Strategy Lead

Apply; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 94,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Agentic Delivery

Inclusive culture

AI Upskilling

Generous vacation

Customizable benefits

Flexible work

Job summary

APPLY is seeking a Strategy Lead to drive agentic CX initiatives for top entertainment and sports brands. You will lead research, shape strategy, and grow client relationships across cross-functional teams to translate insights into commercial outcomes.

You’ll guide workshops with executives, evolve our AI-native approach, and collaborate with product, experience, and engineering to deliver end-to-end strategy execution. This role is hybrid/remote with Canada-based focus.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in strategy or digital/customer experience design roles.
• 3+ years in consulting or agency environments.
• Proven experience working with entertainment, sports, and/or media clients or within an entertainment, sports, or media organization.
• Proven track record in digital and customer experience strategy development.
• Strong expertise in primary and secondary research methodologies.
• Experience designing and facilitating workshops with executive-level stakeholders.
• Comfortable using AI tools in your day-to-day work, with an eye on how they’re reshaping customer experience.
• Excellent data analysis, research and communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in dynamic environments while managing multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead senior client relationships grounded in genuine understanding of their business.
• Identify and develop new opportunities within accounts through rigorous insight and point of view.
• Lead primary and secondary research to surface business insights and identify strategic opportunities.
• Develop deliverables that connect audience and experience findings to commercial outcomes.
• Bring domain depth in sports, media, and entertainment to add credibility and context to the work.
• Facilitate workshops with executive stakeholders to align on direction and build momentum.
• Partner with the Head of Strategy and peers to evolve how we work, including integrating agentic and AI-native approaches.
• Contribute to methodology, tools, and ways of working that make the team sharper.
• Create compelling presentations that engage and inspire clients and stakeholders.
• Partner across disciplines - product, experience, engineering - to see strategy through to execution.
• Apply business casing and value frameworks to test proposed directions.

Skills

Strategy

Digital CX

Client relationships

Research methods

Workshop facilitation

AI tools

Data analysis

Project management

Entertainment/Media

Job description

ABOUT APPLY

APPLY is the Agentic Customer Experience (ACx) partner for the world's most ambitious consumer and entertainment brands. We bring together deep domain expertise across Retail, CPG, Sports, and Media with AI-native delivery capability, designing and delivering agentic solutions that turn CX vision into commercial reality. We are the partner of choice for brands like Arc'teryx, NFL, Lululemon, and Kraft Heinz. For more information, visit applydigital.com.

LOCATION:

APPLY is hybrid/remote friendly. The preferred candidate should be based in Canada, working in hours that align to ET (Eastern Timezone).

THE ROLE:

As a Strategy Lead, you'll help our clients grow through Agentic Customer Experience (ACx): the practice of designing brand experiences that show up with intelligence, relevance and continuity across every part of a customer's ecosystem.

Reporting into the Strategy team, you'll lead ACx initiatives working with cross-functional teams to bring strategies to life, grow client relationships into new opportunities, and help evolve our strategic practice for an agent-mediated future.

Read our full ACx report here: https://www.applydigital.com/insights/learn/the-acx-report/

RESPONSIBILITIES

Client Partnership & Business Development:

• Build and lead senior client relationships grounded in genuine understanding of their business.

• Identify and develop new opportunities within accounts through rigorous insight and point of view.

Strategic Leadership:

• Lead primary and secondary research to surface business insights and identify strategic opportunities.

• Develop deliverables that connect audience and experience findings to commercial outcomes.

• Bring domain depth in sports,media, and entertainment to add credibility and context to the work.

• Facilitate workshops with executive stakeholders to align on direction and build momentum.

Team Management & Mentorship:

• Partner with the Head of Strategy and peers to evolve how we work, including integrating agentic and AI-native approaches.

• Contribute to methodology, tools, and ways of working that make the team sharper.

Communication & Delivery:

• Create compelling presentations that engage and inspire clients and stakeholders.

• Partner across disciplines - product, experience, engineering - to see strategy through to execution.

• Apply business casing and value frameworks to test proposed directions.

REQUIREMENTS

• 8+ years of experience in strategy or digital/customer experience design roles.

• 3+ years in consulting or agency environments.

• Proven experience working with entertainment, sports, and/or media clients or within an entertainment, sports, or media organization.

• Proven track record in digital and customer experience strategy development.

• Strong expertise in primary and secondary research methodologies.

• Experience designing and facilitating workshops with executive-level stakeholders.

• Comfortable using AI tools in your day-to-day work, with an eye on how they’re reshaping customer experience.

• Excellent data analysis, research and communication skills.

• Ability to thrive in dynamic environments while managing multiple projects.

$130,000 - $170,000 a year

The salary range for this role is $130,000 - $170,000 CAD per year. We conduct regular benchmarking across various roles, similar industries, and levels to ensure fair compensation packages for all. We are committed to acknowledging each individual's unique strengths and contributions while rewarding the value that they deliver to the team.

Depending on the position offered, bonus, equity, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package.

LIFE AT APPLY

People are at the core of everything we do at APPLY. We provide you with modern tools, systems and approaches, value your time, safety, and health, and strive to build a work community where you can thrive and grow. Here are a few benefits we offer to support you:

Agentic Delivery: Our people work in a modern way to deliver client outcomes. Broaden your skills on a range of engagements with international brands that have a global impact.

An inclusive and safe environment: We’re truly committed to building a culture where you are celebrated and everyone feels welcome and safe.

AI & Strategic Upskilling: Accelerate your professional growth with generous training budgets and mentorship, with a specific focus on Agentic AI expertise and the critical human skills required for the future of work.

Generous vacation policy: Work-life balance is key to our team’s success, so we offer flexible personal time off (PTO); allowing ample time away from work to promote overall well-being.

Customizable benefits: Tailor your extended health and dental plan to your needs, priorities, and preferences.

Flexible work arrangements: We work in a variety of ways, from remote, to in-office, to a blend of both.

APPLY is a safe, respectful, and inclusive community where differences are celebrated. We are committed to equal opportunity and fostering a workplace where everyone belongs. Learn more in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) section. For recruitment accommodations, please email [e-mail].