Brand Strategist

UNAVAILABLE; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness options

Agency perks

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

Colle McVoy seeks a Strategist to power brand strategy with research insights, creative briefs, and cross‑functional collaboration. You’ll blend qualitative and quantitative signals, design strategic narratives, and lead parts of client presentations with confidence.

The role emphasizes AI-enabled research, culture trend watching, and connective thinking across social, digital, content and brand experiences in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience.
• 2+ years of strategic planning or a strategically driven role required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools responsibly in day-to-day strategic work.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to great work across multiple client businesses, developing fluency in connecting research and data to strategic POVs and insights.
• Support the creation of clear, inspiring creative briefs by articulating concise findings from data, framing implications for clients, and shaping compelling strategic narratives that inspire integrated teams.
• Compile relevant research without explicit guidance; identify and implement research agendas with clear objectives and desired outcomes.
• Design mixed-method research plans (qualitative, quantitative, behavioral, platform data) for client and new business needs.
• Spot meaningful patterns across culture, data, and behavior, and develop insights that directly drive creative or experience decisions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to inform brand and go-to-market strategies across social, digital, content and brand experience.
• Produce clear strategic artifacts (briefs, maps, frameworks) and use AI and traditional craft tools to explore multiple directions quickly.
• Present clearly and confidently to clients with guidance, and lead sections of major presentations independently.
• Stay informed about cultural trends, consumer behavior, emerging technologies, social media, creator culture, and influencers to identify innovative opportunities.
• Support agency growth goals in digital innovation, sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion by representing these viewpoints in strategy development.
• Contribute to team morale, mentor Associate Strategists informally, and improve teammates’ work through clear feedback and facilitation.
• Integrate AI into workflow to increase speed and option generation; write effective prompts and validate outputs critically.

Skills

Brand strategy

Research synthesis

AI tools

Presenting to clients

Cross-functional collaboration

Hybrid/remote teamwork

Cultural trends

Brand storytelling

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

LLMs

Research platforms

Job description

Colle McVoy

Colle McVoy is a full-service, certified B Corp agency building enduring relationships between forward-thinking brands and people. For more than 90 years, we've reinvented ourselves to meet the changing needs of brands and the people they serve. We believe the strongest ideas begin with a deep understanding of people, creating ideas that build brands, influence decisions and move culture.

Recognized as a Fast Company Most Innovative Company, Adweek Midsize Agency of the Year, Ad Age A-List honoree, SABRE Disruptive Agency of the Year and a Best Place to Work for 15 consecutive years, Colle McVoy brings together the right people, perspectives and expertise to solve modern business challenges. Our connected capabilities span brand and influencer strategy, design, experiential, social, content, media and earned creative/PR.

As part of DonerColle Partners, a strategic alliance with Doner, Colle McVoy extends its connected capabilities through expanded strategy, creative, media, production and AI-powered innovation to help brands win between the coasts.

Job Overview

At Colle McVoy, our Strategists have a passion for tapping the full power of a brand to solve problems and inspire inventive creative solutions, including creative campaigns and activations; design efforts, including visual identity, retail and digital experiences; paid, owned and earned-media concepts and more. As a curious thinker, doer, creator, and explorer, a Strategist will thrive in helping cross-functional teams navigate through the gray toward fresh concepts that move both people and business results.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to great work across multiple client businesses, developing fluency in connecting research and data to strategic POVs and insights.
• Support the creation of clear, inspiring creative briefs by articulating concise findings from data, framing implications for clients, and shaping compelling strategic narratives that inspire integrated teams.
• Compile relevant research without explicit guidance; identify and implement research agendas with clear objectives and desired outcomes.
• Design mixed-method research plans (qualitative, quantitative, behavioral, platform data) for client and new business needs.
• Spot meaningful patterns across culture, data, and behavior, and develop insights that directly drive creative or experience decisions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to inform brand and go-to-market strategies across social, digital, content and brand experience.
• Produce clear strategic artifacts (briefs, maps, frameworks) and use AI and traditional craft tools to explore multiple directions quickly.
• Present clearly and confidently to clients with guidance, and lead sections of major presentations independently.
• Stay informed about cultural trends, consumer behavior, emerging technologies, social media, creator culture, and influencers to identify innovative opportunities.
• Support agency growth goals in digital innovation, sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion by representing these viewpoints in strategy development.
• Contribute to team morale, mentor Associate Strategists informally, and improve teammates’ work through clear feedback and facilitation.
• Integrate AI into workflow to increase speed and option generation; write effective prompts and validate outputs critically.

Required Skills

• Compiles relevant research without explicit guidance, and designs mixed-method research plans across qualitative, quantitative, behavioral, and platform data.
• Writes clear briefs, prompts, and documents that others can act on immediately, and explains complex ideas simply to mixed audiences.
• Spots meaningful patterns across culture, data, and behavior, and develops insights that directly drive creative or experience decisions.
• Produces clear strategic artifacts (briefs, maps, frameworks) and compelling strategic narratives that inspire creatives.
• Contributes meaningful content to presentations and workshops, and leads sections of major presentations independently.
• Manages workflow smoothly across hybrid and remote teams; gives constructive feedback and collaborates across disciplines.
• Delivers reliably and communicates status proactively; anticipates needs and removes friction for teams.
• Makes others’ work easier through clarity and support; identifies emerging opportunities during everyday work.
• Understands project roles, timelines, and dependencies; flags scope risks early.
• Uses AI tools for research, brainstorming, and synthesis responsibly; writes effective prompts and validates outputs critically.
• A positive, proactive, make-it-happen attitude.
• Passion for brilliant work, great strategy, and a constant drive to make things better.
• Curiosity about what makes a brand meaningful, what is driving and influencing culture, and why people do what they do.
• Growing experience across both B2C and B2B brand platforms and go-to-market strategies.
• Strong understanding of cultural and technological trends and their impact on brand strategy.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience.
• 2+ years of strategic planning or a strategically driven role required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools (e.g., LLMs, research and synthesis platforms) responsibly in day-to-day strategic work.
• Ability to travel as needed.

At the time of posting, the base salary for this position ranges from $60,000 to $75,000. Compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, and qualifications. In addition to the base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health and wellness options, agency perks, and the flexibility of a hybrid work environment.

About Colle Mcvoy

Colle McVoy is a full-service, certified B Corp agency building enduring relationships between forward-thinking brands and people. For more than 90 years, we've evolved alongside the brands and people we serve. We believe the strongest ideas begin with a deep understanding of people, creating work that builds brands, influences decisions and moves culture.

Recognized as an Adweek Agency of the Year, Ad Age A-List Standout Agency and a Fast Company Most Innovative Company, we partner with iconic brands including 3M, Dairy Queen, McCormick & Company, Perdue Farms, Revlon, Target, U.S. Bank and more. Our connected capabilities bring together strategy, creative, design, experiential, social, content, media and earned creative/PR.

As part of DonerColle Partners, a strategic alliance with Doner, we extend those capabilities through expanded production, AI-powered innovation and integrated expertise to help brands win between the coasts. For more information, visit collemcvoy.com and donercolle.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.