VSA’s purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and design agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in an increasingly noisy world. With offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities—branding, advertising, data science and technology—all under one roof. VSA is also a proud member of Meet The People, an international family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM. 

OVERVIEW

VSA Partners is a design-driven branding and marketing company.

 

VSA was founded as a design firm more than 30 years ago with the belief that design is not only a craft, but a tool for achieving business objectives. As design thinkers, we approach business challenges holistically and break down silos between branding, digital, marketing and advertising.

 

The Associate Director, Strategy is a thought leader, mentor and relationship builder who can develop and act on a strong understanding of clients’ business challenges, human context and brand opportunity to champion work forward. Skilled in the foundations of brand strategy & consulting, they are equally happy whether rolling up their sleeves to work side by side with team members or guiding other strategists and multidisciplinary project teams to capture the big picture. They are adept at bringing in data to support their view while telling stories that change minds and connect people together. And they love what they do, bringing passion, curiosity, and ambition with a dose of humility & humor to each day. 

 

VSA Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit and business need.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

WHAT MAKES A GREAT ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY AT VSA

 

You are inquisitive, imaginative and smart—ready to build your leadership skills while advancing new IP that changes our industry for the better. You love finding the ‘golden nuggets’ of ideas and brand potential that grow from exploratory research and intuition. 

 

Specifically, your colleagues consider you to be a/an:

    • Effective leader, who will coordinate and advance VSA’s strategic initiatives on behalf of the client, including: industry and competitive analysis; consumer/stakeholder research and analysis; organizational / cultural analysis; brand positioning and architecture; multi-year messaging and communications planning; advertising and experience design; development of metrics for success.
    • People-person ready to lead strategic conversations with clients at the highest level of their organizations, and contribute to long-term, programmatic relationships.
    • Data-driven & resourceful team player, able to pitch, guide and integrate primary research, including quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
    • Simplifier & metaphor creator who can develop diagrams, frameworks and other conceptual models to define, contextualize and gain buy-in for key strategic elements, insights, or other important inputs.
    • Focused multi-tasker who handles twists and turns while leading efforts to create strategy deliverables, presentations, and discussion documents including research findings, creative briefs, brand concepts, etc., in highly logical ways that clarify key points and help clients make difficult strategic decisions.
    • Creative champion who helps project teams align around a creative direction and tactics that address the client’s business needs/strategic objectives.
    • Grower who’s hungry and ready to contribute to or develop client proposals and actively identify new business opportunities within existing client relationships.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s Degree preferred.
  • Must be located in the Chicago metropolitan area.
  • Minimum of 5 years of strategic planning experience at a marketing and/or communications agency, management consulting, or strategic brand firm.
  • Minimum of 5 years developing strategies for brand  development, marketing communications, innovation or business transformation across a variety of disciplines.
  • Experience in developing market and consumer/customer/audience insights, driving solutions that solve significant brand and business problems, analyzing and prioritizing media and communications channels.
  • Deeply knowledgeable in diverse business issues and practices, with comprehensive understanding of and experience in activating brand strategy, marketing and customer strategy, communications planning and integrated communication programs.
  • Genuine, confident, empathetic and interpersonally skilled, with proven influencing capabilities in client relationship settings, and the talent to translate an idea into action.
  • A passion for learning more and having an entrepreneurial mindset.
  • Ability to interact at all levels of the company and with external parties in a professional manner maintaining effective communication, both written and spoken.
  • Adept at preemptively identifying problems and devising solutions.
  • A commitment to high quality work and to positive and productive relationships with all - clients, team members, peers, managers, etc.
  • Skills in complex problem solving, judgment, critical thinking and decision-making.
  • Ability to be versatile and handle multiple projects and re-prioritizations.
  • Ability to organize information, prioritize, have attention to detail, and accurately follow procedures.
  • Ability to maintain self-motivation and to work independently in team environments.
  • Some evenings and weekend work may occasionally be necessary.  
Chicago Estimated Salary Range
$111,000—$150,000 USD

VSA Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit and business need.

California Residents - Please review our California Privacy Notice here. 

VSA PARTNERS, LLC
vsapartners.com

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