Creative Strategy Resident

MAS Event and Design LLC; United States; On-site; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

MAS is seeking a Creative Strategy Resident for a 20-week remote residency. This part-time, hourly contract offers exposure to strategy, research, and creative development alongside leading experts in experiential marketing.

You’ll collaborate with the Strategy team on RFPs, client projects, and internal initiatives while building portfolio-ready work and enhancing your understanding of how strategy shapes event experiences.

Qualifications

• Experience crafting brand narratives and marketing concepts.
• Ability to conduct and synthesize brand or industry research.
• Comfort with drafting clear, concise copy and presenting ideas.

Responsibilities

• Participate in a capstone project resulting in a portfolio piece and present to the agency.
• Conduct in-depth research on brands, audiences, and industry trends and synthesize findings.
• Assist senior strategists in translating client objectives into creative strategies and event themes.
• Contribute to brainstorming for event experiences and guest engagement.
• Analyze cultural shifts and emerging technologies to identify opportunities in event design.
• Share interesting brand activations and trends to inspire the team.
• Draft, edit, and refine copy for decks, manifests, signage, and social posts.
• Help design visually compelling presentations using PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides.
• Assist in defining success metrics for creative strategies and events.
• Gather and organize during- and post-event data to support MAS case studies.
• Be an engaged team member contributing to MAS’s culture and growth.

Skills

Creative writing

Research skills

Proactive learner

Brand research

Google Workspace

Presentation layout

AI tools

PowerPoint

Keynote

Google Slides

Job description

Job Title: Creative Strategy Resident

Group/Team: Strategy

Reports to: Strategy Mentor

Location: Remote

Employment Type: Part-time, 20-week contract, hourly

Time Period: Jan. 25–Jun. 11, 2027

WHO WE ARE

We're all creatives here, even if your title doesn't say so.

MAS is an award-winning experiential agency driven by people who care deeply about the work and the impact it creates. We design immersive environments, live moments, and digitally integrated experiences that challenge brands to move beyond the expected.

At MAS we don't settle for anything less than more.

We'd rather hear the idea that scares us than the one that plays it safe, so bring your boldest self, we’re built for it. We're not for everyone. But we're everything for our people.

MAS is a member of the Opus Group, a collective of agencies including Verve and Opus Agency who together create experiences that create action for the world's most influential brands. That gives us shared services across IT, HR, Finance, and Legal, and a network of teams we lean on for best practices and global resources.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The MAS Residency program is a 20-week tasting of our MAS special sauce — who we are, what we do, and how we do it. It's a deep dive into the experiential marketing industry, where fresh minds can immerse themselves in our world (and our clients’). During this time, residents will have the opportunity to hone and grow their skills, while also uncovering new interests and opportunities along the way. Ultimately this is a unique chance to collaborate closely with leading experts in the field, forge invaluable professional connections, actively contribute to the agency’s perspective, and depart with substantial portfolio work.

We’re not looking for coffee runners, we’re looking for cultural collaborators! We're looking for standout candidates ready to go above and beyond what is asked for. We want relentless learners, envelope-pushers, and creatives who are immune to ordinary thinking. You’re not just here to sit in and watch how the magic happens; you’re here to roll up your sleeves and help shape the future for the world’s most influential brands.

Now you might be thinking, this all sounds great, but what is Creative Strategy at MAS? Good question! We build the strategies that help brands connect with their audiences in fantastically unique and meaningful ways. This could look like helping a brand determine where and how to show up IRL, translating complex objectives into a compelling story, or leveraging cultural insights to craft a social strategy. For this role, we’re looking for an exceptional writer, aspiring marketer, and passionate creative thinker eager to grow. You will be a part of the Strategy team, supporting RFPs, client projects, and internal initiatives.

YOU SHOULD HAVE

• A knack for knowing what people want to see, read, and hear, coupled with a natural affinity for telling a brand's story.

• The ability to tackle research briefs, conduct brand or industry research, and synthesize large amounts of information into clear takeaways.

• A drive to soak up industry knowledge, ask questions, and be proactive in every task you take on.

• A genuine interest in researching major brands, cultural trends, and industry news.

• Enthusiasm for events and experiential marketing.

• Interest in marketing, strategy, communications, or a related field.

• Clear and confident written and verbal skills, across drafting emails, participating in video calls, messaging the team, and more.

• Strong attention to grammatical details and tone of voice (what even is an Oxford comma anyway?).

• Solid time-management and basic project-management abilities to help keep fast-moving projects on track.

• A collaborative attitude amid shifting timelines and priorities.

• Comfort learning and navigating new digital tools and platforms.

• Familiarity with Google Workspace (e.g., Slides, Docs, Drive) and a basic eye for presentation layout.

• Bonus points: Proficiency in the use of AI tools like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini to assist with ideation and research.

• Note: You will need access to a personal laptop for the duration of the 20-week program.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in a special capstone project with fellow residents that will result in a one-of-a-kind portfolio piece and an opportunity to present your work to the broader agency.

• Conduct in-depth research on brands, audiences, and industry trends (events, design, and cultural), synthesizing findings into actionable insights.

• Assist senior strategists in translating client business objectives and marketing goals into compelling, insight-led creative strategies and event themes.

• Contribute to brainstorming and ideation sessions to generate innovative and unique concepts for event experiences, environmental design, and guest engagement.

• Analyze cultural shifts and emerging technologies (e.g., experiential tech, sustainable design) to identify strategic opportunities for event design.

• Keep the team inspired by sharing interesting brand activations, emerging platforms, or experiential trends.

• Draft, edit, and refine copy across various touchpoints, from presentation decks and manifestos to event signage and social posts.

• Help develop and design visually compelling presentation decks (e.g., in PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides) that articulate the creative strategy, rationale, and vision for client pitches and proposals.

• Assist in defining key success metrics for creative strategies, focusing on how event design drives tangible results (e.g., engagement, brand recall, sentiment).

• Gather and organize during- and post-event data to support the creation of MAS case studies that showcase the business impact.

• Act as an engaged team member who contributes to MAS’s culture, perspective, and growth.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN RETURN

• Hands-on experience delivering research, crafting strategies, and brainstorming ideas for the world’s biggest brands.

• Masterclasses on everything from how to craft the perfect story to how to ace the pitch.

• Direct access and insight into each department: Strategy, Creative, Design, Accounts, New Business, Marketing, Production, and Operations.

• Temporary contract position with potential for extension or conversion.

• A collaborative, inclusive, and enthusiastic team.

HOW WE’LL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The starting pay for this role is $22.00 per hour. Our pay ranges are based on third-party national average market compensation analysis. The actual pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs, and market demands. The pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

NOT SURE IF YOU SHOULD APPLY?

Studies show that those identifying as under-represented individuals might have talked themselves out of applying at this point. Don’t worry about checking every single box. At MAS, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic team – so if you’re excited about this role, but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every single qualification in this job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the right candidate for this role or we may have other roles that better align with your skillset.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Individuals will be required to sit for the majority of the day and may be required to stand as needed. May require ability to ambulate primarily on a level surface for periodic periods throughout the day. Individuals may be required to travel via airplane, train, taxi, car and/or other means of transportation, as needed.

OTHER DUTIES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee/ candidate a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. This does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship. This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Opus Agency does not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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