Associate Director of Strategy

Are you an experienced and creatively charged strategist eager to take your career to the next level? If you're passionate about moulding the narratives of globally recognised brands and rising scale ups, including SAP, AWS, BDO and Notion, within a lively and spirited B2B brand-building agency, then this role is for you.

As Associate Director, Strategy at alan, your impact will not be limited to just writing winning brand strategies – you'll be the lynchpin between research, creative, content, design and editorial, bringing brands to life through the creation of irresistible identities and compelling campaigns. In this role, you'll have the unique opportunity to liberate clients from generic robotic identities, infusing their brands with creativity and intellectual stimulus. You'll use your analytical abilities, strategic mindset and storytelling prowess to build brands that challenge sector norms and resonate on a deep, visceral level.

Key dimensions of the role:

Brand strategy:

You will be the visionary architect, crafting sophisticated brand ecosystems. The role includes conducting full-scale rebrands, producing compelling brand stories, proposition development and building out key brand architecture. Your expertise in steering and implementing these strategies will be instrumental in helping our clients' brands to bring about real change, at both a business and market level.

Messaging:

The ability to create impactful and resonant messaging is at the core of this role. You will be tasked with developing communication strategies that effectively convey brand values, resonate with target audiences and differentiate our clients in the market. 

Thought leadership:

Your role will leverage your editorial eye to identify and curate interesting, unexpected stories, and angles that position our clients as industry leaders. 

Content and campaign strategy and planning:

You'll be the mastermind behind content and creative approaches, taking charge of guiding and sculpting 'big ideas' through your strategic insights and creative briefings. Beyond mere planning, your role encompasses crafting the blueprint of campaigns, injecting activations with innovation, and helping navigate the entire creative journey from conception to flawless execution.

Who we're looking for:

A brand geek:

Passionate aficionado of brand, demonstrating an in-depth understanding of brand theory, methodologies, trends, and a keen appreciation for what makes a brand truly stand out.

A convincing personality:

Not necessarily a big or loud personality (although that's fine too), but someone who brings conviction, leadership and verve to their ideas for change.

A pitch winner and account builder:

Demonstrates a proven track record as a value adding strategist, helping secure pitch wins and growing accounts through persuasive communication and strategic acumen.

A storyteller with creative spark

: Gifted storyteller who can weave narratives that captivate and resonate with diverse audiences, bringing imagination and colour to every stage of a  project.

Requirements:

• A minimum of 5 years working in a senior content and/or brand strategy role
• Excellent communication skills, able to present insightful thoughts to internal and external stakeholders with panache.
• Able working on a variety of projects simultaneously and manage deadlines
• Inquisitive and creative mind, ability to generate bold and original ideas
• Able to build bullet-proof logical arguments
• Understanding and appreciation of content marketing
• Account / client stakeholder management experience
• Collaborative spirit – keen to be present in the office with team mates to do the best possible work

Nice to have:

• Agency experience
• B2B experience
• Tech / FS / Professional services experience

About the company

We are a B2B brand-building agency. We help financial services, professional services and technology companies like SAP, Elsevier, Veeam and BDO use the power of brand to bring about market and business level change. Through our background in journalism we create stories that provoke B2B audience to think, feel, act differently. This commitment to stories that provoke change is something we live and breathe in each of our four core competencies of research, strategy, content and creative.

Our culture

alan. recently moved office to a very unique, quirky and cool office space in Brick Lane, with lots of  breakout space, and more foliage than you can possibly imagine. 

We work to a hybrid model of office and home working, with a flexible three days in the office per week. This ensures that everyone at the agency can access the space they need whilst maintaining a positive work-life balance.

As a media organisation, we live and die by the strength and originality of our creative ideas. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that we promote equality and diversity in our workplace, and we encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief or sexual orientation.

Benefits

• Vitality - Private health care and dental insurance
• 25 days holiday per annum, +1 additional day holiday for each year worked at the company (capped at a max of 3)
• Flexible hybrid working policy
• Discounted gym membership and a range of wellness deals through Vitality
• Perks at Work subscription
• Wellbeing - full service Employee Assistance Programme, access to meditation apps
• Day off on your birthday
• Cycle to work scheme
• Early finish on Fridays
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.