Director of Strategy

LONDON, UK (Hybrid Working - 3 days in the office per week)

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Croud is an independent global media, creative, and data agency helping our clients make their next best move. We help brands unlock growth with Return on Intelligence - applying innovative intelligence across brand strategy, integrated media, social, creative, and data. We deliver this through our proprietary tech platform, CroudOS, our Croudie network and our award-winning global teams.

Founded in 2011 to reinvent the agency model, Croud combines 600+ in-house digital experts with a global network of 2,900 on-demand marketing specialists. This unique business model  enables us to operate with agility, delivering tailored solutions that drive meaningful and measurable growth for our clients in over 120 markets and 60+ languages.

Croud was recently named a Sunday Times Best Place to Work for the second year in a row, and was named Performance Marketing Employer of the Year by PMW

At Croud, we unlock potential by elevating our people, clients, and communities within a rapidly advancing and complex economy. We operate as a unique scaled network of Intelligent, Creative Specialists, enabling us to deliver superior brand outcomes and unlock potential for our people, our clients and our communities.

Our culture is strategically driven and inspired by a shared long-term vision. It is collaborative and connected, with a focus on continuous learning and mutual support.

We are energised by future thinking, driving innovation to achieve better outcomes. We are instinctively generous, actively including and empowering our people. Above all, we are purpose-driven, committed to positively impacting our people, the planet, and our global communities.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Director of Strategy, EMEA runs the strategy and planning organisation day to day. Where the CSO sets direction and represents the function at group level, this role makes it work: the operating rhythm, the quality of the output, the profitability of the discipline, and the performance of the three specialism leads who report into it.

The function brings together Integrated Planning, Creative Strategy, and Strategic Analytics under one organisation. The commercial premise is that these are worth more sold together than apart, and this role is accountable for proving it. That means growing integrated revenue - clients buying across specialisms rather than in isolation - and building the ways of working that make integration real rather than structural.

We are open on background. This could be someone with genuine breadth across media, creative, and analytics, or someone with real depth in one of the three who has built their career operating in tandem with the other two. What matters is credibility with all three teams and the judgement to hold the balance between them without blunting the sharp edges of each specialism.

This is an operator's role with a strong external face. The successful candidate will be running a function and a P&L on Monday and leading a flagship pitch on Thursday, and will be credible in front of the client C-Suite in both modes. They will be a recognised voice in the market with a point of view worth publishing.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Running the Strategy Function

• Own the day to day operation of the strategy organisation across EMEA: resourcing, capacity, prioritisation, and the rhythm of how work moves through the function.

• Line manage the three specialism leads, setting objectives, holding performance conversations, and developing them as leaders in their own right.

• Make the three specialisms work as one organisation, defining the ways of working, handover points, and shared rituals that turn structure into genuine integration, consistently.

Commercial Performance & Margin

• Own the P&L for the strategy function, with accountability for margin, utilisation, and revenue against target.

• Ensure work is scoped, priced, and resourced correctly at the point of contract, and intervene where delivery is eroding margin.

• Work with client leadership and finance to forecast accurately and manage capacity against the pipeline.

Integrated Revenue Growth

• Grow integrated revenue by increasing the number of clients buying across two or more specialisms.

• Build and sell integrated strategy products that combine planning, creative strategy, and analytics into a single commercial offer.

• Identify organic growth opportunities within existing clients and convert them, using strategy as the route into broader budgets.

Quality of Work & Craft Standards

• Own the quality bar across the function. Review, challenge, and improve work before it reaches clients.

• Establish the review points, standards, and escalation routes that make quality consistent rather than dependent on who is on the account.

• Raise the level of ambition in the work, building the conditions for the team to take positions and defend them.

Flagship Pitch Leadership

• Lead the strategic response on flagship and priority pitches, owning the thinking, the narrative, and the quality of the recommendation.

• Assemble and direct pitch teams across the three specialisms, holding the line on the idea under time pressure.

• Present in the room as the senior strategic voice for the agency.

Talent & Development

• Own the talent agenda for the function: hiring standards, progression frameworks, and career paths across all three specialisms.

• Build succession and depth below the specialism leads so the function is not dependent on individuals.

• Create a culture that attracts and retains strong strategic talent in a competitive market.

Thought Leadership & Market Profile

• Develop and publish original thinking that establishes the agency's point of view on integrated strategy and effectiveness.

• Commission proprietary research that gives clients information they cannot get elsewhere.

• Build a consistent external awards strategy, identifying the work and categories that best demonstrate the quality, effectiveness and originality of the agency’s strategic product.

• Partner with client, creative, media and analytics teams to develop compelling award submissions supported by clear evidence of commercial and marketing impact.

• Represent the agency externally at industry events, in trade press and on awards juries, strengthening the reputation and market pull of the strategy function.

COMPANY BENEFITS

Croud operates a hybrid working model with a minimum of 3 days a week based in our London office and the remaining days from home if you wish.

Croud offers a clear path to progression for all members of staff. We are committed to offering development opportunities alongside a support system of regular performance reviews. The opportunities are endless!

On completion of the three-month probation period, every employee is eligible for the benefits listed on our careers site which include:

• Sabbatical: Paid sabbatical at 7 years with an option to take it unpaid at 5 years

• 25 days holiday a year

• Discretionary annual performance based incentive

• Sale commission

• Recruitment referrals bonus

• Health & Wellbeing contribution

• 2 Recharge Days each holiday year

• Ride to Work scheme

• Railcard

• Season Ticket loan

• Home office screen

• Daily office perks: Free fruit, breakfast cereals, snacks, and tea & coffee

• Weekly treat: Enjoy a complimentary lunch on us every week

• Enhanced Family Leave: Including primary and secondary family leave, extended parental leave, and shared family leave

• Life insurance and income protection

• Private Medical Insurance

• Pension

• Curated 3rd party learning platform as well as access to Croud Campus (our bespoke learning and development platform)

• Peer to peer recognition scheme 'bonusly'

• Team off-sites/regular socials

• Year-round holiday parties

• Flexible working options

• Day to make a difference

Standard hours are from 9.00am to 5.30pm, there’s flexibility if agreed in advance with your line managers (it may also be necessary on occasions to work outside of these hours).

Croud is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of a person's gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. All candidates will be assessed based on merit, qualifications and their ability to perform the requirements of the role.

OUR VALUES

At Croud, our vision centres around the idea of unlocking potential. We do this by elevating everyone in an inclusive and progressive culture, empowering individuals to deliver their best work. This means we build better brand outcomes, and unlock potential for our people, our clients and our communities.

We live and breathe five core values that foster a culture where everyone can thrive. Our commitment to elevating each other is fundamental to both our cultural and business success. The ideal candidate will excel in and demonstrate the following:

• In it together - our value on integration, collaboration and outcomes

• Eye on the future - our value on futurism, creativity and passion

• Generous in spirit - our value on people, development and inclusion

• Do what you say - our value on integrity and accountability

• Make a difference - our value on purpose and impact