Associate Strategy Director

Company Description

 

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our ‘Power of One’ business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa. 

We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make “Brave Plays” in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.

Overview

We are hiring an  Associate Strategy Director to help shape the future of marketing for some of the world’s most recognised brands across Snacking, Petcare and Food & Nutrition. You’ll play a pivotal role in developing connected, insight-led media strategies that drive meaningful business growth. Working within a truly integrated Power of One model, you’ll collaborate across media, data, technology, commerce, social and production to create impactful end-to-end experiences. This is an exciting opportunity to influence global marketing transformation while partnering with teams and stakeholders across multiple international markets.

Responsibilities

What will you be doing?

• Develop compelling cross-channel media strategies grounded in insight, evidence and clear strategic thinking.
• Translate research, audience data and planning tools into actionable recommendations that unlock growth opportunities.
• Lead strategic responses to client briefs and contribute to high-impact projects across global markets.
• Partner closely with account teams, specialists and network stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment and consistency.
• Use campaign learnings and performance data to refine approaches, strengthen recommendations and improve future outcomes.
• Stay informed on emerging media, consumer and digital trends, bringing fresh thinking to client challenges.
• Collaborate with creative and marketing partners to deliver integrated, audience-focused communications strategies.

Qualifications

What are we looking for?

• Strong experience in media strategy, planning, insights or a related discipline, ideally with exposure to international markets.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas clearly and confidently.
• Curiosity about people, culture and consumer behaviour, with a thoughtful approach to problem-solving and strategic thinking.
• Strong analytical capabilities and confidence working with research, planning tools and performance data.
• Ability to create clear, persuasive recommendations and strategic narratives using presentation tools.
• Interest in data-informed planning, including familiarity with marketing effectiveness, modelling or predictive methodologies.
• A collaborative leadership style with experience building strong stakeholder relationships and supporting the development of others.

Additional Information

Starcom offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You’ll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including:

 

📖 Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).

 

Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week.

 

At Starcom, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic. 

 

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We’ll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

 

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.

 

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