Associate Director Strategy

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. 

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences.  Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work. 

VML is seeking an Associate Director Strategy to work in the health insurance space.  This is a fantastic opportunity to help shape the brand platform for a newly won piece of business. The Associate Director Strategy will leverage intelligence insights to tell impactful stories from the earliest research stage through creative development, communication planning and campaign evaluation. The Associate Director Strategy has a voracious curiosity and a deeply collaborative nature with proven experience working across creative and media to deliver effective brand building and enrollment campaigns.

What you’ll do: 

• Work as a vital team member within the strategy team, including strategy development, creation of briefs and briefing teams, campaign performance monitoring and ongoing client communications.
• Partner with account leadership to support the overall management of client business relationships. 
• Inspire creative teams in the day-to-day creation and management of campaign communications.
• Possess an inherent interest in healthcare and examine the way that brands communicate to find the intersection of brands, culture, and creativity.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret information from a variety of sources: market data, quantitative research data, cultural and social trends monitoring, qualitative interviews/conversations, observational research, and competitive analysis.
• Work with the creative and account management team to ensure all client deliverables are flawlessly executed and on strategy.
• Encourage proactivity, creativity and collaboration between the strategy and creative teams to ensure the sharing of work and innovative thinking.
• Use your experience and knowledge to inspire and motivate the team.

What you’ll Need: 

• 5+ years in brand strategy/planning, marketing consulting or advertising with proven integrated campaignstrategy experience across broadcast, digital, social, influencer and performance.
• Previous healthcare and/or complex category experience is a plus.
• The ability to think on your feet and an eagerness to explore all available resources to think outside the box.
• Zealous passion for rolling up your sleeves to bring ideas to life with cross-functional teams.
• Strong interpersonal/communication skills; you will be connecting with various departments and client teams at their busiest moments.
• Must have a pulse on how cultural trends impact the healthcare space with the ability to translate these trends into insights and creative opportunities.
• The ability to thrive in a highly collaborative and diverse team. Must be able to lead and work in an integrated team environment and be comfortable collaborating across disciplines.
• A self-starter approach and true sense of ownership regarding work at each point of delivery.
• Excel in leading and owning the development of client presentations and leading client meetings.

What we offer:

• Passionate, driven people| We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.
• Consciously cultivated culture| We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.
• Competitive benefits| What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar-for-dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.
• Growth-minded opportunities| We aim to nurture a culture of real-time feedback, growth-oriented mindset, and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.<