Who We Are:
At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.
Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.
The Associate Director, Engagement Strategy Role
As an Associate Director, Engagement Strategy, you will quarterback a human-centered approach to translating human empathy and an understanding of the world into meaningful and impactful experiences. We work to anticipate emerging opportunities at the intersection of people, culture, technology and business, identifying where to play and how to win for our clients. As an Associate Director, Engagement Strategy, you will lead by understanding the root of client business challenges, framing problems in unexpected ways, and providing inspiration and clarity through thought leadership. Engagement strategy is core to the VML Health Strategy practice, providing leadership across engagement strategy, omnichannel design, customer experience, digital strategy, measurement and innovation.
The Associate Director, Engagement Strategy operates both independently and collaborates with a team of junior strategists and cross-functional partners to help drive projects. The Associate Director, Engagement Strategy is expected to manage the strategic development, synthesis of insights and opportunities, implementation of engagement strategy and the business impact of the engagement efforts. Like all strategists on our team, you’ll be expected to inspire change through innate curiosity, a drive for impact, and an orientation that puts strategy into immediate action.
Core Responsibilities
- Develop a deep understanding of our clients’ customers’ wants, needs, and behaviors across the full customer journey
- Lead the development and orchestration of engagement and omnichannel strategy – connection of strategic goals to engagement priorities to channel specific strategies (e.g. social, CRM, website, paid media, apps, rep-delivered and more)
- Ability to lead the translation of insights into strategies and tactics
- Drive the development of the communication plan and framework as part of an overall strategic engagement map
- Collaborate effectively with other strategists, Client Engagement, Medical, and Creative disciplines on business, brand and communications strategies
- Develop strong client relationships as a key strategic and business partner
- Strong understanding of various analytical frameworks and methodologies, and the ability to analyze and translate data into a concise story
- Manages smaller client engagements and supports the senior team in management of larger clients
- Mentor junior strategists on strategy tools and processes, providing guidance and feedback for professional growth
Other Key Responsibilities
- Provides key support and partnership in leading key strategy deliverables by guiding the strategic direction in relation to our clients’ brand development and marketing approach
- Constantly seeks to improve client work and actively analyzes client’s challenges and opportunities
- Challenges team to uncover innovative tools and ideas, and to pursue growth opportunities
- Partner with Directors in workshop planning and proposals, development of measurement strategy and analytics approaches, execution of CX planning and tactical exercises, and content generation and presentation strategies
- Participate in new business pitches including market research
Skills & Experiences
- 3-7 years experience of overall research and strategic planning experience
- HCP and DTC marketing agency experience
- Critical and analytical thinker, innovator and visionary that inspires creativity
- Demonstrates passion, familiarity, and curiosity with engagement strategy, marketing technology and innovative tools and tactics
- Able to develop strong client relationships and trust based on deep immersion in the client’s business
- Highly collaborative and able to work effectively across internal and external stakeholders
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a multidisciplinary background, including developing engagement strategy, business strategy, marketing strategy, consumer insight, and/or omnichannel planning and orchestration
Our Benefits
As the world leader in communications services, we rely on the creativity of our people to deliver the best work for our clients. In return, we invest in our employees by offering them a diverse suite of benefits from best-in-class carriers, with enough choice and flexibility to keep them and their families healthy and happy today and tomorrow.
- Corporate gift matching program
- Paid time off for volunteering
- Paid parental leave
- Ranked No. 1 in advertising for our adoption assistance program
- Corporate discounts
- VML Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team, which guides, celebrates, and promotes cultural literacy; increases employee engagement; recruits and retains a diverse workforce; and builds internal opportunities for people to learn and grow.
VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or other protected group status. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.
The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.
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$75,000—$180,000 USD
At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization—creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers—who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.
VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram,?LinkedIn, and?X.
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