Associate Director, Strategy

Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid)

$120K/yr – $140K/yrSenior Level7+ years expFull time

Posted 4 months ago

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Job Summary

Drive experiential strategy for in-person brand activations and retail rollouts, shaping how attendees move through spaces and linking physical events to digital ecosystems.

  • Own end-to-end strategy for trade shows and retail activations, shaping user journeys.
  • Must-have: Deep experiential marketing and retail strategy experience in tech.
  • Standout: Track record winning new business and aligning cross-disciplinary teams.

Job Description

Responsibilities

  • Evaluate client objectives and product roadmaps to design compelling physical footprints, defining how attendees move through a space—whether it is a global trade show booth or a local retail pop-up.
  • Develop retail engagement strategies that drive product understanding and consideration, specifically for consumer electronics, phones, wearables, and smart home devices. Go beyond the data. Determine how people actually move through spaces to identify friction points and "magic moments" with these devices in a physical space.
  • Strategize the connection between physical events and digital ecosystems, ensuring on-ground activations are amplified socially and digitally to drive earned media and long-term loyalty.
  • Define what "success" looks like across the various experiences. Move beyond foot traffic to measure dwell time, sentiment, and digital behavior and conversions.
  • Lead the strategic narrative for new business pitches within the experiential and retail sector, translating complex business challenges into innovative, spatial strategic visions that win work.
  • Identify and pursue proactive growth opportunities within the US market to expand the agency's experiential portfolio.
  • Cultivate strong relationships with senior marketing leaders at prospective client organizations, acting as a trusted advisor on the future of retail and events.
  • Champion high standards for interactive design, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in physical brand activations.

Requirements

  • 7 - 9 years of experience in strategy, specifically at least 5 years in experiential marketing, brand activation, and/or retail strategy.
  • Must be based in the US (California or New York preferred).
  • Current or recent experience working in an agency environment.
  • Deep knowledge of consumer electronics, hardware, or tech brands, with an understanding of how to market a physical product in a physical space.
  • Strong spatial awareness with the ability to look at a floor plan or a render and identify user journeys, dwell times, and engagement opportunities.
  • Understand how to design for dopamine, belonging, and memory, not just for aesthetic appeal.
  • Led or supported strategy for major global rollouts or high-impact "drop" culture activations.
  • A proven track record of successfully winning new business and leading or supporting complex pitch processes for events or experiential agencies.
  • Exceptional ability to articulate complex ideas (like AI integration or ecosystem connectivity) into simple, human-centric physical experiences.
  • Resilience and adaptability to work in a fast-paced environment where event deadlines are immovable.

Preferred

  • Experience working specifically with large-scale tech ecosystems.
  • BA/BS/MA degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field.
  • A portfolio demonstrating success in major trade shows (e.g., CES, MWC) or large-scale retail installations.

Benefits

  • Excellent, full coverage medical, dental, and vision insurance - more about our coverage here!
  • Generous PTO and 15 company-wide holidays
  • 401k with company contribution
  • Paid parental leave
  • Work-life balance with an emphasis on personal well-being
  • Career growth in a disruptor space & entrepreneurial opportunities within the Monks network
  • A globally diverse & inclusive culture with employee resource groups such as S4 Melanin, Pride.Monks, Cultura.Monks, and more!
  • Authentic commitment to DEI efforts and sustainable growth. (Why Sir Martin Sorrell signed The Climate Pledge here!)
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Monks

3.7 Glassdoor

Monks combines an extraordinary range of global marketing and technology services to accelerate business possibilities and redefine how brands and businesses interact with the world. It delivers unfettered content production, scaled experiences, enterprise-grade technology and data science fueled by AI to help the world’s trailblazing companies outmaneuver and outpace their competition.

Founded in 1985
London, England, GB
6.9K employees (2,903 in marketing)
73% recommend to a friend

Traffic Signals

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Traffic Source Mix
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42.3%
Referral
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Social
9.4%
Paid
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Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~6.6K

Marketing Team

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Median Career Experience
12 years
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Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
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