Head of Talent & Influencer Strategy

KCD; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

KCD in New York is seeking a Head of Talent & Influencer Strategy to lead strategy across talent, creators and cultural communities. You will shape partnerships, manage high-value collaborations and align media relations, digital, creative and events teams to deliver integrated programs with clear brand value.

The role requires senior advisory skills, strong judgment, and a track record of turning opportunities into measurable impact across luxury, fashion and beauty brands.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in talent relations, influencer or entertainment marketing, public relations, cultural strategy or brand partnerships.
• Experience advising luxury, fashion, beauty, lifestyle or culture-led brands in an agency or in-house environment.
• A strong, current network across talent representation, entertainment, creators, fashion, beauty, media and culture.
• A record of leading integrated talent and influencer programs that deliver awareness, engagement and business value.

Responsibilities

• Develop talent, creator and influencer strategies aligned with each client’s positioning, audience and business goals.
• Advise senior clients on partnerships, ambassadors, seeding, earned engagement and key cultural opportunities.
• Identify established and emerging talent, creators, communities and moments with strong brand relevance.
• Evaluate opportunities using brand fit, audience quality, content potential, cultural value, risk and expected impact.
• Build and sustain trusted relationships with talent, managers, agents, publicists, stylists, creators and industry leaders.
• Lead outreach, negotiation and partnership development across paid and earned activity.
• Oversee contracts, approvals, budgets and deliverables with clients, legal teams and talent representatives.
• Create long-term relationship programs, not one-off transactions, wherever this better serves the brand.
• Turn talent and influencer partnerships into strong stories across earned, owned and social channels.
• Partner with media relations, digital, creative, production and events teams from concept through delivery.
• Lead the talent and influencer strategy for launches, campaigns, fashion shows, events and cultural moments.
• Ensure every partnership and guest touchpoint reflects the client’s standards, identity and intended audience experience.
• Serve as a senior client advisor, presenting clear recommendations and leading strategic conversations.
• Oversee program quality, timelines, budgets and team delivery across multiple accounts.
• Mentor and develop team members, setting clear priorities and encouraging collaborative, high-standard work.
• Support new business, scopes of work and the continued growth of the agency’s talent and influencer offer.
• Stay ahead of shifts in talent, entertainment, fashion, beauty, platforms and audience behavior.
• Define success measures at the start of each program and use results to improve future recommendations.
• Translate data, social insight and cultural signals into concise, practical guidance for clients.

Skills

Talent relations

Influencer marketing

Public relations

Brand partnerships

Negotiation

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Analytics tools

Job description

DESCRIPTION

The Head of Talent & Influencer Strategy leads how fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands build relevance and meaningful influence through talent, creators and cultural communities. This senior client-facing role shapes strategy, develops high-value partnerships and brings together media relations, digital, creative and events teams to deliver integrated programs with clear brand and business value. The role combines cultural intelligence, trusted relationships and disciplined execution. It requires strong judgment, an eye for brand fit and the ability to turn emerging opportunities into distinctive, measurable work.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Talent & Influence Strategy

• Develop talent, creator and influencer strategies aligned with each client’s positioning, audience and business goals.
• Advise senior clients on partnerships, ambassadors, seeding, earned engagement and key cultural opportunities.
• Identify established and emerging talent, creators, communities and moments with strong brand relevance.
• Evaluate opportunities using brand fit, audience quality, content potential, cultural value, risk and expected impact.

Relationships & Partnerships

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with talent, managers, agents, publicists, stylists, creators and industry leaders.
• Lead outreach, negotiation and partnership development across paid and earned activity.
• Oversee contracts, approvals, budgets and deliverables with clients, legal teams and talent representatives.
• Create long-term relationship programs, not one-off transactions, wherever this better serves the brand.

Integrated Campaigns & Experiences

• Turn talent and influencer partnerships into strong stories across earned, owned and social channels.
• Partner with media relations, digital, creative, production and events teams from concept through delivery.
• Lead the talent and influencer strategy for launches, campaigns, fashion shows, events and cultural moments.
• Ensure every partnership and guest touchpoint reflects the client’s standards, identity and intended audience experience.
• Serve as a senior client advisor, presenting clear recommendations and leading strategic conversations.
• Oversee program quality, timelines, budgets and team delivery across multiple accounts.
• Mentor and develop team members, setting clear priorities and encouraging collaborative, high-standard work.
• Support new business, scopes of work and the continued growth of the agency’s talent and influencer offer.

Insight & Measurement

• Stay ahead of shifts in talent, entertainment, fashion, beauty, platforms and audience behavior.
• Define success measures at the start of each program and use results to improve future recommendations.
• Translate data, social insight and cultural signals into concise, practical guidance for clients.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience & Qualities

• 10+ years of relevant experience in talent relations, influencer or entertainment marketing, public relations, cultural strategy or brand partnerships.
• Experience advising luxury, fashion, beauty, lifestyle or culture-led brands in an agency or in-house environment.
• A strong, current network across talent representation, entertainment, creators, fashion, beauty, media and culture.
• A record of leading integrated talent and influencer programs that deliver awareness, engagement and business value.
• Confident negotiation and commercial skills, including experience with contracts, budgets and complex stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of social platforms, creator partnerships, content, analytics and performance reporting.
• Clear, persuasive communication and the judgment to counsel senior clients in fast-moving situations.
• Proven people leadership, with the ability to set direction, develop talent and collaborate across specialist teams.
• Excellent organization and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and travel as required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience. Relevant study in communications, public relations, marketing or journalism is helpful but not essential.

HOW SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED

• Quality and originality of strategic counsel.
• Strength, relevance and diversity of the agency’s talent and creator relationships.
• Client confidence, retention and growth.
• Impact and efficiency of partnerships and integrated programs.
• Commercial discipline across scopes, budgets, contracts and delivery.
• Team development and effective cross-agency collaboration.