VP, Strategy

Detroit, MI, United States

Business Overview

UM is a global media agency committed to Futureproofing our clients' businesses. We leverage the transformational power of rich business analytics and real-time intelligence to maximize growth and activate the full consumer journey across content and connections. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 3,000 people innovating on a roster of global clients including Accenture, American Express, GoPro, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Mattel, Sony, and Spotify. UM is globally headquartered in New York, with North American offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Birmingham, Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto.

At UM, we know our employees are our greatest asset. We are committed to fostering a culture rooted in Diversity, Equity & Belonging, where everyone feels they belong, and their contributions are valued. We prioritize personal and professional growth, encourage an entrepreneurial spirit to pursue passion projects, and celebrate our people and community with moments of joy and spontaneity. Our leadership is dedicated to building a culture of care that permeates every element of the company from work flexibility to career planning to regular talent reviews, and more. Our DNA, for UM, helps guide us in all that we do:

Fearless: We bring our authentic selves to work and put our whole selves into the work

Optimistic: We approach challenges with empathy and curiosity, infusing joy into everything we do

Relentless: We’re unwavering in our pursuit of the right solution, eager to reimagine what’s possible

Unified: We band together to accomplish what we could not otherwise do alone

Masterful: We’re constantly growing in our craft, setting new standards for our industry and our world

We are proud to be named an AdAge Best Place to Work several times over, a Top Workplace in the US by Great Places to Work, a top 10 FORTUNE 2022 Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing and She Runs It’s 2021 Outstanding Company for Working Mothers. But feedback is most meaningful when it comes from our own people: over 90% of our employees say the agency is a great place to work and 95% say they are proud to work at UM.

Position Summary

We seek an experienced communications strategist with background in Financial Services who will be charged with architecting powerful end-to-end experiences on the iconic American Express brand.

This individual will collaborate with multiple stakeholders—including connections clients, partner agencies and internal teams (planning, business analytics, investment and content studios)—to develop fully integrated, purposeful interactions between their brands and high value audiences that deliver meaningful value exchange, foster long term relationships, and drive brand consideration.

The ideal candidate will take pride in, and excel at, outsmarting any challenge. Like any effective strategist, they will be a beacon of clarity and simplicity wherever and whenever complexity threatens.

Responsibilities

Identifying Insights

Maintain understanding of each brand’s business, high value audiences, and category

Be relentlessly people-first while listening for, identifying, and articulating insights within culture, community and commerce

Analyze, synthesize and apply research into plans

Strategy and Idea Development

Lead development of strategic planning approach

Craft communications overviews that distill strategy using an end-to-end sensibility across OESP touchpoints

Including challenge, insights, audience goals, barriers, drivers, comms tasks, moments and roles of channels

Collaborate in the creation, selling and execution of activation ideas

Design and facilitate/participate in ideation sessions with integrated team

Craft expression and execution of the idea in collaboration with Studio, planning team, investment, and media partners

Assist in both crafting RFPs that reflect created ideas, and evaluating/shaping partner submissions

Partner with planning and investment teams to effectively pull-through strategy into plan’s ideas and tactics

Persuasive Storytelling

Package insights, strategy, and activation ideas for simplicity and clarity

Apply compelling selling approaches

Collaboration

Develop effective and inspiring working relationships within agency team and with senior AMEX clients

Drive thought leadership within the team

Collaborate across AMEX partner agencies via an Integrated Agency Team model

Leadership

Reflect UM values of courage, candor, curiosity, commitment, community and caring

Work to maintain a can-do, achieve-anything attitude across the integrated team

Develop case studies and award submissions

Assist in development and execution of UM training initiatives

Required Skills & Experience

Enthusiastic consumer of, and curiosity about, pop culture and the ever-changing media landscape

Proven financial services, multi-cultural experience or sensibility

Demonstrated creativity with a strong desire to create and execute bold, edgy ideas

Consumer-first mentality

Independent, efficient and prospers in fast paced environment

Excellent strategic thinking, with ability to simplify the complex and focus on those essentials that matters most

Persuasive with outstanding written and oral communication skills

Outstanding client relationship skills, including experience interacting and presenting to senior-level clients

Experience working across multiple agencies and disciplines to achieve holistic communications planning

Comfortable with pulling, analyzing and applying data to support their recommendations

Fully conversant with all major desktop research tools and qualitative research techniques

Experience and comfort facilitating ideation sessions

We See You

At IPG Mediabrands, we are unified behind a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging. Together, we shine through a set of shared values and behaviors. We take pride in our responsibility to our clients, communities, and to each other. We embrace differences and recognize the unique value that each of us brings to our community.

We encourage you to apply, as unique backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences are welcomed.

We See You at IPG Mediabrands.

Wage and Benefits

We offer a Total Rewards package that includes medical and dental coverage, 401(k) plans, flex spending, life insurance, disability, employee discount program, employee stock purchase program and paid family benefits to support you and your family. To give you the ability to better meet your personal needs, and in support of your physical and emotional well-being, you will receive discretionary time off days and company-wide Appreciation Weeks and Wellness Days.

We also offer a competitive Total Compensation package, including a competitive salary and eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive award or a relevant incentive award.

The salary range for this position is posted below. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position, market considerations, budgetary considerations, tenure and standing with the Company (applicable to current employees), as well as the employee’s/applicant’s skill set, level of experience, and qualifications.

Employment Transparency

It is the policy of Mediabrands, division of the Interpublic group, to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. The job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and other job functions are subject to modification. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

For applicants to jobs in the United States: In compliance with the current Americans with Disabilities Act and state and local laws, if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with Mediabrands, please email [email protected] .

About IPG Mediabrands

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). IPG Mediabrands manages over $47 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients across its full-service agency networks UM, Initiative and Mediahub and through its award-winning specialty business units Healix , Kinesso , MAGNA, Mediabrands Content Studio, Orion Holdings, Rapport, and the IPG Media Lab. IPG Mediabrands clients include many of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands from a broad portfolio of industry sectors including automotive, personal finance, consumer product goods (CPG), pharma, health and wellness, entertainment, financial services, energy, toys and gaming, direct to consumer and e-commerce, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, fashion and beauty. The company employs more than 18,000 diverse marketing communication professionals in more than 130 countries. Learn more at www.ipgmediabrands.com .

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