Company

Position Summary

This role is specifically responsible for the EU XCM account and reports into the EU Head of Strategy. XCM stands from Cross Consumer Marketing and looks after the strategic ‘big rocks’ such as Prime Day, Amazon Music, Alexa and Alexa powered devices. 

As Strategy Director, you are responsible for all strategic guidance for XCM to help them achieve their ambitious business goals. Experience of technology and retail communications planning is a must. We also look to work with people who can demonstrate an understanding of the role and value Amazon plays in its customers’ lives as well as its impact on culture. 

Consistent challenges for growth come in the form of briefs around growing new user bases, increasing existing subscriber bases, increasing frequency of purchase & bettering the experience across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Client 

• Maintaining excellent client relationships & understanding of the clients' key business and challenges
• Being considered a valuable contributor during client meetings with the ability to challenge others’ opinions in the right forum/manner
• Delivering innovative thinking that inspires leading edge solutions and award-winning breakthrough work – best in class work as standard (internally & externally)
• Arming the client team with knowledge & expertise to speak confidently about the strategic direction where required
• Building and overseeing the development & distribution of core global playbooks / strategic guidance that set the direction across the world
• Measurable client & strategy business KPIs  

Internal 

• Identify, develop & oversee the delivery of unique and innovative approaches to deliver the client’s desired results
• Work with the global Amazon strategy community to brief out and uncover global insights
• Clearly demonstrate how the strategy delivers on the business need and focus on results and measurement
• Bring fresh thinking & inspiration into the Strategic Process to help the teams springboard to better Strategic thinking
• Drive usage of the Cultural Analytical Process/Tools to help teams find new insights that unlock growth
• Deliver executable, relevant, on brand platforms with the potential for fame/award entry
• Write cohesive communications architectures that deliver on the platform and give guidance for how the brand will play in culture
• Positively collaborate internal and independent creative partners, contributing to their/our client work
• Use qualitative and quantitative communications channel & cultural tool research to develop applicable insights into the consumer connection with the brand 
• Partner with Analytics to develop new tools, inputting into the development of new & cutting edge proprietary planning, research and reporting models for Initiative
• Lead ideation team sessions in conjunction with the Communications Design team and relevant SBUs to generate creative & compelling communications ideas

Commercial

• Contribute to Agency & Client revenue opportunities through Strategic output 
• Proactively work with all partners (vendors, academic institutions, creative consultancies) to unlock new growth opportunities for the client &/or the agency

Desired Skills & Experience

• Experience in integrated planning in a strategic communications role
• Ability to think differently: creative & adaptive, entrepreneurial, independently-minded; deeply immersed in cultural understanding and driven by a desire to know more the world / to better understand people’s motivations & behaviors in the shifting landscape
• Comms planning or strategic planning experience
• International experience on a big tech or entertainment brand
• Ability to travel

Initiative is different to other media agencies.
We are not trapped by a legacy structure primarily centered on paid advertising. Instead, we are liberated by a new world structure designed to deliver highly differentiated and highly effective communications strategies for our clients.
We are the world’s fastest growing media agency built upon the strongest strategic capability of any agency in the market. Core to this strategic proposition is the belief that the faster a brand can move through culture the more relevant it can become.
We call this Cultural Velocity ™.
Our process is designed to create ideas that move through culture through unique insight, market leading analytics and strategic media brilliance.
Our new world model is comprised of “craft centers” – Client Advice and Management, Strategy, Communications Design, Partnership and Culture, Insights & Analytics.

At Mediabrands and Kinesso, we celebrate difference and believe this makes us stronger. Mediabrands and Kinesso are equal opportunity employers and committed to championing an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging for all our employees. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, belief, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need any adjustments to ensure our recruitment process is fully accessible to you, then please contact us on recruitment.uk@mbww.com