Associate Strategy Director
VMLJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
VML Health is seeking a Strategy Director to lead digital and omnichannel engagement for European clients, reporting to the Head of Engagement Strategy. This Europe-based role offers remote flexibility and requires 7-13 years of research and strategic planning experience, ideally in a global healthcare environment with HCP and DTC marketing exposure. You will manage a team of junior strategists, own senior client relationships, and shape engagement strategies, workshops, and measurement approaches. To apply, tailor your CV and portfolio to show how you translate customer insights into connected, personalized experiences across channels, demonstrate cross-functional collaboration, and prove business impact with data storytelling. Highlight global and local context, collaboration, and a readiness for hybrid work.
About VML
VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.
VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
VML HEALTH is a leading global healthcare agency that partners with clients to build connected experiences across the healthcare ecosystem. A deep understanding of individual needs and behaviour, and how they are connected, allows us to create seamless experiences. And when these experiences are personalized, unique and relevant at every touchpoint, their power is all the more profound.
We power connections beyond science into human behaviour. We believe that science can change the world and that changing the world starts with a single person behaving differently. Overcoming beliefs and barriers to make life better for patients and healthcare communities is second nature to us.
Within VML HEALTH is the Global Strategy Team (GST), home to a diverse set of strategic thinkers. It represents the highest levels of strategic competency under an agile business model, working independently with clients or as part of an integrated agency team. The GST brings together four key disciplines to build brands and shape the healthcare environment from as early as pipeline development through to loss of exclusivity: Medical Strategy, Engagement Strategy, Brand Strategy, and Medical Consulting. This role sits with the Engagement Strategy team and our European Hub.
About the Position
Title: Strategy Director (Digital/Omnichannel/engagement)
Reports to: Head of Engagement Strategy
Location: Can be based in Europe (remote working arrangement).
This role requires someone with experience either working within a dedicated heath agency or managing pharma clients.
Where you shine
As a Strategy Director, you will quarterback a human-centered approach to translating human empathy and an understanding of the world into meaningful and impactful experiences. We work to anticipate emerging opportunities at the intersection of people, culture, technology and business, identifying where to play and how to win for our clients. As Senior Engagement Strategist, you will lead by understanding the root of client business challenges, framing problems in unexpected ways, and providing inspiration and clarity through thought leadership. Engagement strategy is core to the VML Health strategy capability, providing leadership across strategy, and innovation in customer engagement practices.
The Strategy Director operates independently, leveraging a team of junior engagement strategists to help drive projects, organic growth and new business. The Senior Engagement Strategist is expected to manage the discovery, synthesis, development and business impact of engagement strategies. Like all strategists on our team, you’ll be expected to inspire change through innate curiosity, a drive for impact, and an orientation that puts strategy into immediate action.
What your success will look like
Your Day-to-Day Impact:
• Develop a deep understanding of our clients’ customers’ wants, needs, and behaviors across the full customer journey
• Oversee the development and orchestration of engagement and omnichannel strategy – connection of strategic goals to engagement priorities to channel specific strategies (e.g. social, CRM, website, paid media, apps, rep-delivered and more) This includes building connected ecosystems and enabling personalization at scale to maximize customer impact and drive business results.
• Sets expectations for how the segment/audience profile fits into the project and how it helps set the stage
• Strong understanding of various analytical frameworks and methodologies, and the ability to analyze and translate data into a concise story
• Lead workshop planning and proposals, development of measurement strategy and analytics approaches, execution of engagement planning and tactical exercises, and content generation and presentation strategies
Your role with clients:
• Oversees strategic development on at least one major client and/or oversee multiple clients
• Engages with and helps manage senior client relationships as a key strategic and business partner
• Lead and support engagement strategy development on new business pitches
• Constantly seeks to improve client work and actively analyzes client’s challenges and opportunities
• Provides key support and partnership in leading key strategy deliverables by guiding the strategic direction in relation to our clients’ brand development and marketing approach
Your Role in Team Growth:
• Provide guidance and support to Junior and Mid Engagement strategists in strategy development
• Recognize how to motivate junior strategists – what they need to learn and where they can contribute
• Challenges team to uncover innovative tools and ideas, and to pursue growth opportunities • Demonstrates and inspires team to take risks and challenge convention
• Collaborate effectively with other strategists, Client Engagement, Medical, and Creative disciplines on business, brand and communications strategies
Who you are and what you bring
• 7-13 years of experience in overall research and strategic planning experience ideally within a digital/engagement function
• Substantial healthcare agency experience ideally within a global environment
• HCP and DTC marketing agency experience
• Critical and analytical thinker, innovator and visionary that inspires creativity
• Demonstrates passion, familiarity, and curiosity with the practice
• Deep understanding of Global, Regional and local communication context, and strong experience in developing communication plans across these levels.
• A genuine passion for driving innovation within engagement strategy practices • Excellent collaboration skills across various business functions, from tech enablement, data, and digital and hybrid production.
• Able to develop strong client relationships and trust based on deep immersion in the client’s business
• Highly collaborative and able to work effectively across internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a multidisciplinary background, including developing business strategy, marketing strategy, consumer insight, and/or account planning
We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
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