Strategy Partner (Senior)

UNAVAILABLE; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media agency in the UK seeks a Strategy Partner to drive strategic transformation for a major retail brand. This role involves leading insights-driven strategy, partnering with senior clients, and applying data to real-world challenges. Candidates should have strong retail experience and exceptional communication skills. This position offers a hybrid working environment and a chance to influence significant commercial growth.

Benefits

Flexible working

Health benefits

Family friendly policies

Reflection days

Local discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience in retail or FMCG with understanding of UK dynamics.
• Experience in leading senior client relationships.
• Ability to apply data insight to retail challenges.

Responsibilities

• Acting as a strategic lead for a leading UK retailer.
• Partnering with stakeholders to define positioning.
• Applying retail knowledge to identify growth opportunities.
• Using performance data to uncover insights.

Skills

Strategic experience in retail or FMCG

Understanding of UK consumer dynamics

Data and behavioural insight application

Confident communication

Natural collaboration

Job description

Company Description

Spark Foundry make up part of a thriving global media network and are part of the Publicis Groupe, one of the world’s leading communications groups. We are globally connected with over 8,000 employees in 110 offices across 70 countries.

Who We Are in the UK?

Spark Foundry, the Acceleration Agency.

We help brands to identify, learn and respond to opportunities faster than the competition.

Every client has an area of their business they need to accelerate, from short-term goals to long-term transformation.

We’ve proven our approach during the most difficult year on record. Now we’re using it to provide a launchpad for their future.

Come be an accelerator with us.

How we accelerate

• Planning: an approach that works in practice rather than theory, arming planners with the ability to create cutting edge campaigns
• Intelligence: a suite of tools that give definitive answers to big questions, and uncovers actionable insights about real people
• Trading: a model built on flexibility and trusted relationships, underpinned with bold guarantees
• Relationships: a culture of asking challenging questions to better understand the brief – we are not a ‘yes’ agency
• People: a strong history of recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds and accelerating their careers

Our Commitment

We are diverse though our experience, people and the clients we look after - and we celebrate that diversity. Our people hold us accountable to our beliefs and via regular surveys and our grass roots D&I team, The Collective, and internal next generation board, Firestarters, we hold regular events and work continually towards generating ideas, initiatives and educating our people to ensure we are a diverse and inclusive agency.

As part of our dedication to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, Spark Foundry is committed to equal access to opportunity for people without regard to race, age, sex, disability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.

Job Description

We’re looking for a Strategy Partner to join Spark Foundry, leading strategy for one of the UK’s biggest retail brands at a pivotal moment in its evolution. Retail is an industry defined by rapid change and razor-thin margins—and this is your chance to help a major player redefine what value, loyalty, and brand distinctiveness mean in today’s market.

You’ll work closely with senior clients, creative agency partners, and a talented internal team to turn complex retail challenges into sharp strategic opportunities. This is a role for a strategic heavyweight who thrives on solving big problems—someone who can think fast, challenge constructively, and shape work that drives growth in one of the most competitive categories out there.

You will also be a lead in pitches for Spark, setting the vision, pulling the best and brightest minds across the agency to be a part of a first class pitch experience.

What you’ll be doing

• Acting as a strategic lead for a leading UK retailer, driving transformation through insight-led thinking

• Partnering with senior marketing and brand stakeholders to define and evolve positioning in a fast-changing retail landscape

• Applying deep retail knowledge to identify growth opportunities across customer acquisition, frequency, and basket size

• Using consumer, loyalty and performance data to uncover powerful insights and translate them into clear, actionable strategies

• Shaping brand and comms strategies that balance price perception, brand equity and long-term growth

• Connecting paid, owned and earned media—ensuring media, creative and in-store activations work seamlessly together

• Working hand-in-hand with planning and activation teams to bring strategies to life through best-in-class campaigns

• Acting as a confident challenger and thought partner to clients and agency teams alike, driving the standard of work across the board

What we’re looking for

• Proven strategic experience in retail or FMCG, with strong understanding of UK consumer dynamics and the grocery landscape

• Experience leading senior client relationships and partnering closely with creative agencies

• Ability to apply data and behavioural insight to real-world retail challenges

• A confident communicator who can simplify complex problems, craft compelling stories, and make strategic decisions with clarity

• Comfortable operating at pace and thriving in an environment where priorities shift and opportunities emerge quickly

• A natural collaborator and influencer who builds trust, fosters creative tension, and galvanises teams around shared goals

Why this role

This is a rare opportunity to lead strategic transformation for one of the UK’s most recognisable retail brands. You’ll have the autonomy to shape thinking that drives commercial and cultural impact—backed by a senior, supportive team at Spark Foundry who thrive on curiosity, experimentation, and making bold ideas happen.

You’ll be working at the intersection of brand, media, and retail experience—turning data, insight and creativity into strategies that deliver growth in one of the most competitive markets in the world.

Additional Information

Sparkhas fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees. In addition to the classics,Pension,Life Assurance, Private Medical and IncomeProtectionPlanswe also offer;

• WORK YOUR WORLDopportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
• REFLECTION DAYS- Two additional days of paid leave to step away from your usual day-to-day work and create time to focus on your well-being and self-care.
• HELP@HAND BENEFITS24/7 helpline to support you on a personal and professional level.Access to remote GPs, mental health support and CBT.Wellbeing content and lifestyle coaching.
• FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIESWe provide 26 weeks of full pay for the following family milestones: Maternity. Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental Leave.
• FLEXIBLE WORKING, BANK HOLIDAY SWAP&BIRTHDAY DAY OFFYou are entitled to an additional day off for your birthday, from your first day of employment.
• GREAT LOCAL DISCOUNTSThis includes membership discounts with Soho Friends, local restaurants and retailers in Westfield White City and Television Centre.

Full details of ourbenefits will be shared when you join us!

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office-based three days during the working week.

We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process.

Please make sure you check out the Publicis Career Pagewhich showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).

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