Strategist (Midweight - Senior level)

VCCP; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

VCCP is seeking a motivated planner with a hunger for learning and a knack for turning data into compelling brand narratives. You will work across high-profile UK brands, shaping strategies, evaluating cultural trends, and identifying growth opportunities.

Join a fast-paced team that values curiosity, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. As part of the Planning department, you’ll support senior planners on complex projects, own smaller workstreams, and contribute to pitches and client

Qualifications

• Strategy/consulting/business experience, with comfort handling data.
• Ability to build clear narratives and present them to clients.
• Curiosity about people and behaviour; forward-thinking on AI.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving in fast-paced environments.
• Interest in creative work and leveraging data for insight.

Responsibilities

• Work with UK brands to solve creative and commercial problems.
• Keep pulse on internet culture, tech trends, and media shifts to stay relevant.
• Help with pitches and new business, identifying growth opportunities.
• Analyze trend reports, social listening, and data to understand consumer behavior.
• Become the expert on tools like Mintel, TGI and Meltwater.
• Collaborate with senior strategists to turn client problems into actionable briefs.

Skills

Strategy/consulting/business exp

Data literacy

Attention to detail

Narrative building

AI experimentation

Team player

Tools

Mintel

TGI

Meltwater

Job description

VCCP is the global challenger network for challenger brands. With more than 1,500 people across 13 offices in North America, EMEA and APAC, we challenge convention to create value for the world’s most ambitious organisations.

Our founding belief is It Only Works If It All Works. That’s why we bring specialists from every discipline - strategy, AI, data, media, digital, experience, branding, creativity, production, PR, CX, CRM, employee engagement and beyond - into one fully integrated challenger network.

We were founded on the principles of simplicity, collaboration and un-preciousness, and we’ve grown by staying true to them. Today, our clients include some of the world’s most recognisable and progressive brands, such as Virgin Media O2, Barclays, Cadbury, Compare the Market, Domino’s, White Claw, easyJet, Primark and Co-op.

VCCP has topped the AAR’s annual new business ranking in 13 of the last 14 years and holds multiple Agency of the Year titles. Across every company and every capability, we share the same ambition: to challenge ourselves, challenge our clients and challenge the industry for the better.

THE ROLE

We’re looking for a motivated, ambitious, and curious individual to join VCCP’s Planning department. Ideally, we’re looking for a strategist pushing fast towards Senior Strategist. The individual will work with complex businesses that need rigorous strategic support, so there will be lots to get stuck into. We are looking for someone who can take ownership of smaller projects, while supporting senior planners on bigger pieces. Work streams could include anything from upstream strategic thinking and integrated campaigns, to more tactical trading, research and proactive creative opportunities. In terms of outlook, we are looking for a lean‑in attitude. This person should be a self starter who demonstrates strong agency and an enthusiasm for solving problems. In a fast‑paced environment, adaptability and resilience is also really key, and we’re always looking for team players who will be additive to our culture.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR?

• Hustle, humility and a hunger to learn
• Strategy/consulting/business experience. They may or may not be coming from an ad agency background but comfort with data, and excellent attention to detail, is a must
• The ability to build clear narratives and articulate them fluently internally and to clients
• A deep curiosity about people and their behaviour
• A positive outlook on how technology can be used to build future‑facing brands, as well as experience with AI experimentation
• A passion for great creative work and the opportunity to build some of the UK’s biggest brands, with a strong POV on what it takes to make great work

WHAT WOULD THE DAY-TO-DAY LOOK LIKE?

• Working with some of the UK’s biggest brands to solve creative and commercial problems
• Keeping a pulse on internet culture, tech trends, and media shifts to ensure our work always feels fresh and culturally relevant
• Working on pitches and new business, helping brands find new opportunities for growth
• Diving into trend reports, synthetic research, social media listening and qualitative/quantitative data to figure out what makes consumers tick and how they interact with brands
• Becoming the expert on tools like Mintel, TGI and Meltwater
• Collaborating with senior strategists to turn complex client problems into simple, inspiring and actionable briefs for our creative teams
• Putting together research decks, competitor reviews, mood boards and other presentations to spark big ideas and tell compelling stories
• Interviewing customers and analysing findings from focus groups
• Actively participating in client meetings and creative reviews

About You

• A passion for all things creative and advertising
• Resilience to keep going in a fast paced environment
• Thrive on working in a high energy and fast paced environment, where no two days are the same
• Be proactive with a can‑do attitude - be eager to get your sleeves rolled up and learn
• Strive for excellence - be proud of your work and have meticulous attention to detail
• Friendly and approachable
• Build rapport and able to quickly establish excellent working relationships
• Live and breathe the agency’s values
• Strives for excellence
• Can‑do attitude
• Approachable and personable
• Builds rapport and is able to quickly establish excellent working relationships
• Team player

VCCP DE&I STATEMENT

We believe that DE&I is about creating a strong culture of inclusion within our agency, where everyone can thrive and be their authentic self. VCCP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or ethnicity. If you require any adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know via [e-mail].

CRIMINAL RECORDS INFORMATION

As part of our onboarding process, you will be required to complete a Criminal Records Declaration regarding any unspent convictions. For roles in finance, HR, Legal, IT or senior management, we may be required to verify your declaration with a basic DBS check, as well as an Adverse Finance and ID check.