Associate Director, Strategy and Planning

Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

$107K/yr – $153K/yrSenior Level5+ years expFull time

Posted 7 weeks ago

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Job Summary

Own cross‑channel strategy and client POV development for large campaigns, turning insights into multi‑channel plans while leading a team and coordinating inputs from clients, agencies, and internal stakeholders.

  • Strategic planning leadership: deck writing, budget allocation, and audience development.
  • Client and partner collaboration: build and present strategic plans, interpret data, and escalate issues as needed.
  • Team leadership and process: manage Associates to drive knowledge sharing and best‑practice collaboration.

Job Description

Responsibilities
  • Strategize with internal directors and client to develop innovative, well-targeted marketing solutions
  • Interface with clients and partner agencies to build strategic communication plans for targeted audiences
  • Review client deliverables for quality, ensuring that recommendations and work product are sound and viable
  • Own the development of strategic proposals and client facing POVs, coordinating with necessary teams to account for all relevant inputs
  • Assume accountability and ownership of campaign planning for assigned client accounts
  • Embrace and encourage a culture based on team work, collaboration, and support
  • Develop best practices for improving communication and collaboration within the team and the group
  • Lead knowledge share sessions to share and learn new strategies for optimizing and enhancing campaign performance
  • Collaborate and foster relationships with key partners including clients, internal teams, and leadership
  • Lead strategic planning initiatives including deck writing, budget and channel allocation, and audience development
Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred, preferably with a concentration in marketing, advertising, communications, business, sociology, or consumer insights
  • 5+ years of experience in media strategy/planning experience across media channels
  • Previous team management experience
  • Strong digital media experience preferred
  • Resourceful, curious, and motivated individual with an ability to work independently as well as in a team setting
  • Ability to manage timelines, projects and personnel within direct report team and across cross-functional teams
  • Proven experience in successfully managing multiple work streams at one time
  • Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills
  • Excellent presentation skills to effectively lead meetings in-person with key clients
  • Detail-oriented with the ability to multi-task and manage priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Benefits
  • Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or more
  • Monetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and Fertility
  • Monetary assistance and support for pet adoption
  • Employee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balance
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Paid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and more
  • Matching Gifts programs
  • Flexible working arrangements
  • 'Work Your World’ Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)
  • Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances
Starcom logo

Starcom

3.7 Glassdoor

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the center of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With almost 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, Starcom partners with the world's leading marketers and brands, including Bank of America, Best Buy, Kellanova, McDonald's, Novartis, Samsung, Visa, WK Kellogg Company and more.

Founded in 1936
Chicago, Illinois, USA
6.1K employees (2,084 in marketing)
66% recommend to a friend
59% CEO approval

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
20.1K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
43.1%
Direct
41.6%
Referral
9.1%
Social
4.6%
Paid
1.1%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~6.1K

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
1,983 (33% of company)
Median Career Experience
10 years
Median Tenure
4.5 years
Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
34

Funding

Total Funding
$57.1M
Last Raise
$43.2M
Series A, 1 months ago

Funding History

  • Feb 2026
    Series A • $43.2M
  • Aug 2025
    Series A
  • May 2025
    Series A • $13.9M

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