Demo

Director, Strategic Planning

Mars Advertising, Inc.
Chicago, IL Full Time
POSTED ON 3/19/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 4/18/2025

Mars United Commerce powered by Marilyn, is a global commerce company that delivers all the solutions clients need to grow their business today and tomorrow. Founded by the late Marilyn Barneet, we’ve become global leaders in four key commerce disciplines - Strategy & Analytics, Digital Commerce, Content & Experiences, and Retail Consultancy - that together form a United Commerce Ecosystem that provides all the expertise clients need to navigate the commerce marketing landscape. Our 800 Martians across North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia exist to drive growth for our people, our clients, and our communities all across the globe.

Please ensure you read the below overview and requirements for this employment opportunity completely.

We are seeking a Director, Strategic Planning. As a Director, Strategic Planning, you are a key standard bearer of strategic thought within the business. Candidates must reside in a commutable distance to one of these Mars United Commerce’s hub locations : Detroit, Chicago or New York.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES : Growing Client Brands and Business :

  • Serve as senior-level contact on individual client businesses and brands. Demonstrate a solid grasp of current industry dynamics and be able to provide agency perspective on the impact, influence, and implications of these dynamics on brand or agency health.
  • Provide long-term perspective for brand and business growth that exceeds the scope of individual projects. Be able to clearly articulate a strategic vision in a confident and persuasive manner to clients and teams; connect the vision to business imperatives and measures.
  • Develop working hypotheses and methods to test / apply thinking to a variety of marketing challenges that leads to the discovery of new insights.
  • Ensure proactive strategic thought leadership across the integrated marketing mix; be able to effectively apply and integrate strategy into agency process.
  • Raise the bar of Mars United Commerce’s work for clients. This includes instituting research and testing methods and practices using insights to inspire, guide, and evaluate work.
  • Identify unmet research / planning needs and knowledge gaps in clients’ business. Lead the solution and develop into out-of-scope revenue opportunities for the agency.
  • Grow the role of Strategic Planning through the development of effective working relationships with key clients and Senior Management.

Agency Initiatives / Growth / Management :

  • Make original contributions to company growth through contributions to original research / thinking, participation in internal cultural initiatives, and development of new professional capabilities and perspectives.
  • Supervise and advance the growth of Strategic Planning staff. Oversee the quality of their work.
  • Create dialogue and share innovations and new methods across internal teams (account service, creative, customer development, media, production, etc.).
  • Understand company’s business model and be able to work with senior colleagues to manage the agency investment in Strategic Planning resources, secondary research providers, and other Strategic Planning relevant suppliers.
  • Intellectual property – develop and adapt to the business, all Mars United Network intellectual property ensuring it helps to deliver on Mars United goals and positioning.
  • Demonstrations : Agency Growth :

  • Responsible for client relationships at senior level.
  • Participates in new business pitches.
  • Develop and merchandise Strategic Planning “products”.
  • Responsible for a functional, productive, and happy team. Also, responsible to maintain healthy team culture.
  • Attract, train, and develop talent, ensuring Strategic Planning keeps a diversity of skills, backgrounds, and experience.
  • Agency Initiatives :

  • Continues to assist in knowledge sharing through internal communication events, training, and other written materials.
  • Develops and participates in training and teaching through Mars U and other initiatives.
  • Original & Proprietary Intellectual Property :

  • Conducts primary research, client or agency.
  • Uses proprietary strategic models, helps to drive their development, use, and institutionalization.
  • Develops and participates in client presentations.
  • Leads and develops people on the team (indirectly and directly).
  • Coaches and mentors others within the department.
  • Identifies new opportunities for revenue growth with clients.
  • Supports annual planning initiatives with clients.
  • Supports award efforts with account & creative.
  • Supports new business RFP & pitching efforts.
  • Identifies unmet needs within the department, develops proposals to satisfy needs.
  • Supports wider agency initiatives.
  • Writes white papers, agency “points of view”, blog posts, etc.
  • SKILLSETS REQUIRED :

  • Bachelor’s degree or greater
  • Minimum of 8 years’ experience in strategy and planning with experience in marketing directly with / for retailers
  • Dynamic personality able to effectively engage and influence a variety of audiences
  • Passion for understanding the ‘why’s' of human behavior and a strong desire to improve / grow our clients’ business
  • Strong analytical skills
  • Proven leadership and organizational skills
  • Excellent verbal, written, presentation and interpersonal skills
  • Self-starter with strong problem-solving ability
  • Capable of handling multiple projects simultaneously
  • High level of energy and enthusiasm
  • Comfortable with high pressure, fluid and ambiguous situations
  • Ability to travel on an as-needed basis
  • Mars United Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to race, ancestry, creed, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or handicap, HIV, veteran, marital or family status, or any other status or condition protected by applicable state and / or federal laws, except where a bonafide occupational qualification applies.

    Mars United Commerce has developed a wide variety of inclusive benefit plans and policies that address and promote the needs of all employees and their family members, including comprehensive group health plans, a parental leave program that includes paid maternity and paternity benefits for pregnancy, adoption and surrogacy, flexible paid time off, a broad and confidential employee assistance program, ongoing wellness support initiatives, trusted financial health advice and guidance, promotion of education through tuition support and assistance, and a flexible and supportive work environment and culture.

    Compensation Range : $100,000 - $120,000 annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer / temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be January 31, 2025.

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    Salary : $100,000 - $120,000

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