Associate Director of Strategy

WPP Unite; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Medical/Dental/Vision

401K match

Parental leave

Disability & life insurance

Job summary

Barrows, part of WPP Unite, seeks an Associate Director Strategy in New York to drive shopper-centric, insight-led strategies across commerce and retail. You will lead research, craft compelling strategic narratives, and guide cross-functional teams from insight to execution.

You will mentor junior strategists, partner with Creative, Account, and Media teams, and influence senior clients with data-driven storytelling. Hybrid work with 3 days in-office.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of marketing, strategy, planning, shopper marketing, or related agency experience.
• Proven ability to develop and lead strategic plans that connect consumer/shopper insights to business objectives.
• Strong understanding of shopper behavior, retail dynamics, retailer ecosystems, and commerce trends.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research and insight development skills, with a passion for uncovering the "why".
• Ability to translate insights into compelling, actionable strategies and recommendations.
• Experience working with senior clients and cross-functional teams across strategy, creative, media, shopper, and account teams.
• Strong presentation, storytelling, persuasion, and client relationship skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Curious, commercially minded, and passionate about retail, consumers, and how people shop.
• Proficiency in PowerPoint/Google Slides and Google Workspace.
• Ability to work in the office 3 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic thinking across shopper marketing, commerce, retail, and category reinvention briefs.
• Conduct deep research across consumer, shopper, category, retail, cultural, and market trends to uncover meaningful insights and opportunities.
• Translate data and insights into clear, differentiated, shopper-centric strategies that drive business results.
• Develop compelling strategic narratives and presentations that influence senior clients and sell through activation plans, creative ideas, and design thinking.
• Define the strategic direction for projects, guiding teams on research interpretation, implications, and application.
• Partner closely with Creative, Account, Media, Shopper, and client teams to ensure strategy is carried through from insight to execution.
• Lead and contribute to brainstorming and ideation, challenging teams to develop innovative solutions rooted in strategy.
• Bring a strong understanding of retail channels, shopper behavior, brand dynamics, and the evolving commerce landscape.
• Mentor and elevate junior strategists, helping build strategic capability across the team.

Job description

There's never been a more exciting time in marketing, as media and commerce continue to merge to drive meaningful consumer experiences. As one of the most innovative CPG companies in the world, Unilever, the maker of iconic brands such as Dove, Hellmann's, TRESemmé, Degree and many others, is adapting to this rapidly changing landscape with the help of WPP and its unparalleled network of agencies.

The newly-created unit, WPP Unite, will be the pioneering force at this intersection, led by two of WPP's most dynamic agencies: GroupM and Barrows, operating as ONE end to end strategy, design, and execution powerhouse.

GroupM will bring their media thought-leadership and performance expertise, combined with the retail and commercial expertise of Barrows to deliver integrated, end-to-end programs for the entire Unilever portfolio of iconic, household brands. True to its name, the team operates with a unified vision, from initial strategy to final execution, leveraging our collective expertise in design, engineering, and media integration to craft world-class brand programming.

WPP Unite, comprised of the best talent in the industry, will pioneer a truly integrated agency model and drive unprecedented growth for Unilever in the years to come.

Barrows brings 40 years of expertise in retail design and marketing, and excels in leveraging insights and cutting-edge digital strategies to create engaging omni-channel experiences.

As a key part of WPP Unite, Barrows will help shape the future of commerce marketing across renowned brand categories and retailers, and drive meaningful results for one of the world's leading consumer goods companies.

Roles and Responsibilities

Within the WPP Unite structure Barrows is looking for a Associate Director Strategy to join our dynamic team. Strategists are at the core of everything we do. They ground our most complex projects, turning research and data into actionable insights then translating how that comes to life across the commerce journey. Equally analytical and creative, they have a love for solving problems in new and exciting ways. They are logical, methodical and measured with their approach, always with a story rooted in insights. Did someone say story? On the flip side, our strategists are our hero storytellers- they're passionate about the when and why, bringing this to life through communications and big idea thinking.

They have a passion for getting inside the mind of the shopper (whether online, in-store or just about anywhere else) to inform the strategies we bring to life.

In addition to bringing a killer attitude and energy, this individual must be able to:

• Lead strategic thinking across shopper marketing, commerce, retail, and category reinvention briefs.
• Conduct deep research across consumer, shopper, category, retail, cultural, and market trends to uncover meaningful insights and opportunities.
• Translate data and insights into clear, differentiated, shopper-centric strategies that drive business results.
• Develop compelling strategic narratives and presentations that influence senior clients and sell through activation plans, creative ideas, and design thinking.
• Define the strategic direction for projects, guiding teams on research interpretation, implications, and application.
• Partner closely with Creative, Account, Media, Shopper, and client teams to ensure strategy is carried through from insight to execution.
• Lead and contribute to brainstorming and ideation, challenging teams to develop innovative solutions rooted in strategy.
• Bring a strong understanding of retail channels, shopper behavior, brand dynamics, and the evolving commerce landscape.
• Mentor and elevate junior strategists, helping build strategic capability across the team.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of marketing, strategy, planning, shopper marketing, or related agency experience.
• Proven ability to develop and lead strategic plans that connect consumer/shopper insights to business objectives.
• Strong understanding of shopper behavior, retail dynamics, retailer ecosystems, and commerce trends.
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research and insight development skills, with a passion for uncovering the "why".
• Ability to translate insights into compelling, actionable strategies and recommendations.
• Experience working with senior clients and cross-functional teams across strategy, creative, media, shopper, and account teams.
• Strong presentation, storytelling, persuasion, and client relationship skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Curious, commercially minded, and passionate about retail, consumers, and how people shop.
• Proficiency in PowerPoint/Google Slides and Google Workspace.
• Ability to work in the office 3 days per week.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $95,000- $130,000

*exact compensation will be determined based on individual experience

Benefits include:

• Unlimited PTO
• Medical, Dental, Vision (with an option for free medical care!)
• 401K with a % match
• Various maternity/paternity leave options
• Fully funded disability and life insurance options