Job description
We are pioneers at heart. What this means, is that we are always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That's why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating.
Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 20+ countries, we're big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients' problems, no matter where you are in the world.
This role is part of our Personalized Creative team. We create emotive yet conversion-focused ideas, products and campaigns at scale and speed. Our specialty is hyper-personalized, digital communications that change perceptions, shape new behavior's, and shift market share for our clients including eBay, Ancestry, Walmart, and more!
Job Purpose:
DEPT® is looking for a proven strategy lead. In this role, you'll lead the DEPT® North American strategy team and help grow the team's vision, evangelize the service across DEPT® and in the marketplace, while helping our teams execute on a wide range of projects for our fantastic clients.
As an Agency, we help our clients create more meaningful connections with their customers. Your role is instrumental in unlocking insights, targeting the right audiences, setting the tone and message for campaigns, and helping to craft unique customer experiences.
In this role, you'll lead the DEPT® North American strategy team - helping grow the team's vision, evangelize the service across DEPT® and in the marketplace, while helping our teams execute on a wide range of projects for our fantastic clients. While you're instrumental in supporting and growing the strategy team, you will also be the foundation of any creative project, providing the creative team and client with insights gleaned from market research. You truly get to know and understand a client's brand and objectives so that you can make informed, grounded recommendations. Your curious nature and analytical mind mean you build plans that go beyond a single project and are constantly looking to the future.
Key Responsibilities:
You will be across multiple accounts and channels, working closely with Creative and Account Management to:
- Collaborate with client marketing leads to develop strategic roadmaps against outlined business objectives.
- Develop onsite content strategy frameworks and guidelines for our clients
- Map customers’ holistic journeys to ensure we are providing consistent messaging throughout all communications, and ensure that our onsite marketing is working as hard as possible.
- Work with our clients to outline approaches to optimise channels and CRM
- Determine how our onsite activity fits into the larger marketing mix to identify any gaps as well as possible enhancement opportunities.
- Consult with clients, defining where focus and priority needs to be placed and clearly develop briefs against their goals.
- Develop strategic positioning and create briefs for big beats/marketing moments for which creative assets will be produced.
- Develop creative strategies to respond to the businesses strategic focus.
- Help define and drive new initiatives to deliver against the roadmap.
- Be instrumental in developing business critical initiatives such as evaluation models, testing plans, and reporting tactics to ensure learnings are central to all work.
- Lead and manage the North American Strategy team
- Develop end-to-end creative and customer experience strategies following our Planning Methodology.
- Research products, services, and current strategies to identify new opportunities.
- Critically analyse and interpret research and reporting, using this information to inform and improve strategies. Ensure plans fit client goals, are optimised for multiple audiences, push to desired action, and are tested and measured effectively.
- This is a client-facing role supporting a key account; the ideal candidate should be able to create convincing propositions, present strategy to clients and help Account and Creative teams plan, optimise, implement, test, and measure.
- As a Strategist, you'll be responsible for taking client briefs (or creating briefs based on client goals); you will work hand in hand with the Accounts team, cascading to the wider disciplines and providing the ideal environment for creative development.
- This is an omni-channel digital role covering email, web, display and social and wider customer experience design.
Skills and Previous Experience:
- A strong leader
- Experience developing content strategy for digital channels
- A good grounding in end-to-end, omni-channel marketing
- Confident understanding of how to turn business goals into actionable marketing and communication goals.
- Knowledge of how to use data and insight to create profiles and personas for use in digital channels.
- Experience of A/B and multivariate testing methodologies.
- Understanding of and ability to articulate best practice across email design and build.
- Demonstrable agency experience in a similar role with proven success.
- Experience of creating and optimising user journeys, including automated journeys.
- Channel expertise in email, web, display, and social with an emphasis on innovation.
- Understanding of and ability to articulate best practice in digital marketing.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Natural problem solver.
- Excellent written and communication skills as this is a client-facing role.
- Inquisitive nature to learn and understand how things work.
- Team player who understands the value of client needs.
We offer:
- 15 days Paid PTO
- 10 Public Holidays + Birthday off
- Medical, Dental, and Mental Health Support/Benefits (through Canada Life Insurance)
- Learning & growth certifications/certifications
- Enhanced Family Leave (after 1 year)
- A flexible, hybrid working policy
- Buddy Program: You will be paired with a ‘Buddy’ to help you through your first weeks’ at DEPT®
- Tons of Office perks in our Toronto office! Enjoy biweekly breakfasts and lunches, tons of free snacks, and of course team events on the regular!
- A reputation for doing good. DEPT® has been a Certified B Corp® since 2021 and named ‘Agency of the Year’ at both The Lovies and The Webby Awards.
- Awesome clients. Whether big or small, local or global — at DEPT® you'll get the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes and across all industries. And we celebrate all of our successes together!
- The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications.
- Global annual DEPT® Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities.
- long term service - additional annual leave:
- 3+ years 5 days additional Pro rata (Total 20 days annually)
- 5+ years 5 more days additional days pro rata (Total 25 annually)
- Enhanced Family leave after 1 year of service:
- Primary caregiver / Parent giving birth = 3 months top off
- Secondary caregiver 1-3 years service = 3 weeks Top off
- Secondary Caregiver 3+ years service = 6 weeks top off
- Pregnancy loss (incl, Miscarriage, Ectopic Pregnancy, Molar Pregnancy or Abortion) - If you experience pregnancy loss (including partners and those affected by loss through fertility treatment from the point of embryo transfer and those with a surrogate mother), we offer you a minimum of one (1) week leave on full pay, regardless of length of service. This time can be taken within three (3) months’ and separated into half or full days depending on what works best for you.
- Fertility Treatment - To truly support you during this important phase, we are pleased to offer up to five (5) working days of paid fertility leave during each treatment cycle (“Fertility Leave”). We understand that attending appointments and undergoing treatment may require time, and we want you to have the flexibility you need. The Fertility leave is however capped at 15 days
- Menopause Policy - Flexible working arrangements: if you are experiencing menopause symptoms that affect your ability to perform at your best during specific times of the day, we encourage you to discuss flexible working arrangements with your line manager and/or People & Culture team. We aim to provide you with the flexibility you need to manage your work effectively.
- Sickness Absence due to menopause: if you are experiencing menopause symptoms which make it impossible for you to work, we are pleased to offer up to five (5) working days of paid leave to support you during these challenging times. This time can be taken as a half or full day and if you require more time off please have an open discussion with your line manager and/or the People & Culture team. Our Sickness Absence Policy, detailed in your Staff Handbook, can provide additional information.
DEPT® is committed to making a positive impact on the planet and since 2021 has been Climate Neutral and B Corporation certified.
DEPT® is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop, nurture and retain the most talented people from a range of diverse backgrounds, skills and perspectives. We encourage all applications irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, nationality, marital status, and disability.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.
Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.
We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.
Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.
