Brand Strategist

M&C Saatchi; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global advertising agency in Dubai is seeking a Brand Strategist to drive brand strategies and deliver innovative solutions. Ideal candidates will have over 3 years of experience in brand strategy and digital initiatives. You will lead a team, mentor juniors, and collaborate across various disciplines to enhance client engagement. The role offers a competitive salary and benefits including flexible working hours and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

23 days annual holiday plus birthday off

Work from home Fridays

10 days of work from anywhere

Private healthcare plan

Professional development programs

Qualifications

• 3+ years of brand, insight or communications planning strategy experience.
• Strong experience in digital strategy.
• Ability to analyse information and make data-led strategic decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of strategic solutions for clients.
• Deliver brand and experience strategy across multiple clients/projects.
• Mentor and coach junior team members.

Skills

Brand strategy experience

Digital strategy expertise

Strong presentation skills

Analytical skills

Collaborative mindset

Curiosity

Kindness

Education

BA degree or equivalent

Job description

Position

Brand Strategist

M+C Saatchi Group Ambition

At M+C Saatchi Group, our ambition is to create and curate Cultural Power for our clients. We do this by connecting specialist expertise, powered by creativity, data and technology, to help build famous brands and solve the most complex business and societal challenges.

Cultural Power needs diversity of thought. We’re committed to building a diverse workplace where every person feels a sense of belonging. One of our core values is ‘Walk in Different Worlds’ which describes our overall D&I mission. Our flexible work approach, employee-led diversity networks, and inclusive career development initiatives support and celebrate people of all cultures, abilities, genders, and backgrounds.

Pillar Overview

Consulting

The M+C Saatchi Consulting pillar (globally) represents multiple trading brands that currently include Clear, Re, Fluency, MCD, One-to-One and The Source. Collectively these brands trade in multiple geographies.

Re works at the intersection of brand and experience design. We create brands that connect with culture, customers and colleagues. We help brands do this by combining data science, design thinking and creative magic.

Role Purpose

Lead the development of brilliant strategic solutions that enable our clients to make progress by design. The role straddles driving the day to day strategy on your accounts as well as collaborating with a wider team to shape their longer term vision and brand experiences. You will work with a range of different disciplines, across Re, M&C Saatchi and various parts of our clients business.

What You’ll Do

Product - 60%

Your role in inspiring and delivering the strategic product – the thinking and its effectiveness.

• Deliver brilliant brand and experience strategy across multiple clients/projects under the guidance of the Head of Strategy or a Strategy director
• Proactively grow your personal T-specialism in order to offer and grow client base
• Play an active role in helping to shape brilliant strategic solutions through inspiration, integration of new and innovative thinking and an ability to bring out the best in creative teams

People - 10%

The part you play in leading and mentoring the talent within the team, and contributing to team culture.

• Share your strategic skills, insights and thought-leadership with the wider agency as part of internal learning and development, and in an informal nature on your accounts
• Participate and connect with others in a way that supports an inclusive culture that embraces diversity of thought
• Mentor and coach junior team members working on your projects; lead collaboratively.

Partnerships - 10%

Your role in building strong relationships with our clients and partners in the M+C Saatchi Group.

• Become an indispensable partner to your day-to-day clients and your account management and creative teams internally
• Act as the point person for our research and trend tools, building relationships with partners and helping to keep the team abreast of latest features

Presence - 5%

Your role in building a positive reputation for our work and business within our industry and beyond.

• Identify opportunities for growth on your accounts and support on new business pitches where required.

Profit - 15%

Your accountability for actively helping our agency make money; organically and through new business.

• Identify opportunities for growth on your accounts and support on new business pitches where required.

Your Unique Skills & Experience

• 3+ years brand, insight or comms planning strategy experience, with strong experience in digital strategy
• BA degree or equivalent is ideal
• Strategic thinking - the ability to see the bigger picture and bring the required pieces of the puzzle together
• Analysis - the ability to analyse information and make data-led strategic decisions
• Strong presentation skills - the ability to sell your strategy and the impact it will have on a broader scale

Attributes

• Collaborative mindset
• Curiosity
• Kindness

What we value most

• Walk in Other Worlds
• Make Uncommon Sense
• Run Towards the Fire*
• Roll As One
• Be Excellent to Each Other

*except if there is an actual fire when we run away from it

What We Offer

For the right team member, we will offer a competitive salary and benefits package which includes;

• Great holidays: 23 days annual holiday, plus birthday day off.
• Great flexibility: Friday work from home & 10 days of working from anywhere in the world.
• Great benefits: private healthcare plan and perks.
• Great professional development: a mentoring progamme at global level and generous training budgets to support your career pathway, and
• Great fun: a blended working culture and celebration days to socialise, bond and learn together.