Strategy Director

Memac Ogilvy is one of the leading creative networks in MENA with its flagship office in the UAE and a strong local footprint in the GCC and North Africa. It is part of the formidable worldwide Ogilvy network and the wider WPP network.

Ogilvy is the biggest agency in Qatar servicing a wide range of local and regional brands.

At Ogilvy we create impact for brands and people through iconic and culturally moving ideas.

We achieve this through Borderless Creativity, innovating at the intersections of culture, creativity, communications and technology. This is made possible by bringing together five disciplines together: advertising and branded content, consulting, health, PR & influence and experience.

- We are looking to hire a Strategy Director at Ogilvy, Qatar.

You’ll be an ambitious and visionary leader with a deep interest in building strategies that lead to impactful work, the kind of impact that is so disproportionate to the category and competitors that it moves society, culture and business.

You’ll have a strong foundation in strategic planning, are comfortable with research methodologies, can build powerful partnerships with creatives, be integrated in your thinking, and know how to help brands be part of culture.

And above all, you’ll be expected to make sure the work works.

We are close knit team that is grounded, so you’ll need to bring empathy, humility and bucketfuls of positive energy to the agency. Your understanding of people and behaviour is essential to this role.

You will be the strategic anchor for your clients, working with creatives, client services and the regional CSO on existing and new business.

You will report into the Chief Strategy Officer, MENA, and to Ogilvy Qatar Managing Director.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES / DELIVERABLES

· Lead strategy for existing clients and new business pitches

· Establish break-through thinking that helps to create disproportionate impact

· Form a deep knowledge of how your clients work and what drives their brand and commercial operations

· Lead the effectiveness agenda to ensure commercial and brand performance is front and centre in your thinking

· Applying your deep knowledge of strategic frameworks and concepts from brand positioning to customer journeys on a range of client problems, writing briefs that inspire creatives

· Hunt for impactful truths that can unlock impact, applying various research methodologies

· Ensure our Unbound impact system is used on all projects, be the champion for it across the agency

· Form a strong partnership with your creative colleagues, helping them produce world class impactful work with inspirational briefs and briefings, always guiding and pushing them throughout the project

· Anchor yourself in all things Qatari culture, be the authority on it across the agency

· Be comfortable managing multiple projects to a very high degree of quality and under pressure

· Be an inspirational leader on all your brands, trusted as such by your colleagues and clients

· Continuously develop your craft, making sure that you constantly push the discipline of strategy forward

· The ability to spot proactive opportunities that deliver fame and fortune for both client and agency

· Ability to work directly with clients and develop relationships on behalf of the agency

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES / DELIVERABLES

· Lead strategy for existing clients and new business pitches

· Establish break-through thinking that helps to create disproportionate impact

· Form a deep knowledge of how your clients work and what drives their brand and commercial operations

· Lead the effectiveness agenda to ensure commercial and brand performance is front and centre in your thinking

· Applying your deep knowledge of strategic frameworks and concepts from brand positioning to customer journeys on a range of client problems, writing briefs that inspire creatives

· Hunt for impactful truths that can unlock impact, applying various research methodologies

· Ensure our Unbound impact system is used on all projects, be the champion for it across the agency

· Form a strong partnership with your creative colleagues, helping them produce world class impactful work with inspirational briefs and briefings, always guiding and pushing them throughout the project

· Anchor yourself in all things Qatari culture, be the authority on it across the agency

· Be comfortable managing multiple projects to a very high degree of quality and under pressure

· Be an inspirational leader on all your brands, trusted as such by your colleagues and clients

· Continuously develop your craft, making sure that you constantly push the discipline of strategy forward

· The ability to spot proactive opportunities that deliver fame and fortune for both client and agency

· Ability to work directly with clients and develop relationships on behalf of the agency

QUALIFICATIONS:

· 8+ years of experience in strategic planning, especially strong omnichannel strategy experience

· Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or related fields as a minimum

· Experience of working within a fast paced communications agency

· Experience of developing brand strategies, writing creative briefs and presentation of creative work

· A track record of bringing award-winning work the market

· Demonstrate talent for lateral thinking, spotting trends and patterns, an innate curiosity and insight into human behavior, an instinct for popular culture and a nuanced understanding of creative work are critical.

· Strong track record in delivering pitch-winning strategies

· An impressive and articulate point-of-view on strategy, brands, culture, creativity and communications

· A deep knowledge of strategic frameworks and concepts

· A passion for creativity

· A natural ability to write and present inspiring stories