Director, Strategy

Kepler Group; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare/Dental/Vision

Unlimited PTO

401k Contributions

Wellness Stipend

Mobile Phone Stipend

Internet Stipend

Tuition Stipend

New Hire Home Office Equipment Stipend

Parental Leave

Work From Anywhere - 4 weeks/yr

Job summary

Kepler Group is seeking a Director of Strategy to serve as a portfolio strategist guiding client growth and strategic vision. You will manage senior executive relationships across four B2B lines and transition to portfolio-level oversight, diagnosing performance trends and aligning media capabilities with client goals.

You will co-author long-term growth plans, develop strategy talent, and set standards for client excellence while partnering with senior leadership to ensure fiscal health and

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of digital media experience and 3+ years in a leadership role managing large-scale spend.
• Proven track record in Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and B2B lead generation strategies.
• Channel-agnostic understanding across Social, Programmatic, Search, Video, Audio, and Direct IO.
• Strong communicator and strategist capable of briefing C-suite executives.

Responsibilities

• Design integrated media plans across digital and traditional channels with KPIs for funnel stages.
• Own senior client relationships and serve as primary contact for executive discussions and escalations.
• Leverage Kip platform and testing frameworks to drive insights and AI tool adoption across portfolios.
• Monitor contract deliverables, scope alignment, and portfolio margins to improve execution.

Skills

Digital media leadership

ABM strategy

Executive communication

Multi-channel planning

Tools

NMI

YouGov

Pathmatics

Kip suite

Job description

Kepler executes engineered marketing, where every message and ad delivered helps create a more personalized and productive relationship between brands and their consumers. We do this by acting as clients’ agency of record, as their in-house team, or some hybrid of the two – and by harnessing data and technology across all paid digital media and data-driven CRM channels.

Kepler prides itself on being a great place to work. In fact, we’re proud to share that AdAge recognized Kepler among the Best Place to Work in 2022, validating our investment in our team and our clients.

• We’re transparent with our employees. You’ll hear updates on company financials, how we’re performing against bonus goals, and how we’re responding to challenges we face.
• We’re growing. For you, that means unparalleled growth opportunities and a role in shaping the direction of the company.
• We’re fun. You’ll work with and learn from the smartest people in the industry and have a blast doing it.

Role Overview

The Director of Strategy serves as a portfolio strategist and trusted advisor responsible for guiding overall client growth and strategic vision. Operating within a global IAT, the role manages senior executive relationships across four distinct B2B business lines. Transitioning from single-account management to portfolio-level oversight, you will diagnose performance trends, mitigate systemic risks, and align Kepler’s media capabilities with client business goals. In this role, you set the standard for client excellence, co-author long-term growth plans, and develop strategy talent across your portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Portfolio Strategy & Full-Funnel Planning: Design integrated media plans across digital and traditional channels. Connect campaign tactics to upper-, mid-, and lower-funnel KPIs while translating business briefs into strategic media frameworks.
• Client Excellence & Executive Relationships: Own senior client relationships across your portfolio. Serve as the primary point of contact for executive conversations, performance alignment, and high-impact account escalations.
• Innovation & Proprietary Tools: Leverage Kepler’s proprietary Kip platform (including audience segmentation, competitive research, and cultural insight toolsets) to inform strategic decisions. Partner with Activation teams to drive testing frameworks, AI tool adoption, and public case studies.
• Financial & Operational Health: Partner with senior leadership to monitor contract deliverables, scope alignment, and portfolio margin health. Spot cross-account operational friction and improve execution processes.
• Talent Development & Leadership: Coach and mentor your direct reports, Associate Directors, and your full team on strategic thinking and client management. Foster a culture of continuous learning, team engagement, and succession planning.

Core Competencies

• Deep knowledge of cross-channel media planning, flighting, and budget optimization.
• Proficiency with external planning tools (e.g., NMI, YouGov, Pathmatics) and proprietary platform capabilities (Kip suite).
• Strong executive presentation, brief writing, and strategic communication skills.
• Proven ability to navigate client categories, identify industry trends, and lead multi-disciplinary teams.

What We’re Looking For

• 8–10+ years of digital media experience, with 3+ years in a leadership role managing a multi-sector account with large-scale spend ($50M+).
• B2B Strategy & Execution: Proven track record in Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and B2B lead generation media campaign strategies.
• Growth Mindset: Motivated by client partnerships, team mentoring, and adept at providing a strategic vision that solves business challenges.
• Channel Agnostic: Holistic media understanding across Social, Programmatic, Search, Video, Audio, and Direct IO.
• Strong Communicator: Ability to distill complex media strategies into clear growth narratives for C-suite executives.

Transparency is fundamental to Kepler’s culture. Our compensation strategy is designed to attract, reward, and retain the talented employees that drive Kepler’s growth and success. We aim to offer competitive direct compensation and a rich indirect compensation program that demonstrates the value we place on our employees and their wellbeing.

Total Compensation:

• Base Salary: $140,000 - $160,000
• Target Annualized Discretionary Bonus: 10% ($14,000 - $16,000)
• Target Total Cash: $154,000 - $176,000

Benefits:

• Healthcare/Dental/Vision
• Unlimited PTO
• 401k Contributions
• $75/mo Wellness Stipend
• $100/mo Mobile Phone Stipend
• $50/mo Internet Stipend
• $500/yr Annual Learning Stipend
• $2,000/yr Annual Tuition Stipend
• One-time $200 New Hire Home Office Equipment Stipend
• Parental Leave - 16 week primary caregiver / 6 week secondary caregiver leave
• Annual Work From Anywhere 4 weeks per year