Associate Director Strategy and Planning

Role:Associate Director Strategy and Planning

Reports to:Vice President Strategy and Planning

Location:Gurgaon

About Us:

VML, a WPP company is a global powerhouse born from the unification of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R two of the world's most powerful and accomplished creative agencies with complementary capabilities and geographic strengths. We have an industry-unique opportunity to provide our client partners with a fully integrated offering across brand experience, customer experience and commerce practices powered by deep data and technology experience.

For more information, visit www.vml.com

Roles & Responsibilities:

We are seeking a results-driven Associate Director of Strategy & Planning to take on a leading role within our strategic team. This individual will be instrumental in shaping the strategic direction for key client accounts, driving impactful brand and customer experiences, and fostering a culture of strategic excellence. This role demands significant ownership, proactive leadership, and a proven ability to translate complex insights into actionable, measurable growth strategies.

• Drive Integrated Growth Strategies: Lead the Ideation and articulation of strategic pathways for comprehensive brand and business growth strategies across diverse verticals, media, and customer touchpoints.
• Champion Holistic Customer Experience: Shape strategies for compelling customer experiences across digital avenues, activations, events, and other brand engagements, effectively targeting specific consumer cohorts.
• Translate Insights to Action: Uncover and synthesize deep consumer, cultural, and category insights into strategic narratives that inspire innovative creative solutions and identify new growth opportunities.
• Orchestrate Brand Strategy: Responsible for navigating the account planning mandate for brands assigned by being wired into the brands category, business, and consumer. Conduct and lead the brainstorming, briefing sessions with the internal teams and collaborate to inspire creative/advertising work.
• Drive Research & Future-Forward Planning: Lead consumer interactions, conduct dipsticks and commission research to arrive at advertising strategies. Direct comprehensive analysis to validate strategies, staying ahead of emerging trends (e.g., Web 3.0, AI) to continuously evolve client solutions.
• Strategic Partnership & Mentorship: Serve as a key strategic partner for clients, mentor junior strategists, and actively contribute to new business development efforts.

Skills and Competencies:

• Graduate / Post-graduate with 4-7 years of progressive experience in a strategy & planning role within a reputable mainline or integrated advertising agency.
• Strong understanding and practical experience with social, digital, and emerging media (e.g., Web 3.0, AI's application in marketing) to drive integrated solutions.
• Proven ability to uncover compelling consumer insights and translate them into effective, measurable brand and customer experience strategies.
• A proactive, analytical, and strategic thinker with strong problem-solving and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and collaborative abilities, adept at working with clients and cross-functional teams. A champion of team-work with strong inter-personal skills.
• Solid experience developing strategy