The uncommon agency for the common good

Brand Strategist (Hybrid)

Job Overview
Responsible for turning data into insights and insights into pivotal strategies for public-sector clients. The Brand Strategist leads the charge to identify compelling insights, strategic approaches, consumer motivators and barriers, and market opportunities for the agency’s clients, acting as a catalyst to move brands forward and to devise innovative ways to engage customers. The Brand Strategist represents the voice of the consumer and develops a deep understanding of the client’s business environment, competitive landscape, vision, and objectives. 

Who You Are
You are a big-idea, original-thinker who questions assumptions, dives into data, and encourages clients (and internal account and creative teams) to improve strategic outputs, question assumptions, and reshape assignments into unique category-challenging propositions to create brand experiences. You have a strong track record of collaborating with multidisciplinary team members to develop and present integrated, innovative, strategic marketing solutions. You are passionate about planning creative and innovative strategies that solve consumers’ problems and lead clients to success. You bring order to chaos by creating frameworks that explain the inexplicable and find magic in the details. 

Who We Are: Marketers For Good
Civilian is a different kind of marketing communications agency. For starters, we are a Certified B Corporation, which means we are part of a global network of companies using business as a force for good. We take on clients and projects that align with our mission to improve lives, strengthen communities, and better the world. Our work includes supporting mental health and wellness, preventing youth suicide, and reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences. It also includes advancing environmental sustainability, promoting the value of education, and driving economic development. We call it “marketing for good.” From our headquarters in San Diego to our offices in Sacramento and Washington DC, we are dedicated to tackling challenging issues and creating positive change in the world.

We are a dedicated group of innovators and problem solvers who come to work every day grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. We support our employees’ professional and personal development with a rich set of benefits, humane working hours, and a culture that rewards embracing challenges and having a great time doing it. The success of our approach shows in our average employee tenure of nearly five years (vs. the industry average of 2.5) and in the number of Civilians that return. We offer a truly unique balance of professionalism and heart—and an office full of free snacks, a dog or two, and the occasional afternoon happy hour.

Responsibilities:

Research, Strategy, and Evaluation (85%)

  • Lead the discovery process to uncover consumer, competitive, and client insights. Design, gather, conduct, and evaluate primary and secondary research as needed on best practices, competitive landscape, market trends, and consumer insights; translate findings into actionable insights and strategies.
  • Collaborate with account and creative teams to write clear, compelling, and informed campaign strategy briefs.
  • Collaborate with key stakeholders and internal teams to further develop campaign tactics, messaging, and creative concepts; facilitate brainstorms and working sessions among key stakeholders.
  • Develop strategies that incorporate best practices in public sector campaigns.
  • Create and deliver detailed research, strategy, or evaluation reports; assist with account deliverables, including content development, copywriting, reports, and others as needed.
  • Facilitate strategic planning and stakeholder sessions with internal teams, subcontractors, partners, and clients.
  • Partner with account teams to ensure ongoing adherence to strategy throughout the duration of the account/campaign. 
  • Identify business goals and develop measurable KPIs to track the progress of initiatives.
  • Lead campaign evaluation and research activities, including but not limited to surveys, focus groups, and other evaluation methods; ensure that campaign evaluation plans, methodologies, and costs, including midstream evaluations and post-campaign evaluations as required by RFPs and/or as recommended by Civilian and submitted in Civilian RFP responses are delivered as proposed upon contract execution. For focus groups, plan, manage or outsource recruitment, devise moderator guides, facilitate, and evaluate findings as needed.
  • Define key performance indicators to support brand strategy and objectives, conduct analysis to determine program ROI, help create and inform metric reports and dashboards, and make recommendations based on learnings.
  • Manage subcontractor scope of work, timelines, and deliverables as needed.

 

Industry and Agency (15%)

  • Lead the development of Civilian’s strategic approach for public sector campaigns and initiatives and other verticals as part of business development proposals, including conducting research, writing proposals and work plans, and developing budgets. 
  • Help prepare for and participate in business development pitches.
  • Identify and explore opportunities for growth within new or existing client organizations.
  • Keep abreast of best practices, current events, news, and trends related to public health, social marketing, and specific client focus areas; translate findings to agency staff and specific accounts to provide ongoing improvements and adjustments.

Qualifications:

  • 7+ years of relevant work experience in marketing or advertising with campaign development, account planning, strategy development, or program development experience
  • Preferred: Have held senior strategy roles (whether at creative, digital, media agencies or consultancies) across multiple categories/verticals
  • Bachelor’s degree mandatory, advanced degree in behavioral sciences, marketing, advertising, or business preferred
  • Comfortable working autonomously, applying previous experience, and making recommendations to help enhance agency offering, consulting with subject matter experts/staff as needed
  • Ability to conduct and interpret primary and secondary research and use this data to glean insights, developing user personas, customer journeys and communications plans
  • Ability and comfort to manage and/or lead focus groups/ moderators from drafting guides to preparing, analyzing and presenting reports/findings
  • The ability to translate clients’ goals and objectives into actionable and measurable marketing recommendations
  • Data first-mentality – experience leveraging both qualitative and quantitative data as much as possible to back recommendations and tell compelling stories
  • Entrepreneurial “can do” attitude, business acumen, and a relentless passion for collaboration and innovation
  • Knowledge of, or experience, in approaching, convening, and working with senior clients as well as diverse partners and stakeholders to support campaign initiatives and goals
  • Strong and proven strategic problem-solving skills
  • Proven track record of winning new business
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; natural storyteller
  • Ability to develop easy rapport with diverse partners, subcontractors, and internal agency team
  • Ability to creatively tackle problems and develop solutions
  • Advocate for synergy with team members, requiring accountability (timelines/budgets); resourcefulness (make it happen); and collaboration with a constructive mentality to deliver the end goal

Location
This position is a hybrid role based in San Diego, California. Remote working options with in-office Wednesdays and biweekly half-day Fridays for collaboration and team building.

Compensation & Benefits
This is a full-time salaried position with a comprehensive benefits package. 

Salary Range: $95,000 – $105,000, depending on experience.

  •         Tiered medical coverage, with 100% employer-paid after Year 5
  •         100% employer-paid Medical Option (coming soon)
  •         Company-paid Long Term Disability
  •         Company-paid Life Insurance
  •         Company-paid Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
  •         Company-paid Identify Theft Prevention and Legal Support
  •         Dental & Vision
  •         Additional Voluntary Benefit:
    •   Short Term Disability
    •   Additional Life Insurance
    •   Hospital
    •   Critical Illness
    •   Accidental Death & Disability
    •   Cancer insurance
    •   Pet Insurance
  •         Great Work-Life Balance
  •         Generous Paid Time Off
  •         Work-Anywhere-In-The-World for a month
  •         Flexible Working Arrangements
  •         Paid Parental Leave (coming soon)
  •         Paid Volunteer Time Off
  •         Annual Cost of Living Adjustment
  •         401(k) Retirement with Employer Match
  •         Company-paid Employee Assistance Program
  •         Professional Development
  •         Educational Assistance
  •         On-site company-paid parking or stipend for San Diego office
  •         On-site Fitness Center
  •         Dog-friendly San Diego office space
  •         Happy Hours and Company events
  •         Monthly Cell Phone Reimbursements

Civilian’s Core Values

  • Seek First to Understand
  • Practice We Over Me
  • Operate With Integrity
  • Rise to the Challenge
  • Make Things Better

Let’s Get to Know Each Other
Are you the one? Are we the one? If this sounds like a fit, let’s talk more. Please email careers@civilian.com to tell us why we absolutely, positively need you on our team. Don’t forget to attach your resume. And check out https://civilian.com/careers/ and our Glassdoor reviews for more information on how talented, smart, and delightful we are.

 

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