Strategy Director: Lead Big Ideas & Client Impact

BarkleyOKRP; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

BarkleyOKRP in Chicago seeks a Strategy Director to lead and mentor strategy teams, clients and projects, blending rigorous insight with practical execution. You’ll drive high‑level writing and presentations, push for excellence, and act as a visible partner across initiatives.

The role balances leading agency accounts with hands‑on team leadership, shaping briefs, workshops, and research that illuminate consumer culture.

Qualifications

• Exhibit high-level writing and presentation skills.
• Must demonstrate deep experience in insight and research practices.
• Excellent reasoning ability: define problems, collect information, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and make creative leaps.
• Bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• 7+ years of direct work experience in the strategy field.

Responsibilities

• Leads and participates in strategy development for clients and new business.
• Responsible for generating the Red Thread, or the actionable strategic idea, in any brand engagement.
• Manages and mentors a team of strategists, as well as contributing to best-practice solutions for the overall strategic process at Barkley.
• Becomes an invaluable resource for clients in terms of overall strategic guidance.
• Writes and presents micro and macro-level creative briefs for all initiatives.
• Lead integrated idea teams in idea sessions and workshops.
• Recommends and manages the research that will aid in the consumer insight-gathering and strategic process.
• Monitors and interprets cultural and social trends relevant to client business.
• Presents insights/implications/opportunities in client and new business.
• Finds creative, differentiating ways to gain insights, using known tools (qualitative and quantitative), as well as unique and new approaches.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Client leadership

Team mentorship

Insight research

Strong writing

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

BarkleyOKRP in Chicago seeks a Strategy Director to lead and mentor strategy teams, clients and projects, blending rigorous insight with practical execution. You’ll drive high‑level writing and presentations, push for excellence, and act as a visible partner across initiatives.

The role balances leading agency accounts with hands‑on team leadership, shaping briefs, workshops, and research that illuminate consumer culture.