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As a digital agency, we delight our clients and their audiences with effective business, brand, and marketing strategies that are then transformed to meaningful, innovative experiences. We’re a team of (very) passionate people that love nothing more than putting our heads together and coming up with fun and successful ways to solve business challenges.

In the role of strategic planner, you’ll develop and present strategic recommendations for a range of clients. You and other members of the strategic planning team are the starting foundation of most agency projects, providing the team with information critical for success, gleaned from your smart assessment of the data. You’ll work on multiple projects at once, which means you’ll need the ability to balance your workload—but it also means you’ll be continually encountering new ideas, methods, and platform offerings, and applying that knowledge across projects.

Good strategic planners are driven by success. They’re fast learners, great communicators, extremely curious, and maybe (ok, probably) just a little bit obsessive, following the data wherever it leads, sifting through potential solutions, and crafting a compelling story about what matters most.

This position reports to the Director of Strategic Planning.

RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPECTATIONS

• Partners with Account Management team at the onset of projects to fully understand the business objectives, in an effort to map out and lead the most effective strategic approach
• Throughout the project, efficiently adapts processes and tasks to maximize results and in an effort to be a strong steward of client’s budgets
• Performs initial research to get to know client’s brand and business objectives, audience behaviors and mindsets, and the competitive landscape
• Develops research plans to understand audience behaviors and needs, competitive landscape, market conditions, and specific client challenges
• Executes research activities, including leading stakeholder workshops, online surveys, interviews, and website and competitive assessments
• Interprets collected data into key insights to inform strategic plans or other reports
• Presents strategic plans or other reports to internal teams and clients, demonstrating a strong ability to make complex subjects understandable
• Leads marketing and advertising planning for clients as assigned
  • Identifies business objectives and KPIs, audiences, platforms, and key messages
  • Works with account and creative teams as needed to develop campaign creative
  • Initiates and monitors and/or oversees the management of campaigns
  • Analyzes performance of campaigns, with recommendations for even greater success, and if applicable creates reports to share results directly with the client
• Leads content strategy for clients as assigned
  • Identifies content objectives to meet audience needs
  • Performs keyword research to ensure content matches audience behaviors
  • Develops and or guides the development of content based on insights
• Stays abreast of advances in digital marketing
• Proactively brings new insights or opportunities to the appropriate team members to drive performance improvements or pitch new business opportunities with existing clients

Core Functional Skills

• Demonstrates proficiency in critical business applications (e.g., Word, Excel, Keynote, Google Drive)
• Demonstrates proficiency in a variety of tools for creating, monitoring, and/or reporting on organic or paid social content / campaigns or paid media campaigns (e.g., Facebook Business Manager, Google Ads, Google Analytics, MOZ, SEMRush, Synthesio, etc.)
• Demonstrates proficiency in Hanson-specific applications (e.g., Clients & Profits, Teamwork, Scope Cards, etc.)
• Demonstrates strong business-writing skills and intuitive understanding of human psychology through the creation (or support in the creation of) the following documents:
  • Survey questions and interview discussion guides
  • Strategic plans
  • Campaign or other insight reports
  • Proposals and Statements of Work (SOWs)
• Uses appropriate tools and methods to manage time effectively and prioritize tasks for delivery of quality outputs on deadline

Collaboration & Contribution

• Works closely with account team / project manager to develop an initial project approach
• Works closely with account team, creative services, and production to scope and estimate build phases
• Actively participates in group sessions to bring value and advance projects
• Shares best practices readily with agency for betterment of other projects/accounts

Communication

• Presents strategic plans and reports with clarity and conviction, earning the trust and confidence of clients
• Appropriately uses all channels of communication (e.g., in-person, phone, email, Slack, Teamwork, etc.) to drive progress and clarity
• Communicates proactively vs. reactively in order to maximize problem-solving options
• Receives effective, productive feedback in the moment

Problem Solving

• Demonstrates a strong ability to apply creative thinking to complex challenges
• Responds to internal and client feedback and other changes in direction with flexibility and resourcefulness
• Elevates issues early and recommends plans of action/contingency to maximize options
• Appropriately manages conflict resolution and moves things forward when there’s a stalemate

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• 3 to 5 years of experience in business strategy, research development, marketing communications, advertising or brand management at an agency or in a corporate role
• Strong research and writing skills, including attention to grammar and punctuation
• Specialized knowledge in at least one of the following areas: brand strategy, content strategy, social strategy, or media strategy; with familiarity in the other areas
• We value skills and qualities over specific training, but a degree in advertising, marketing, communications or business is a plus
• While you may implement some of your own recommendations, many of them will fall to other team members to implement. So while you don’t need to know how to code a website, for example, we’ll be looking for evidence of your ability to gain familiarity with the systems and processes used by our front end developers, engineers, functional architects, and visual designers to ensure strong interagency collaboration.

INTANGIBLES/CULTURAL FIT

• Qualities we look for include passion, confidence, integrity, judgment and a strong work ethic. Check the ego at the door.
• In our experience, there isn’t a single “style” that works. We’ll need you to be a diplomat, psychologist, salesperson, cheerleader and mentor to our clients and fellow team members.
• We value intellectual curiosity and promote it wherever possible. Tell us how you like to learn and grow yourself as it relates to the world of marketing, technology, and creative.
• We take our values seriously. How well do you resonate with these statements? Be Yourself, Own the Adventure, Stay Curious, Get Emotional, Embrace Family

To start the conversation contact us at strategy-careers@hansoninc.com