Strategy Director

Turner Duckworth; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 207,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner Duckworth is seeking a Strategy Director to join our US team, bringing deep expertise in brand strategy and packaging design. You will lead complex client programs, shape positioning, and drive AI-enabled processes across EST/PST time zones.

The role reports to the Chief Strategy Officer and collaborates with TDNY & TD SF teams. You must have 10+ years in a branding agency, with packaging design or brand identity expertise, and be located in NYC or SF with a hybrid 3 days/week in-studio.

Qualifications

• Subject matter expert in brand strategy and portfolio architecture.
• Proven ability to lead projects with high complexity.
• Extensive experience with established CPG brands and large corporate brands.
• Strategic leadership backed by data and rigor.
• Collaborative and creative advocate with diplomatic skills.
• Ambitious, proactive, and detail-oriented.
• Excellent presentation skills to influence audiences.
• Willing to roll up sleeves and support CSO.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the CPG strategy lead with account and creative leads.
• Shape brand positioning and packaging architecture.
• Apply qual/quant methods to strengthen recommendations.
• Support the CSO on large corporate brand workstreams.
• Craft narratives and presentations to inspire clients and teams.
• Translate brand vision into design-led solutions.
• Integrate AI thoughtfully and establish best practices.
• Drive thought leadership on design trends and brand experience.
• Lead and support new business pursuits from qualification to pitch.

Skills

Brand strategy

CPG design

Insights translation

Presentation skills

Trends & culture

Critical thinking

Collaboration

AI fluency

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Turner Duckworth is behind the brand identities for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Chances are you know our work already. You'll find it on-shelf, online, on-the-go, in home, out of home and sometimes in your pocket. We build brands that are distinct, memorable, and have genuine personality, ones that are easy to understand but also intriguing, that tell a story or make you think. We help brands to become utterly distinctive and deeply embedded in culture. We define strategies, visual identities, assets, and expressions for how brands behave in any channel, at any time, in any market. As brand partners with over 30 years of experience, we believe that whatever you make, make it Like Nothing Else.

Turner Duckworth is behind the brand identities for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Chances are you know our work already. You'll find it on-shelf, online, on-the-go, in home, out of home and sometimes in your pocket. We build brands that are distinct, memorable, and have genuine personality, ones that are easy to understand but also intriguing, that tell a story or make you think. We help brands to become utterly distinctive and deeply embedded in culture. We define strategies, visual identities, assets, and expressions for how brands behave in any channel, at any time, in any market. As brand partners with over 30 years of experience, we believe that whatever you make, make it Like Nothing Else.

Turner Duckworth is looking for a Strategy Director to join our US team.

About You

You are a subject matter expert in all aspects of brand strategy and portfolio architecture with a proven ability to lead projects with high complexity. You are an expert in working with established CPG brands and have significant experience working with large corporate brands as well. You are a strategic leader shaping vision and driving brand-led solutions backed by data and rigor. You are an exceptional collaborator and creative advocate, a critical thinker who is highly adept at the art of diplomacy. You bring ambition, momentum, and a clear point of view to every engagement - helping shape the future of clients’ business strategies. You are excited to support our CSO in building out Turner Duckworth’s brand strategy discipline, and you enjoy rolling up your sleeves.

What You Bring

• Passion for design, culture, and how ideas live in the world
• Deep expertise in brand and/or CPG design strategies, with proven ability to connect business objectives to creative solutions
• Ability to translate insights, trends and research into actionable strategies
• Compelling and persuasive presentation skills, able to influence and engage audiences at all levels
• Curiosity about emerging trends, technology, and cultural shifts that impact brand experience
• Critical thinking with a proactive, problem solving mindset and relentless attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, collaborating effectively across disciplines for cohesion within integrated client teams
• AI fluency with ability to leverage AI tools for speed, productivity and output

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the CPG strategy lead, partnering with account and creative leads to manage and run dedicated client projects
• Shape brand positioning, packaging portfolio architecture, packaging information architecture, design strategy, and cultural insight frameworks
• Apply research, validation, and testing methodologies for packaging, including qual and quant, to strengthen strategic recommendations
• Support the CSO on large corporate brand transformation workstreams
• Craft compelling narratives and presentations that make strategy tangible and inspiring for clients and internal teams
• Collaborate with clients to define brand vision and translate it into design-led solutions
• Implement AI tools thoughtfully into processes, establishing best practices and maintaining high bar of excellence
• Work closely with Chief Strategy Officer to drive thought leadership on design trends and brand experience to position Turner Duckworth as an industry leader
• Champion integration between strategy and creative disciplines, ensuring cohesive and impactful brand experiences
• Lead and support new business development pursuits from qualification to pitch

The Details

• Full-time, benefits eligible position
• 10+ years of experience in a branding agency setting, preferred
• Subject matter expert within packaging design and/or brand identity, required
• Experience with corporate brand transformation, product marketing, visual identity systems, and naming strategies, preferred
• Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
• Must be located in or willing to relocate to New York City or San Francisco, with hybrid schedule of 3 days/week in-studio, required
• Occasional flexibility with working hours may be needed to best accommodate schedules across EST and PST time zones
• Position reports to Chief Strategy Officer, working closely with TDNY & TDSF teams

Additional Information

Our Publicis Groupe motto “Viva La Différence” means we’re better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent. Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off. If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [e-mail]. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Compensation Range: USD $129,485.00 - USD $207,324.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 12/7/2026.