Strategy & Content Manager

At Spark Foundry we are balancing the nimble spirit of a startup with the powerhouse soul of Publicis Media.  We are scrappy, driven and above all dreamers. Every day we are re-imagining what the future will look like with our clients in mind.​ 

We combine boutique-caliber insights and service with the buying clout and first-look access of a global leader, enabling challenger brands that want to act like giants, and to giant brands that want to act like challengers.  Energy and innovation fuel our startup spirit, while our unrivaled marketplace clout, exclusive partnerships, and global practice capabilities deliver our powerhouse soul to our clients. A client roster that spans some of the world’s best and most beloved brands and companies.

With a bottom-up culture that celebrates diversity and aims for all voices to be heard, Spark has become a magnet for the industry’s best talent. By applying a whole-person approach to professional and personal development, Spark develops a workforce that is well prepared for today’s challenges, and also poised to create meaningful careers in the years to come. At Spark EVERYONE matters, EVERYONE is creative and NO ONE is a passenger.

Let’s be honest – in this industry, sometimes we complicate things that should be simple. Here is the bottom line: we want YOU to join us if you are truly passionate about guiding marketers on how to best connect their brands with people. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. We hope you’ll take a few moments to learn more about us and begin thinking about how you might ignite your inner Spark.

The Strategy & Content Manager plays a critical role at the heart of the strategic process. They collaborate with various other teams to ensure an idea is fully integrated across channels to best achieve a brand’s communication tasks.

They work with planning, research and data science teams to understand the audiences at play and what makes them tick. They tag team with our creative partners’ strategy teams to translate campaign ideas into an actionable connections plan across paid, owned and earned touchpoints. They sit with planning and investment teams as well as media partners to uncover the audience’s favorite content and how to the brand can be integrated in the best light possible.

This role calls for a strategist with a creative heart and a curious mind. The type of person that will instinctively pick up on an emerging theme but will double-check the data to make sure their gut isn’t off the mark. Someone who can contextualize an idea within the appropriate channels and ultimately ensure that creative and media all work in perfect harmony.

Beyond talent, we’re looking for an individual that plays well with others, goes the extra mile and can adapt to change.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the strategy on industry leading brands that require not only the ability to develop big award winning ideas but also knowledge of best practice media principles
• Determine the communications tasks for each campaign while deciding the right channels and their roles          
• Understand macro and micro trends in culture in ways that inform strategies.
• Establish measurable campaign KPIs, helping to enhance creative effectiveness and improve sell rate of innovative ideas
• Partner closely with inter-agency teams to ensure the creative idea make most effective use of an integrated mix of owned, earned and paid channels, and are deployed via innovative, targeted media and technology
• Partner closely with the Media Planning, Research and Data Sciences team to drive the creation of media and data plan that pays dividends to your connections plan
• Partner closely with the clients’ owned channel teams to ensure that the communication idea is adopted and executed seamlessly throughout social, PR, and .com properties
• Responsible for demonstrating an understanding of consumer behaviors within media, and a working knowledge of media relevant to the client’s business including TV, digital, social, experiential, print, OOH, and search
• Showcase an understanding of digital, social and emerging platforms and technologies
• Report up to and collaborate with VP of Connections Planning to drive best-in-class work
• Bring thought leadership to clients and Spark Foundry as a whole
• Interact with clients and lead brainstorming sessions and workshops
• Partake in new business pitches with the Spark Foundry team

Requirements

• 6-8+ years of Communications, Brand Strategy or Media Strategy role
• Mastery of technological, cultural, media trends & best practices
• Degree in a related discipline an asset (preferably in a Business, Communication, Marketing, or Cultural Studies program)       
• Exposure to the creative ideation process
• Fully fluent in English and French

Professional skills

• Great thinker and an even better storyteller
• Collaboration
• Curiosity
• Creativity
• Passion for innovation
• Ability to package information in clear, concise and impactful ways
• Excellent at summarizing and making complex information accessible
• Relationship-minded to collaborate with internal teams, external partners, and clients
• Very strong written and oral communication skills.

Spark is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We create and nurture a vibrant work environment that celebrates, values and leverages all aspects of diversity and inclusiveness, attracts world-class talent and serves as the industry benchmark for best practices. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and will provide appropriate accommodation for candidates with disabilities or accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process, upon request. Please contact our recruiter for any questions, accommodations or specific requests. We thank all candidates for their interest in Publicis Media, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.