Director, Strategic Planning

Weber Shandwick is more than a leading global PR agency – we’re an engagement agency working at the cutting edge of the new media landscape. We’re storytellers and content creators who engage people IN the story. Our success is built on a deep commitment to client service, creativity, collaboration, and our people. We engage stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputations that last. About the Role Weber Shandwick is seeking a bright, motivated, and creative Director of Strategic Planning to join our team. In this role, you will act as the strategic engine for a diverse range of government, trade association, non‑profit, and corporate accounts, fueling their brand positioning and creative strategies. You will drive day‑to‑day creative strategy for key clients—including a major consumer‑facing government brand—across both social and earned media. This position is tied to our Washington, D.C. office, and D.C. area residency is highly preferred. This person will be expected to work from the office on a hybrid basis (at least three days a week in the office). Responsibilities Creative & Brand Strategy: Drive the day-to-day creative strategy for key accounts, crafting brand narratives, creative briefs, and messaging frameworks that serve as a true "north star" for client communications. Insight Generation & Research: Assist in the crafting and evaluation of primary quantitative and qualitative research to segment audiences, identify influencers, and uncover actionable insights. You will also write discussion guides and synthesize primary research findings. Cultural & Political Intelligence: Read continuously to maintain a deep understanding of fast‑moving political and cultural issues, leveraging emerging events and insights to proactively reshape client assignments. Campaign Strategy & Storytelling: Translate performance data, emerging cultural trends, and real‑time insights into actionable strategy, proactively re‑shaping and optimizing client assignments. You will build and deliver clear, high‑impact client reports and presentations that drive decision‑making. Data & AI Integration: Seamlessly integrate Weber Shandwick’s proprietary Google‑based AI tools into your daily workflow and leverage industry‑standard subscription data tools (e.g., MRI, Talkwalker, Mintel) to inform and validate your strategies. Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Actively contribute to client meetings, creative brainstorms, and strategy sessions while cultivating fruitful relationships with creative and digital strategists, research/analytics experts, and account teams. Qualifications 7‑9 years of professional experience in strategic planning, creative strategy, or account planning, ideally within an agency setting. Demonstrated experience developing brand narratives, messaging frameworks, and cross‑platform creative strategies (specifically across social and earned media). Hands‑on experience with primary and secondary research, including writing discussion guides and synthesizing qualitative/quantitative data. Familiarity leveraging consumer data platforms and social listening tools (such as MRI, Talkwalker, Mintel). Required Skills Analytical Storytelling: The ability to frame a problem, develop succinct “ah‑ha” insights, and translate complex data into a simple, compelling story. Political & Cultural Savvy: A deep passion for and understanding of the nuances of politics, business, cultural and social impact. Curiosity & Empathy: An open‑minded, inclusive, and empathetic approach, driven by an endless curiosity about consumer behavior and mindsets. Agility: The ability to pivot quickly and seamlessly navigate the unpredictability of fast‑changing political and cultural environments. Future‑Forward Mindset: A proactive willingness to adopt and integrate emerging AI technology into your daily workflow. Pay range and compensation package Salary range: $100,000 USD - $125,000 USD. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee’s/applicant’s background, pertinent experience, and qualifications. Equal Opportunity Statement The Weber Shandwick Collective is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The Weber Shandwick Collective recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, ethnic or national origin, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or citizenship status. #J-18808-Ljbffr