Brand Strategist

**Equator is a global packaging design agency, delivering strategy to shelf without compromise. We create powerful brands that get noticed and chosen. Equator is part of SGK.**

**JOB SUMMARY**:
We are recruiting for a Brand Strategist to join our Equator team. This role can be based from either our Manchester or Nottingham studios and worked on a hybrid basis.

**Overview**:

- Support the Strategy Director to effectively manage timelines, deliverables, and process for strategy projects and/or phases.
- Become the central hub for market intelligence: curating and organising our internal best practices and insights to deliver timely knowlege to Account and Design teams.
- Support the Strategy Team but translating client asks and objectives into meaningful, actionable insights for our teams.
- Making the strategy process, fun, inspiring and informative for everyone that you work with.

**RESPONSIBLITIES**:
CLIENT EXPERIENCE: Proactive client partnerships to meet objectives and deliver exceptional outcomes
- Cultivates strong partnerships internal teams. Establishes relationships in which colleagues proactively seek out your support.
- Is a partner with Strategy Director and creative teams on projects, developing a deep understanding of the brand, the category, and the brief.
- Advocate for Equator with client and suppliers - guides them through Equator’s process with ease
- Accurately capture and communicate project details through internal/external workflow systems
- Brand advocate for multiple brands/client contacts through dedicated categories of business; understands category insights and trends to inspire design

ADDING STRATEGIC VALUE: Providing solid strategic foundations on which exceptional brand solutions can be developed
- Conduct market audit, desk research, and other exercises to collect and curate relevant trends, contexts and insights that support strategy, account, and design teams.
- Monitor and read specific industry press and published thinking on branding, market trends, industry business activity and share with the wider agency team.
- Curate and become a trusted resource for existing knowledge estate: Trends, newsletters, articles, etc.; supporting teams with ad-hoc requests for market intelligence.
- Can communicate and adapt language complexity to ensure key messages resonate.

EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE: Cross-team partnerships and employee satisfaction
- Work with wider strategy team to assess client briefs and translate them into actionable plans for creative development.
- Applies strong people skills to expertly manage resources and stakeholders to deliver excellent outcomes.
- Effectively** **communicate with teams and senior leaders, escalating issues were appropriate.
- Creates strong and effective internal partnerships with the Creative and Client Service teams; collaborates across the business to ensure client needs are met and projects stay within scope, budget, timeline, quality and other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: Internal collaboration to inspire design and efficiently deliver under one roof model
- Support and manage the process for the development of Equator thought leadership around trends, brand strategy and creative strategy, ensuring consistent and timely delivery.
- Support Strategy Director in the development of proposals and processes for strategic initiatives.
- Own the details of the strategy projects and/or phases, ensuring effective communication, timeline and budget management, and resource allocation.
- Identify and seek to resolve any issues or problems that may arise in the strategy process.

FINANCIAL GROWTH: Fuel business growth delivering exceptional outcomes to drive sales and control costs
- Able to assess project scope and ensure delivery within timeline and agreed budget.
- Provide accurate reporting for current and future project work as requested by AD or Directors.

At Matthews International, what makes us different is what makes us great. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.