Executive Director - Strategy

About the role

We are seeking an Executive Director of Strategy to lead the strategy practice at Please See//, an independent brand consultancy. The role will shape the agency’s strategic direction, work closely with senior client leadership, and ensure that brand solutions are both insightful and impactful.

Key responsibilities

• Own the strategic output for key client engagements, setting direction, maintaining rigor, and delivering lasting outcomes.
• Serve as the senior strategic voice in client relationships, advising on brand identity, positioning, architecture and transformation.
• Lead new‑business pitches from a strategy perspective, shaping narratives that win work.
• Partner with the Executive Creative Director and client leaders to ensure strategic‑creative coherence.
• Develop and evolve internal strategic frameworks, methodologies and ways of working.
• Contribute to the agency’s intellectual capital by defining its point of view on brand and strategy and translating it into training and knowledge resources.
• Represent Please See// externally in industry conversations and thought‑leadership forums.
• Build, mentor and develop a high‑performing strategy team.

Required profile

• 12–15 years of experience in brand strategy, strategic planning or brand consulting.
• Background either client‑side in a consumer‑goods insight/strategy function or agency‑side at a research or brand consultancy.
• Proven ability to lead and close strategic engagements independently, from problem framing to recommendation presentation.
• Deep expertise in brand architecture, positioning, narrative development and organisational identity.
• Confident, authoritative presence with CXO‑level clients.
• Commercial awareness of how strategic work creates and protects business value.
• Experience building, structuring or scaling a strategy practice or team.

Required skills