SVP, Strategy Director

CA001 Edelman PR Worldwide Canada In; Toronto; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Edelman is a leading global communications firm known for trust-driven work. The SVP, Strategy Director is the senior strategic leader responsible for shaping client direction, driving growth, and developing world-class strategy talent across the region, with Toronto responsibilities.

You will balance audience insight, data, creativity and client counsel to help brands navigate change and unlock growth, while mentoring strategists and partnering with cross‑functional teams to deliver impact.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of strategy, brand, advertising, consulting, or related work.
• Senior leadership experience on large, complex accounts ($1M+)
• Proven track record delivering culturally relevant, effective, and award-winning work
• Strong business acumen with growth and team-building experience
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and influencing skills
• BS/BA required; MBA or equivalent preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic thinking that drives measurable business results.
• Mentor and grow senior strategy talent across the region.
• Collaborate with creative, data, and intelligence teams to push new approaches.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Senior client leadership

Growth strategy

Communication & influencing

Presentation skills

Business acumen

Education

BS/BA

MBA preferred

Job description

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum. At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging. Edelman is a trusted voice helping organizations earn trust through action. Through the Edelman Trust Barometer, the definitive global study of trust, we inform and advise leaders across business, government, media, and civil society on how trust shapes growth, reputation, and societal expectations. Our work is consistently recognized at the industry’s highest levels, including Cannes Lions, WARC, and the IPA Effectiveness Awards.

The SVP, Strategy Director is the senior strategic leader responsible for shaping client direction, driving growth, and developing world-class strategy talent. This role partners closely with Global and U.S. Chief Strategy Officers, market leaders, and client teams to deliver insight-led, culturally relevant work that helps brands navigate change and unlock growth. At a time of major industry and societal shifts, clients are looking for new thinking, new tools, and new ways forward. You will balance audience insight, data, creativity, and client counsel to help brands succeed in a volatile and complex world – while leading and mentoring strategists across the region. This is both a hands‑on strategic role and a people leadership role: guiding teams, strengthening partnerships, and serving as a trusted advisor to some of the world’s leading brands.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Strategy & Growth
  Lead strategic thinking that drives measurable business results
  Serve as senior strategic counsel to priority clients and markets
  Support new business efforts and large, complex engagements
  Translate cultural, consumer, competitive, and data insights into clear strategic direction
• Team Leadership & Talent Development
  Lead, mentor, and grow senior strategy talent across the region
  Build diverse, high-performing teams and manage succession planning
  Oversee hiring, performance management, promotion, and workforce planning in partnership with leadership
• Collaboration & Innovation
  Partner with creative, data, and intelligence teams to push innovative approaches and methodologies
  Strengthen cross-practice collaboration and identify new opportunities for clients and the firm

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in strategy, brand, advertising, consulting, or related fields
• Proven senior leadership experience on large, complex accounts ($1M+)
• Track record of delivering culturally relevant, effective, and award-recognized work
• Strong business acumen with experience driving growth and building teams
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and influencing skills
• BS/BA required; MBA or equivalent preferred

Edelman is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and to creating a workplace where people feel respected, represented, and empowered to do their best work, and have a culture built on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum.

It started with one man's passion to make an impact through stories… 70 years later, we are the world’s largest communications firm, which fosters an environment where people feel empowered to take the kind of bold action that makes careers, reshapes industries, and creates the unexpected. We are one global team, over 6,000 strong across 60 offices, grounded by our shared values. We promise an experience where our employees see that boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum.

Since Dan Edelman founded the firm in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business, and our culture is one that brings understanding, collaboration, and respect to our work and to each other.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our clients, and our communities, and propel us forward as a company. At Edelman, we are in relentless pursuit of a fair and inspiring workplace that is respectful to all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust and collaboration. Each day and on each project, we strive to ensure that our colleagues feel a sense of true inclusion and belonging and can bring their best to their work— taking action and shaping impactful moments and movements within our company, on behalf of our clients, and within communities around the globe.

The relentless pursuit of excellence
The freedom to be constantly curious
The courage to do the right thing
The commitment to positively impact society.

We grow our people
We invite and celebrate differences
Our reputation is our brand
We’re global, yet local
We offer more than just a career – we offer a place to grow, make a meaningful impact, and help drive change alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.

Our culture is built on trust, innovation, and inclusivity, where unique perspectives are not only welcomed, but celebrated.

At Edelman, your ambitions are supported, your voice matters and your work contributes to shaping the future of communications and clients’ business.