Associate Director - Strategy & Design

At Front Row, we partner with leading brands to accelerate their ecommerce growth. We leverage our capabilities and proprietary technology to design, market, distribute and accelerate brands on a global scale. We’re continually cultivating functional areas of expertise and retaining the highest caliber of talent — while sharing knowledge and data, creating efficiencies, and looking at every aspect of our client’s business from a 360 perspective. We work effectively to give every client the hands-on support, niche knowledge, and first-access they need to win in the world’s most competitive commerce markets and make each of our six capabilities the first to act on the next big things.We live for the exchange of energy between brands and audiences, you should too, and we’ve made it our mission to expand every brand’s market share and heart share. Because we believe every transaction has the potential to be transformational. 

About the team this role lives within:

We do strategy differently. We aren’t just a department, we’re a small team that serves as the “glue” between all major disciplines within the agency. At the intersection of strategy, campaign creative, and go-to-market, we partner with visionary founders and teams to create category-defining brands that foster real connections with people.

Through emotional narratives, captivating brand identities, engaging campaigns, and viral social content, we drive meaningful change in the ever-evolving beauty and wellness landscape.

We lead with insight, instinct, and heart redefining the role of brands in the global marketplace—adding value for all.

Role Overview:

As the Associate Director, Strategy at Front Row's Strategy team, you will be a key partner for the VP of Strategy, together responsible for driving the success of top-tier beauty and wellness brand partnerships. Your role will involve providing strategic guidance to clients, internal teams, and industry partners to position Front Row as an industry leader. You will play a pivotal role in developing and executing brand positioning, messaging strategies, campaigns, and social strategies that resonate with audiences, ultimately driving market share and heart share for our clients.

Our ideal candidate has experience in brand strategy, campaign strategy, and/or social strategy and a willingness to learn the other disciplines. 

Role Responsibilities:

• Strategic Development:

• Collaborate with VP of Strategy & lead day-to-day development of comprehensive brand strategies for clients, encompassing brand evolution, brand and product architecture, campaign and messaging strategies, and social media strategies.
• Articulate brand positioning in alignment with client objectives and prevailing market trends.
• Own the creation of compelling and distinctive key messaging for client brands.
• Develop supportive messaging that reinforces brand positioning and effectively engages customers.
• Collaborate with creative teams to bring brand campaigns to life, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Collaborate with the digital growth team to lay the foundation for engaging social campaigns.
• Research and Discovery with a strong comfortability with data and desire for human insight/understanding
• Conduct meticulous research to gain in-depth knowledge of client industries, target audiences, and competitive landscapes.
• Apply research insights to inform and enhance brand strategy and messaging.
• Stay current with market trends and emerging opportunities to drive innovative brand solutions.

• Client Collaboration:

• Engage closely with clients to comprehend their goals, provide strategic guidance, and ensure alignment with their vision.
• Cultivate enduring client relationships as a strategic partner and trusted advisor.
• Ensure that brand strategies not only meet but surpass client expectations
• Foster a creative and innovative team culture that facilitates the successful execution of brand strategies.
• Promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the team.

• Market Analysis And Optimization:

• Stay abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and emerging opportunities.
• Establish metrics and KPIs driven by data insights to evaluate the effectiveness of brand strategies and campaigns.
• Continuously refine and enhance brand strategies based on performance metrics and feedback.

• Department Workflow:

• Collaborate with the operations team to document and optimize internal workflows pertaining to brand strategy.
• Establish clear workflow for multiple projects phasing through the team seamlessly in partnership with operations and client service teams.

• Presentation & Storytelling:

• Cultivate robust relationships as a strategic client partner and advisor to top-tier accounts and partnerships.
• Excel in confident presenting and good storytelling of the strategic narrative

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field; a Master's degree in business, marketing, or a related discipline is a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in brand strategy, campaign, and/or social strategy with a track record of successful brand positioning and messaging for leading brands.
• Proven experience in a growing role within a branding or marketing agency, with a strong focus on beauty brands.
• Exceptional client relationship management skills.
• Deep knowledge of brand strategy, development, and marketing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to address complex strategic challenges.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to adapt to changing industry trends and market dynamics.
• Willingness to accept feedback and be flexible on a small, but mighty team.
• A strategic thinker with a passion for challenging the status quo and driving transformative change in the branding industry.

Benefits

• PTO
• Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance Benefits
• 401k
• Hybrid working schedule (remote + in-office options)
• Strong preference New York/East Coast

SALARY RANGE - $130-160K