Director, Brand Experience Social Strategy, DIG, Ruder Finn

Ruder Finn is seeking an experienced Director of Social Strategy to join our growing Digital (DIG) practice. In this role, you will be responsible for developing social strategies and social-first content programs for our Brand Experience clients, including food, CPG, QSR, lifestyle and adjacent categories.This is a role for someone who thrives at the intersection of social strategy, creativity, and culture. The Director will bring a deep understanding of culture across entertainment, sports, food, fashion, lifestyle, and other relevant categories, with the ability to identify emerging conversations and translate cultural moments into timely, distinctive social opportunities for brands.You will lead social strategy and campaign development, generate culturally relevant ideas, guide content creation, and oversee the execution of integrated digital initiatives across a range of client accounts. The ideal candidate combines strong cultural instincts with a sophisticated social/digital skillset and a proven ability to create programs that spark conversation, strengthen brand relevance, and deliver measurable results.As a Director, you will have direct contact with clients, partners, and other practice groups across the country and globally. This role will allow for growth, giving you the opportunity to apply your creativity and skills across key areas.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategically plan social content strategy and communications, integrating both paid and organic tactics supported by data-driven insights for consumer and brand experience clients.Lead social content and strategy, ensuring alignment with broader communications programs and social media integration while exploring new opportunities in digital tools and technologiesMonitor and interpret social trends across entertainment, sports, fashion, food, lifestyle, and other relevant cultural categories to identify timely opportunities for client brands. Develop proactive, culturally relevant ideas that enable brands to participate credibly in emerging conversations, cultural moments, and social trends.Counsel clients on how and when to enter the cultural conversation, balancing speed, brand relevance, audience expectations, and other considerations.Serve as a key contact for clients, acting as key social and digital expertise to support their digital knowledge ongoing.Support in the operational performance of accounts, ensuring high-quality deliverables, adherence to deadlines, and budget optimization.Deliver superior client service by aligning digital objectives with senior management direction, providing clear updates on project timelines, and ensuring seamless coordination across internal teams and external stakeholdersMentor and develop junior team members, fostering expertise in digital and cutting-edge campaign strategiesCollaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure cohesive execution across all digital channels and platformsReview and analyze campaign performance to develop client-facing reports and provide actionable insights for enhancement of client reputation and strategic improvementsPartner with external vendors to strengthen the delivery of high-impact crisis communication strategies and digital reputation managementQualificationsA minimum of 6+ years working in the social strategy space with experience in consumer, brand, CPG. Experience with QSR preferred.Bachelor’s degree in advertising, communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field preferredA strong passion for social media marketing, coupled with the ability and curiosity to leverage emerging industry trends to effectively coordinate digital campaignsExpertise in social strategy and content development, as well as the execution of social listening, marketing, data analysis, and insights reporting. Direct experience creating content is a plus, but not mandatory.Expert-level knowledge of the role that paid, influencer and owned play in the brand social ecosystem.Deep knowledge of and genuine enthusiasm for culture, with the ability to connect developments across multiple categories to consumer behavior and brand opportunities.Demonstrated experience translating cultural insights, social trends, and real-time moments into compelling brand ideas, content strategies, and integrated campaigns.Strong cultural judgment and instincts, including recommending authentic ways for your clients to participate in conversations.A firm understanding of the creative process and what makes strong social content. Experience should include working with creative production teams to deliver high-impact creative and content to clients.Strong organizational skills with the ability to work across multiple high‐profile and high‐budget programs in a fast‐paced, consistently changing environmentAbility to multitask and operate with flexibility in a fast‐paced environment to meet tight deadlines Proven experience managing and coaching a teamExperience managing influencer campaigns with talent is a plus but not required.The anticipated salary range for this position, at the time of posting, is $98,000 - $115,000. The salary of the applicant selected for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, education, internal equity, geography, relevant years of experience, certifications, skills, abilities of the selected applicant, and other job-related qualifications. In addition, a range of medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available by the company.Ruder Finn provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Ruder Finn will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Ruder Finn believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.SummaryLocation: US New York NY; US Chicago ILType: Full time