more than 700 team members, FIRST works with clients across industries including financial services, technology, media, consumer electronics, medical and healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and the nonprofit sector.

Most recently, Eventex honored FIRST as one of the Top 150 Event Organizers & Agencies in the USA, while Chief Marketer listed FIRST among their “200 Top Marketing Agencies" for both 2022 & 2021, and Special Events recognized FIRST as one of their “50 Top Event Companies” at the end of 2020. Crain’s New York Business included FIRST in the Top 100 “Best Places to Work in NYC” for 2020, and The London Stock Exchange Group once again listed FIRST as one of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ in 2020.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

Our story started over 25 years ago growing through collaboration, innovation, strong culture, and a focus on people, specifically our people. Our people inspired, developed, and grew FIRST to the incredible brand experience creator it is today.

And our hope is that you become the next page of our story in developing how our agency connects more people beyond what they thought was possible.

A welcoming, creative and ambitious workplace that offers personal and professional growth for all individuals.

At FIRST, you'll find:

• A welcoming workplace that fosters diversity and belonging with a focus on team members feeling valued, respected, and supported.
• Creative teams that enjoy challenging work with an ability to make an impact on those around them.
• An experiential organization that cares about the development and career experience of each employee, focusing on excellence and flexibility with the right balance of structure to thrive.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The FIRST US office is looking for a Creative Strategy Director to join our growing Global Creative Studio. Leading the Creative Strategy team in the US, UK and Singapore, and working collaboratively with our Creative, Design and Content experts to bring our client’s experiences to life.

As a Strategy Director, you’ll be responsible for leading the team responsible for researching and gathering insights, which in turn inform the creative brief and creative process. Working with Client Services teams and the Client’s themselves, you’ll investigate the data and analyze the market to find and articulate the “story behind the numbers” and find strategic opportunities which can elevate the creative.

You and your team will strive to develop world-class creative strategies that win pitches and influence award-winning creative work. You will be working closely with the Creative Director, Client Services and Global Creative Studio team leads to ensure work answers the client brief in the best way possible.

Our solutions come in many forms but can be grouped together into the following categories:

• Conferences, exhibitions & awards
• Experiential events & launches
• Team motivational activities & hospitality

• Digital & multimedia campaigns

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the strategic process from initial research and ideation to execution
• Ensure creative captures the experiential, storytelling, and attendee journey
• Partner with Creatives to develop campaigns that drive success

• Work closely with Creative Director, Creative and Design leads on how we pitch and win business
• Build strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders both internally and externally
• Ensure there is an understanding of creative strategy across the business
• Educate teams, agency and clients on creative strategy and strategy best practice
• Work alongside Client Services, Creative Director or Creative and Design leads on New Business pitches

• Collaborate with Resourcing, Operations and Project Management (where required) to ensure your team’s contribution works within the delivery, project plan and timelines
• Educate the business on societal, industry, creative and media trends that will inform our creative work
• Lead strategic creative thinking for accounts/clients, address problems and produce solutions to increase customer opportunities
• Manage the Creative Strategy team globally
• Identify growth opportunities for Creative Strategy with existing and new clients

• Identify and build scalable creative strategy resources from your network
• Support the Creative Strategy team’s growth and development
• Contribute to wider business strategy initiatives within the business including the Innovation Hub

KEY SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• 10+ of overall creative strategy experience, preferably at an ideas-driven agency
• Experience of leading a global team
• Experience of acting as the lead strategic thinker for a global client
• A strong creative strategy pedigree with a track record of delivering award-winning creative strategies

• Experiences of managing, mentoring and guiding other team members
• Excellent, innovative, persuasive and engaging, written, verbal, visual and presentation communication skills
• Take other stakeholders on the journey and communicate ideas and concepts in a thoughtful way
• Demonstrate taking a lead role in client pitches and presentations
• Strong experience in implementing innovative and impactful multi-channel strategies

• Proactive and innately curious approach to work

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT:

• Ability to inspire and grow a team, while supporting individual development needs
• Ability to think and plan creatively for clients and prospects

• Ability to relate well to clients and prospects such that they respect him/her professionally and personally and enjoy his/her work for and participation with them
• Ability to complete agency work in such a manner that it results in the agency achieving its financial goals
• Ability to handle pressure and prioritize internal and external demands
• Ability to work in a team, maintain a positive and professional demeanor, and accept constructive criticism in a professional, mature manner
• Ability to effectively communicate information and ideas in written and verbal formal and confidence in presenting client pitches
• Ability to get along with peers and management and maintain a willingness to work toward the goals and success of the organization as a whole - and uphold its vision, mission, values and goals.

United States Residents: The base pay for this position ranges from $129,000 to $160,000. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

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