Group Strategy Director

Bayer; City Of London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company in London seeks a Global Group Strategy Director to lead strategic planning for iconic consumer health brands like Aspirin and Berocca. The role involves crafting integrated media strategies that drive brand growth and collaborating with various stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have experience in brand and media strategy and possess strong analytical skills. This position offers competitive perks, including flexi-leave, free meals, and comprehensive health benefits.

Benefits

Flexi-leave with 25 days annual leave

Free breakfast and lunch

Early finish Fridays

Retail discounts

Wellbeing programme

Life assurance

Private medical insurance

Generous parental leave

Financial education

Free eye tests

Qualifications

• Proven track record developing integrated brand and media strategies for global or regional clients.
• Comfortable leading senior client discussions with confidence and diplomacy.
• Experience as a media strategist or communications planning specialist.

Responsibilities

• Develop integrated brand and communications strategy across Bayer's global Megabrands.
• Define robust, evidence-led growth strategies for investments in various ecosystems.
• Craft global media strategies to translate brand ambition into actionable recommendations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Integrated brand and media strategies

Fluent in creative and media language

Data-driven decision making

Client relationship management

Collaborative workshop facilitation

Experience in media strategy

Job description

About Us

Initiative unlocks business growth for the world's most ambitious brands. We believe in the power of media to reshape our industry and orchestrate a brand's entire consumer experience, by balancing both what unites people and what makes them different. When brands unite people in culture, they build Fame, and when brands connect individuals to their unique journeys, they build customer Flow. Media responsibility is at the forefront of everything we do, whether it's creating media plans that reflect the diversity of our communities, promote brand safety, and foster sustainability. Our agency celebrates diversity in an inclusive environment where all of our 6,000+ strong talent across 90+ markets feel seen, heard, and valued. Our vision is to create not only a better media company, but also a better media industry, and maybe even a better world.

Role Description

We are searching for a Global Group Strategy Director to lead strategic excellence across Bayer Consumer Health's portfolio of iconic "Megabrands" (e.g. Asprin, Berocca, Alka-Seltzer, Canesten). This is a rare, high-impact role at the intersection of media and creative strategy designed for a thinker who can sit upstream with global clients and shape strategies that connect brand ambition, audience insight, and marketing effectiveness. You will play a pivotal role in driving growth strategies that translate seamlessly across creative and media, helping Bayer build the next era of consumer health brands.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the Global Head of Strategy to develop integrated brand and communications strategy across Bayer's global Megabrands, developing holistic frameworks that unify creative and media thinking.
• Partner with the Analytics and Effectiveness teams to define robust, evidence‑led growth strategies that determine where and how to invest across the paid, owned, earned, and shared ecosystem.
• Develop audience‑first strategies that inspire breakthrough ideas and drive meaningful brand growth across markets.
• Craft global media strategies that translate brand ambition into actionable recommendations for markets, balancing short‑term activation with long‑term brand building.
• Collaborate with senior creative and media leaders in workshop‑style environments to co‑create bold, category‑defining strategies.
• Present confidently to senior global marketing and brand leadership, influencing decisions that shape the future of Bayer's global brands.
• Serve as a strategic thought leader connecting insight, innovation, and integration to make Bayer's marketing more modern, digital‑first, and human‑centred.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Strategic leader who thrives at the intersection of creativity, media, and data and knows how to build strategies that inspire ideas and drive growth.
• Proven track record developing integrated brand and media strategies for global or regional clients.
• Fluent in the language of both creative and media and able to bridge disciplines and build alignment across diverse teams.
• Ability to translate data into direction, turning analytics, audience segmentation, and performance learnings into actionable strategy.
• Comfortable leading senior client conversations and navigating complex stakeholder environments with confidence and diplomacy.
• Energy for collaborative, fast‑paced workshops and belief that the best strategies are built together.
• Experience as a media strategist or communications planning specialist, ideally with experience working closely with creative teams/agencies.

Perks

• Flexi‑leave, with 25 days annual leave to be taken as minimum. In addition to your holiday entitlement, the office usually closes between Christmas & New Year.
• Free breakfast and free lunch.
• Early finish Fridays.
• Core hours (Mon‑Thurs, flexible start/finish times).
• Retail discounts.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice car scheme.
• Wellbeing programme, including Headspace & flu jabs.
• Interest‑free season ticket loan.
• Paid time off for volunteering.
• Group income protection.
• Life assurance.
• Private medical insurance or health cash plan (dependent on level).
• Group personal pension plan with matched contributions from 3‑6%.
• Generous parental leave & Pay Independent mortgage advice.
• Financial education.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Free eye tests.
• Flexible benefits including dental, travel insurance, cycle to work, gym discounts and many more!