Chief Strategy Officer, EMEA

Job Description for Chief Strategy Officer at UM

UM emphasizes strategy as a key business driver. The Chief Strategy Officer is a crucial leadership role responsible for innovation, positioning, and new business across the region. Reporting to the President of UM EMEA, this role leads a high-performing, talented Strategy department.

The ideal candidate is a future-facing strategist with a passion for business and consumer strategy in media. This progressive thinker and proven leader will oversee UM’s strategy product and capability roadmap, working closely with the leadership team to understand client needs and market opportunities. The Chief Strategy Officer will lead UM EMEA’s strategic offerings, driving organic growth and developing a top-tier strategy team. They will also play a key role in client relationships and new business development, crafting winning strategies and propositions for existing and prospective clients.

Key Responsibilities

External/Client

• Identify key business challenges or opportunities for clients and quantify outcomes to meet their goals, maintaining positive relationships.
• Set challenges and foster a regional culture for award-winning work.
• Present confidently to C-level client contacts on various topics within and outside traditional media agency scope.
• Develop the next iteration of our thought leadership agenda.
• Proactively identify strategic issues and demonstrate analytical skills to address them.
• Oversee strategic responses for critical clients from briefing to final documentation.
• Collaborate with clients and the agency to transform media needs and operationalize multi-market structures.

Internal

• Represent the strategy function in the UM EMEA regional leadership team.
• Develop and motivate a high-performing strategy team.
• Lead by example to produce innovative and creative strategic thinking across platforms.
• Ensure the strategy team continues to develop world-class talent.
• Recruit, motivate, and manage resources.
• Create a compelling UM EMEA story with a disruptive and provocative edge.
• Deliver strategies with insights, audience targeting, and strategic platform ideas.
• Refine and embed UM’s processes to maintain industry-leading standards.
• Work with research and analytics teams to define measurement and optimization plans.

Commercial

• Work with Business Development to craft innovative, winning strategies for pitches.
• Contribute to revenue growth by enhancing strategic output and positioning.
• Lead the strategy aspect of new business pitches.
• Collaborate with clients to pilot and sell new strategic capabilities, positioning strategy as a growth driver.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Progressive, strategic thinker with a passion for client engagement and media landscape expertise.
• Strong understanding of digital trends and consumer motivations.
• Leadership experience and a passion for team development.
• Excellent attention to detail and project delivery approach.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills.
• Business acumen with strategic and analytical skills.
• Tenacious, problem-solver, and curious about new ideas and experimentation.
• Multi-market experience is preferred but not essential.

UM values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive culture and encourage applicants to discuss any accessibility needs during the recruitment process.